The Ely miner., 1896-10-14
WORK OF BANDITS.
Cory Deed Of Desperadoes at Sher-
burne, MINI.
Rob Bank and Kill Two Men-One of
Them Being Overtaken Shoots Mar.
shall Gallien and Kills
-HimseIf

Sherburne, Minn., Oct. 8.-This town
is in the widest state of excitement
over the most thrilling tragedy that
ever occurred in southern Minnesota.
The Bank of Sherburne was robbed of
large sum of money and two men
were almost instantly killed ut about
1:20 p. M. Wednesday. About noon two
men, one of whom looked like a mere
boy, rode along the main street on BIZ
cycles. They were both well dressed.
but were unshaved and travel-stained
The strangers hung around the out
skirts until shortly after one o'clock,
apparently sizing up the situation. AT
that time they sauntered laZily down
the street and stopped Immediately
in front of the Bank of Sherburne
After moments talk they went into
the bank, and the elder of the two men
engaged Assistant Cashier George Thor
burn in conversation.
Precisely what occurred inside the
bank is not known, as nobody was on
the street in the immediate vicinity at
that time. One of the desperadoes,
however, evidently got hold of roll
OF bills containing about $1,000. Thor
burn probably tried to prevent the men
from getting away with the money.
and they whipped out their revolvers
and began firing, and at the same time
retreating.
One of the bullets struck Thorburn
in the neck and another cut the aorta,
causing almost instant death from IN
ternal hemorrhage. The shooting in
b1,l lNuv1 A, 4 L.
began running in that direction. The
first man to reach the place was Olaf
Oestern, of Luverne, a travelling sales.
man for the Wood Harvester company.
of st. Paul. The desperadoes evidently
feared that they would be captured, as
they quickly turned their firearms upon
Oestern. He made q dash to grappe
with them, but was not quick enough,
as he was struck on the head and fell
dead at their feet. They ran down the
street, firing at random, while people
in the street scurried to places Of safety.
The fleeing robbers ran about three
blocks to a clump of bushes, where they
had coached their wheels. mounted
them and rode rapidly away toward
the Iowa line. six miles to the south.
Mayor c. f. Everett at once did all in
his power together with the town
marshal to run down the bandits. He
also sent a dispatch to Gov. Clough at
ST. Paul, telling him of the awful
tragedy and asking advice.
Gov. Clough has issued proclama-
;ion offering $500 reward for the cap
:ure of the robbers.
Wells, Mimi, Oct. 10.-John ID. Sair,
who no doubt engineered the robbery
At Sherburne Wednesday afternoon, is
dead, as is also Marshal Gallien. of Ban
croft, La. This bloody sequel to the
Martin county tragedy came few min
utes after nine o'clock Friday morning
in bloody battle on the state line road
near Elmore, Minn. A posse of 100 men
in command of Deputy Sheriff Ward, of
Martin county, got on the trail of Sair
shortly after daylight and tracked him
to farmhouse. Deputy Ward knocked
at the door and was answered by wom-
an, but before she had spoken three
words Sair rushed up behind her and
began firing over her shoulder at the
officers. He fired seven times in quick
succession, one of the bullets striking
Marshal Gallien in the forehead and
killing him instantly. The desperado
then quickly ran out of the house by
way of the back door, mounted his bicy
Gle and dashed off toward the east. The
posse caught sight of him and followed
close behind. This chase was kept up
for four miles, when Sair broke a
pedal on his wheel and took to the fields
on foot.
AS he ran across cornfieJd toward
clump of trees Deputy Sheriff Ward
dashed up, dismounted, and. resting his
gun upon tree, fired, the shot from his
Winchester taking effect in the robbers
phonlder. The latter fell. it was sup
posed from the shot from the gun, but
when the posse gathered around him it
was found he had shot himself in the
head, the shoulder wound only being a
slight one. Upon examining the body
the officers found portion of the
money stolen from Sherburne in an in
side pocket of his shirt, the amount be-
ing about 5000. Fastened to belt
around his body were two revolvers
and a wicked-looking dirk knife. The
body was taken to Gilmore at noon and
thence west to Sherburne later. The
coroner's inquest has adjourned until
Monday without finding verdict. The
body of the dead marshal was taken to
Bancroft, Ia. Bicyclists are being held
for identification at Preston. Blooming
Prairie and Estherville. la. The man
captured at the last place best answers
the description of the other robber.
Fred Pratt, and he will be held until
officers can reach Estherville from
Wilder, Mimi. Pratt's home.