Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-09-14
LET EN- GET AWAY
Five of the kesler Robbers, as
Is Believed.
ONE OF THE GANG STOPS A BULLET,

But the Bullet Fails to Stop Him-Lively
Brush With Strangers Near KelseyviIle,
Ind.-They Prepare to Dine at Far
mer's, But the Latter Starts a Flank
Movement Which Is Spoilt by Very
Imprudent Management.
TOLEDO, o., Sept. IA special to The
Commercial from Ossian, Ind, says: 4
dispatch from Kelseyville, Ind, little
town in Whiteley county, Ind, about sixty
miles from Ossien and along the line of the
NickelPlate, says that fruitless attempt
to capture five of the Kendallville train
robbers was made at that place. Ever since
the robbery occurred sharp outlook has
been kept for the robbers, and the town
marshal, j. q. Hardison, was specially in
structed to be in readiness at any time for
struggle with one or more of the bandits.
The robbery has been the sole topic o. dis
cussion in Kelseyville, and many of the
farmers in the vicinity, and especially
those more distant from the town, have
been getting down their rifles and arming
their men for action.
He Ordered Rations for Five.
During the afternoon a colored man
| about 25 years of age, mounted on a tired
looking pony, covered with dust and dirt
| and wearing slouch hat with the rim
| thrown back, rode in at the gateway of
the farm on what is known as the Spring
Grove road owned by jerome Stansbury,
and asked for something to eat. The pc
culiar appearance of the man and his
| nervous manner aroused Mr.. Stansbury's
! suspicious, and while not daring to refuse
| the man outright he hesitated, and enter
ing the house called his wife to the door.
Thereupon the negro, with threatening
glance called out: "Oh, you needn't be
afraid; I'm going to pay for it. I've got
| money, ut the same time pulling from
his pocket well-filled purse. Il want
something to eat, and l want all you've
got" he said, and then went on rapidly to
explain that he had ridden ahead of four
companions and that they would be along
in few minutes. We're going to stay
in town, " he continued, "and- show you
farmers what n real wild west show is
| like he said, as he seated himself on
chair in the kitchen.
| Stansbury Puts Up IA job.
Stansbury, now thoroughly frightened,
but not daring to leave the farm, proceed
|
the lunch for the unbdden guest, manag-
ing meanwhile to impart to her the sus-
picion that he had in regard to the negro.
He told her he was sure the negro was one
of the keadallville train robbers, and
nearly caused her to faint However, the
two managed to call their little daughter.
| Lizzie, aged II, into the room and whispered
| to her to slip out the back way through
| the cornfield at the back of the barn and
| into the town TO tell Marshal Hardiscn
| to come with posse of men as quickly as
possible. The little one had hardly left
the house before the negro who had stepped
outside entered the room and demanded
angrily to know what they had been do
! ing. Stansbury stanmered out that he
had merely sent his little girl to the
nearest neighbours for some coffee.
Town Marshal Hears the News.
The negro warned him not to fool with
| him, but seemed partially satisfied with
! she story. In the meantime little Lizzie
tnad run all the way into town, distance
Of three-quarters of Il mile, and after
good deal of trouble communicated her
startling intelligence to Town Marshal
| Hardison. The latter rapidly spread the
alarm and in less than ten minutes had
succeeded in gathering about twelve nervy
young men, urmeu WIN guns, CLUBS,
stones, revoivers and other means of de-
tense. At Hardison's side was Thomas
Wilkinson, a man nearly 50 years of age,
known as the pluckiest man in Whiteley
county and a veteran of the war The
party with as little noise as possible
made for the Stanbury farm.
Wilkinson Little Too Rapid
| When within short distance of it thev
caught sight of the expected four men
turning the corner. of the Spring Grove
road and fastening to join the negro who
was now standing in front of the farm
house waving to them to cone on The
relief party hastily turned aside into a lit
tie patch of woodland, but Wilkinson in
sisted on riding ahead, holding in one
hand rife. He had not proceeded ten
yards along the road before the approach
ing party caught sight of him and whis-
tied warning TO the negro who was
turned the other way The latter turned
quickly and reached for his hip pocket.
| Without stopping to think OF the conse-
luence Wilkinson took deliberate aim and
| fired.
| nktC ~EDDiEc hMfhN Dtt,tr