The Meeker herald., 1896-10-17

the job was being done. The robbers
then ordered the cashier and assistant
out Of the office and had them join the
bunch" of employees and customers
previously rounded up and which was
.'close herdedr by Smith. The Kid
while operations were in progress in
the bank office.
The next thing on the program was to
secure all the rifles and ammunition 10
the store, which being attended to by
the leader of the robber band, he then
filled the magazines Of three rifles-one
for each Of the bandits in addition to the
heavy revolvers they carried. lie next
broke and rendered useless the re-
manning rifles found in the store. All
this consumed about five minutes time,
but these five minutes were fateful ones
for the robbers bold. Taken in connec.
tion with the two shots fired at the be-
ginning of the affair, they sealed the
| uUlu-ups.
These two shots attracted the atten
tion of Tom Shervin of the Meeker
hotel, who ran down to the Hugus cor
ner and seeing what was up gave the
alarm. G. j. Duffy, who was passing
at the time. ''caugh on" and running
up street, spread the alarm. Phil Barn
hart also gave the alarm down street, and
in less than three minutes time
every avenue of escape was guarded
and dozen unerring marksmen were
awaiting the appearance of the robbers
while others were Fastening to the
scene Of action.
After securing the rifles and ammuni.
ton, the next scene in the days tragic
affair was the filing out through the
side door of the robbers with their pris-
oners. First came the leader pushing
Joe Rooney ahead of him as shield:
then the other robbers with Messrs.
Moulton, Smith, Booth, W. 7. Ierrick.
Victor Dikeman and one or two custom
ers, who were in the store when the
bandits made their appearance. They
had no sooner reached the street than
Jones espying w. ii. Clark near the
corner Of the Hueus grain warehouse.
raised his rifle and fired at him, hitting
Mr.. Clark in the right breast about two
inches to the right of the nipple. After
this shot was fired the robbers marched
the boys down street about TWENTY-FIVE
or thirty feet tn uhoro tho!r ho-oos
liitched to the rear wheels Of one Of the
Hugus wagons. Here Jones and Har-
ris started to unite the horses while
1.-The Kid" kept watch over the crowd
on whom he had his Winchester leveled.
but, as Mr.. Moulton said afterwards,
they were getting tired holding their
hands in the air and somebody broke and
ran. Then all ran for cover, and "The
Kid opened fire, shooting pro-
miscuously at the people on the run
and hitting Victor Dikeman in the
right arm, intiicting very painful but
not dangerous wound. Mr.. Booths left
was cut by passing bullet and Mr..
Herrick had finger cut in the same
way.
The scattering of the bank and store
people was the signal for Meeker's
citizens to get in their work, and in less
time than it takes to tell it, Jones, the
leader Of the bandits, and Smith, 1.-The
Kid" were on the ground, the former
with bullet hole through the left lung
and the latter shot through the heart.
In all five bullets penetrated the body of
"The Kid" and he died instantly. Jones
was game to the last and he emptied his
revolver while lying on the ground be-
IOFe expiring.
Harris seeing his pals drop. ran In
the direction of the river, but he hadn't
reached the Miller house corner before
bullet IN the right lung and another
through the left leg brought him to the
ground. He fingered for nearly an
hour before giving up the ghost
Thus was justice metsd out to three
bold bandits who struck the wrong
town in which to ply their villianous
calling.
So began and ended the first attempt
to rob bank in this part Of the state.
The affair makes a very creditable
showing for the citizens of Meeker.