The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-08-26
THE TWO BANDITS BAGGEO
They Had Held Up a Freight Train
Near Chicago the Night
Before
In Doing So They Killed Ono on
cor and Seriously Wounded
Another.
After = Hot Chase and = Runnink Fight
Both Dsspsradoss Are Wounded
aad Captured.

SUI hAbtuNoHt
CmcAdo. Aug. 26-Dsspsrsdoea VIII
Lake and II. y. German. who shot and
killed Patrick Ovens, Of tho Chicago. MI.
vaukos a 81. Paul road. Al DSSrfsld lasi
night and few hours later shot and prob
ably mortally wounded Officer McCfAIh. AZ
Mayfair. wore surrounded and captured by
the polios In Elk grove woods. near Dsa-
PLANES river, at noon to-day. Their cap
ture was only effected after siH hours OF
chass and The exchange OF fully 100 shots.
The despsradoes fought on abe bluecoats
and oIeissd civilian par,iclpstoTs In the
Ramut until their Ammuuition was sH-
hsustOd, and then, unable 10 longer reply
TO the hre that WAS poured In upon their
retreat. the men sought safety In flight.
Bullets from the officers reyolvera brought
both men 10 earth. and whsn the police
spprshended their game ths men were weak
from loss OF blood. Az soon ns the
wounded men were taken 10 charge BY the
police q new danger arose. Infuria.ad citi-
zsns who bad learned OF ths wsnton mur-
der OF one officer and The fatal shooting Of
another by the dssperadoes demanded that
the wounded men be immediately deprived
of their lives. Citizens made desperate Of
forts 10 get thsm from the police. but every
time tboy were fepulssd without blood.
shed.
The bandits held up q train at Dser-
fold last night. robbed tho conductor Of q
watch aud killed Owens. They cut across
the country 70 Nayfsir. Patrick Ovens, .
railroad detective, attempted TO intof cent
them after they boarded fat car. They
opened fire on MoGratb. who fell 10 ths
platform. One tullst struck him In the
left arm. one entered his body snd the
third struck him near the heart, but was di-
verted by psnholdef.
The bandits then stole a farmers team
and started 10 Milwaukee avenue. Men
on horses began 10 chase tho dssperadoes.
Behind came patrol wagon al full speed,
iu which were four policemen. The par
sued men took 10 the Orchard Place woods
on the Dssplai3es river. soath Of Higgins
road. closely pressed by the patrol wagon
load OF police. LsapinR from their wagon.
the men took refuge under bridge and In
the confusion the bandits escaped 10 the
woods, where thsy we're soon surrounded By
the police.
Messengers dispatched 10 Jefferson for
physicians brought the news Of the shoot
ipg. A special train bssrinR q large num-
Der of Tolicsmen and Detectives was sent
out at $3.50 to Desplsines. The officers
were armed with winchesters and carried
orders to shoot on sght
The wanton murder OF Owens and the
shooting OF McGfath bv tho disciples OF
Jesse James stirred up the entire oommu-
nifty from Desrasld 10 the CITY hall. and not
long after the report that MeCirath had
been shot at Mayfair came In q genuine
man hunt was seen. Special officers In ths
employ OF railroads. CITY police. and a cen-
tral detail Of detectives, armed With re-
volyers and Winchester riHss hurried by
train TO the place where the bandits wore
supp osed TO have taken 10 the voods and
scouting parties followed every trail that
promised to lead 10 the hiding place OF the
numbering train robbers.
Citizens In the neighborhood OF HiRgins'
woods. near Desplainos, piloted bands Of
armed men across the county. and deter
mined officers, with eountrymsn for
euidss, searched untirinsly until the oap-
ture was effected. The artcN was precocsd
by veritabls battle. The robbers were
we'll armed. and when q call from scout.
ing party revealed their whsrsabouts they
mAdo determined stand. Cooking their
fevolvers, the two men waited until their
pui susrs were in view and then opened
FIRE. II was returned BY the ofiioers and
volley after vollsy was exchanged, appaf-
emily without eject II 10 probAbls that
,he men would never have been taken
alive had II not been tina, their supply OF
bmmunition was short
AZ their stock OF cartridges dwindisd
away the desperAdoes sho, more carefully
aud less frequently, but the officers kept
Themselves we'll covered until at last The
mems bullets were exhausted. The officers
called upon them 10 surrender. bot without
noticing the command the fugitives turned
and began q frantic rae, for safety. The
officers followed. hrins 40 they ran. Ths
chase continued until Lake. who was 10 the
lead, was struck b. bullet Throwing up
his banda he turned partially around and
fell and q moment later his oOmV Vanion
dropped, seriously wounded. Pufsueis
quickly closed in on the fallen men ana
handouffed them. Within few moments
! the prisoners were carried towards the rail-
road station and veTe soon brought into
the city and locked In the Wssi Chicago
avenue police station.
Lake. Who 10 "a ysara old. was sho, In the
neck and his recovery is doubtful. lie ad-
mi,ted shooting Owens and hcGrath. The
conductor's watch and other stolen vAiua-
bles we're found upon the man. Gordon. "a
ysars old. was no, dangerously wouadsd,
although iwo bullets struck him. The men
refused 10 give any information regarding
thsir Identity but their appearance iudi-
Gated that both were tough characters.
The police we're inclined 70 tho opinIon
ths. both had seen rAllTsAd service, bul this
thsy denied.
The police thls afternoon denied the
story IN the robbers had fatally shot
Special Policemen PUNK and Yunk. These
oiliosrs we're smone those hfsd tup0n by
Lake and Gordon, and dropped 10 the
ground to esoape she bullets thus giving
rise 10 the rumor that thor were Killed.
Both escaped unlniursd and later Esioinsd
ths chase.
Farmer johnson. OF Dssplainsa. an old
soldier, 10 said by some 30 have been the
man who wounded the despsradOsA. The
old man watched the officers make a charge
uron the men and ''snhladsd" the bsndttg
line OF battle, as a veteran would put II.
Taking good aim, he poured the oontsnis
OF both barrels Of his fawling piece, loaded
With buekshot, At The i've desperate eTiml-
nnls.
The story OF the affair last night, from
which to-dal's man-hunt resulted. IL told
BY superintendent Barr ~ folloWal when
the north bound freight on ths Cbicago,
Milwaukee & ~, Paul road stopped laat
night at Dsera0ld two masksl men
mounted the steps OF tho oabOoas. The
train atopa al this alAtion. which Ia lust
over the Cook county limo In Lake county,
for water. The brakomen were we'll towaid q
ths engine which was IN ohafgs OF Engineer
PTilohaTd, and only Conductor sargent
and Road Detective Patrick Owens we're Ia
tha oabooac Ia Waa lOln1 oiclook Tho