The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-03-01
A PITCHED BATTLE.
Council Bluffs Police and Suspected
Bank Robbers Fight.
CITIZENS ALSO TAKE A HAND.
A Residence In n Pennsylvania Town
Wrecked by Natural Gas Explosion
and Several People Hurt
Fought with Knives.

Fought with Knives.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Ia, Feb. ga
spirited fight between bank robbers
and local authorities occurred here
late yesterday afternoon, in which
several persons were shot and much
powder burned. Officers had been
notified to watch for the men who
robbed the Griswold, Ia, bank.
Just after dusk, as one of the
officers was patrolling his beat,
he noticed man sitting In
the Office of the Kiel hotel who
answered the description telegraphed
from Griswold. Deputy Sheriff O'Brien
was notified and concluded that he
was one of the men wanted and called
to his assistance Deputy Sheriff Hook
er, and in company with Officers Pater'
son and Ware, the party entered the
Office and invited the suspect to jaii.
As the five men left the hotel two
other hotel guests rose and followed,
keeping several yards behind. Just as
they reached the courthouse, O'Brien
dropped behind, telling his prisoner to
walk in front As he did this two men
who had been following the party COM
menced firing at the officers. Pulling
their guns, the officers returned the
fire, the prisoner and the two strangers
separating from the officers and shoot
ing as they ran. For some minutes the
fusillade was kept up, citizens and
other officers joining in the battle,
which became general all along the
line, until the desperadoes were over.
come and two of them placed under ar
rest and taken to Jail, where they gave
their names as John Riley and James
Wilson.
As soon as they were secure behind
the bars the officers started to look for
the wounded and in the search they
discovered O'Brien severely wounded,
a bullet having struck him in the abdo-
men, entering the body and lodging
near the spine. Riley was hit in the
groin, the bullet penetrating some two
inches. The third man escaped and
fed toward the river pursued by a
posse of citizens, but he managed to
elude them.
In searching the men at the Jail their
pockets yielded a large number of
postage stamps and a quantity of small
change. The men who are under ar
rest refuse to talk upon the subject of
the robbery. They say that they are
farm hands. In regard to the shooting
they state that they were scared and
did not know that the men with whom
they were fighting were officers and
that they shot, as they supposed, tc
defend their lives.
NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION.
SHARON, Pa, Feb. 2G.--The double
residence on the corner of Shenango
and Reno streets WAS completely
wrecked by natural gas explosion yes
terday morning. resulting from the
igniting of accumulating gas in the
cellar. The residence was occupied by
John Ashton and family and Samuel
Bryson and family. The injured are.
John Ashton, severely burned about the
face and body, may die; Jean Bryson,
burned about the face and hands; Miss
Grace Ashton, burned and one finge,
almost blown off; Mrs. Bryson, Mrs
John Ashton and Miss Minnie Ashton
were slightly injured. All the walls
of the house are down and several OF
the inmates were blown out Oh the
street.
FOUGHT WITH KNIVES.
ENGLISH, Ind, Feb. 26.-News has
reached here from Birds Eye of fouI-
handed fight with knives yesterday
morning between Charles and Ed Cum
minis, brothers, on one side, and SimP
and John Lane, brothers, on the other
John Lane and Charles Cummins will
likely die. Both are cut about the
head, breast and shoulders. All were
drunk. They belong to good families.
INDIAN TERRITORY COURTS.