Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-05-25
aA AND GROSS.
Some Further Particulars Regarding the
Fight With the Desperadoes.

From the Husbandman OF last week
more as to the details OF the fight with Gay
and Gross on the Musselshell is learned.
1t appears that Under Sheriff Lewis and
Geo. Williams, from the Musselshell, passed
within fifteen feet of the desperadoes, but
seeing they were not discovered they were
allowed TO pass, but James Mackey, who
was a short distance behind them. CHANGED
to turn his head and discover them, and
seeing they were discovered they opened
fire on him shooting him through the alb
domen. He arose again and fired two or
three shots at the desperadoes. Mr.. Will
liams also espied his men and tool deliber-
ate aim twice but his gun missed fire. He
threw in another cartridge and tried it
twice more with the same result. Gay in
the meantime had lost his mead and could
not get a cartridge in his gun, but seeing
him load the young man had only time to
jump to one side and narrowly escaped a
bullet. The sheriff and posse undertook
to guard the brush but the night came on
so soon that it was impossible to do this
effectively Thomas Linton and some
others wanted to charge the d~esperadoes,
but Sheriff OMAR, with a due respect for
human life, thought different as it would
have cost zoo many lives. The horses,
camp equipage. the guns taken from RAIDER
and Westbrook, and some ammunition,
knives. etc, were captured. 1t ia ascer-
he had borrowed, had needle in it. hence its
failure to fire.
The Helena Independent of the 10Th
inst. contains the following additional par
~ticulaIs from a party who arrived from
Castle:
after the fight between the sheriff's
posse and the desperadoes. in which
sheriff and his deputies went to Webster &
Berry's ranch to stay that night. Word
came to them that Gay and Gross had
called at "a rancher's for food and after.
wards went into a ravine through which a
creek flowed to the Musselshell river. Two
men OF the posse. Cook and Linton, tried
to induce the sheriff to send out the posse,
on the rocks during the night and
the pass from the creek where it
emptied into the Musselshell river. but the
desperadoes did not go hat way. Linton
went home on account OF sickness in
his family, and Cook, after vainly en-
.deavoring to induce some one to go with
him in pursuit, also gave up the chase and
returned to Castle, where he arrived as the
of Mackey vas in progress.
Gays residence in Castle was burned to
the ground and a man resembling Gay was
seen to leave the %place-and disappear over
over a hill back of the house. This person
shot at several times by the constable
probably not hurt. Sunday morning
after the fire a sub-cellar was discovered
where Gays house had stood. filled with
of various kinds. The house had
been repeatedly searched, but this cellar
escaped the attention of the searchers.
Probably one thousand ollar worth of
silks, %satins, dress patterns OF various
kinds, and other plumber was found in this
eel ar. Most OF these goods were stolen
asst winter from a Castle milliner, who
her goods. Burglars tools were
,lso found in the cellar. keys, saws, drills,
'ledges and two keys, i~ngeniously contrived,
intended to unloc Jail doors
The fire was of incendiary origin |
doubt.
''Sheriff OMAR is very much blamed for
he escape of Gay and Gross, by the people
If White Sulphur Springs and Castle.
Tuesday morning he left the springs by |
private conveyance forTownsend and there
.ook the train east for Billings. 1t is sup
POSED that he intends to guard the Yellow
tone river and prevent Gross and Gay
rom crossing, aud viii enlist the services
If Sheriff Ramsey of Yellowstone county in
his undertaking.
1.-The families of Gross and Gay have
,een arrested on various charges and
over in the sum OF $500 to the dis
rict court |