Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1894-01-25

Bob Rogera and his Train Robbers
all In Limbo Now.

United States Deputy Marshals
Heck Bruner, VIM. Q. Smith and
Charley Copeland, with the assist
ance of postofiice inspector and a
railroad detective, made very
successful raid on the Big creek
gang of train robbers Tuesday
morning. One Of their number
was killed, three captured and one
of the latter it is believed is fatally
wounded 1t is said the dead
bandits name was Turner, and his
home Eureka, Kansas, though he
went by the title of "Kiowa." "
Willis Brown is the wounded one.
He is very well known here and
his father lives near Chelsea. Bob
Rogers and Dynamite Jack" are
tie two who were captured uuhurt.
These are believed to be the men
who attempted to hold up the Mis-.
souri, Kansas & Texas train at
Kelso on the 22nd of December
last, at winch time Fireman Geo.
Miner was shot in the face. To
them is also accredited, a day or
two later,the robbery on the Valley
road at Seminole in which the mail
express and baggage cars were
rified and the passengers relieved
of their money and other valu-
ables. II had been known that
they were in hiding for several
months past in the Big creek
country, some twenty-five miles
west of this city and Deputies
Bruner and Bill Smith have put in
a good share of the time during
the past fall and winter in trying
to effect their capture.
About two weeks ago Smith ran
in on them at Henry Daniels
house, on Big creek, and captured
Bob Rogers and Bob Stiteler. Rog-
ers made his escape, somehow,and
il is believed his time since has
been devoted to decoying his pals
into the meshes of the law. At
any rate, the marshals succeeded
in looming up" with four of them
in bed asleep in an upper room at
the home of Frank Rogers, the
father of Bob, Tuesday morning.
Heck Bruner led the way into the
room where the sleeping bandits
lay, with lighted lantern in one
hand and a revolver in the other,
closely followed by four other Off
GERS. "Kiowa" and Willis Brown
occupied one bed and Dynamite
/ I..l-f - ,,ANhav ANhaV.
stepped Into the room "Kiowa"
seized a pistol and fred at him,
and Willis Brown attempted to get
a shot but the officers began firing
at them. "Kiowa" was killed in
stantly, being shot through the
heart and in the head. Brown re-
ceived two bullets, one in the CEN
ter of the back and another in the
left shoulder, which so paralyzed
him as TO render him unable to use
his gun. At the very first fire the
light went out and the shooting
was all done in the dark. They
had all been drunk the night be-
fore and the officers counted upon
taking them without fight, ex.
pecting them to be sleeping
soundly, as a result of their de-
bauch.
Charley Wooten, who has been
accredited with being the leader
of the gang, it is believed has not
been with them for some weeks;
reports have it that he has gone
to Texas. The gang is evidently
pretty we'll broken up, and the
people of this country will rejoice,
as these and other robbers have
terrorized this section for a long
time Jim Rogers, a younger
brother of Bob's, is also in Jail at
Fort Smith, having been taken
there a short time ago by his father
for robbing Hayden post office,
and Henry Hayden and others.
. Sam Rogers is serving a term in
the penitentiary He belonged to
the same gang, and was wounded
and captured last July by Bruner
aud posse at which time another
one of the gang was killed.
The dead and the living out
laws were brought to Vinita Tues.
day and kept here all day, when
they were conveyed to Ft. Smith.
The rewards offered for this out
! fit aggregate perhaps two thous.
and dollars and as part of it is
likely contingent upon delivery
to the U. 5. marshal alive, it may
readily be guessed that the
wounded man was treated as gent
/ ly as nogsible