The record-union., 1896-10-15
Desperate Battle Between Them and Citi-
zenS Of Meeker, Colorado,
In Which All the Desperadoes Lose
Their Lives.
Three Citizens Also Shot During the
Fusillade of Bullets, But Their
Wounds Are Only Slight - The
rlOney Stolen, Less Than q Thou
sand Dollars, Recovered.

MEEKER (Col), Oct. 14.-One of the
most desperate battles was fought on
the streets of this town to-day between
men who robbed the bank of Meeker
and the citizens, and tonight the three
robbers lie on cooling boards in the
norgue and three citizens were wound
cd by the thieves before they bit the
dust. The dead are: George Harris.
Charles Jones and William Smith
Without doubt it is the most dar-
ing attempt at robbery in the history of
this section of the country. For a long
time the storm center of Indian wars
and exciting events, the battle of to-day
Is the most remarkable.
The robbers entered the town from
the north, mounted, and proceeded to
the bank without any attempt at con-
cealment of themselves. The bank is
located in a general store, one of the
largest Of the trading houses in this
section of the country. The robbers
stepped quickly into the room, two of
them remaining in the center of the
room, while one of them approached the
bank window, where the Cashier was
engaged in conversation with a depos-
itor, and, brushing him aside, thrust
revolver in his face. The man lodged,
and the sound of a pistol shot caused
the Cashier to raise his hands.
Then the two men in the center of the
store commanded everybody to hold up
their hands or die. Nobody wanted to
die. Cashier Moulton then opened the
doors of the safe at the point of a re-
volver, and the contents of the strong
box We're removed after which the
robbers took all the firearms in the pos
session of the men in the store, and
then forced them to leave by a rear
door, where they had hitched their
horses.
But the robbers had miscalculated.
They forgot the kind of stuff the peo-
pie of Meeker are made of, and as they
stepped through the door it was to find
that the building had been surrounded
| by the townSpeople, who were aroused
by the shots and the alternative Of
surrendering or fighting it out was pre-
sented them. They raised their re-
volvers and commenced to fire imme-
diately. Then commenced one Of the
most desperate battles. Bullets cut
| the air, penetrated the buildings and
hailed through the crowd. 1t is a
wonder that more men were not killed,
but the robbers were surrounded-they
had fired the first shot, and had to ac-
cept the consequences Of their folly.
The first shot of the fusillade was
fired at Deputy Sheriff William Clark.
The bank officers and those in the store
broke for cover. Guns were distributed
among them, and the robbers, finding
themselves alone, opened fire, shooting
at everybody in sight. The people of
the town commenced their work, and in
less time than it takes to tell it about
100 shots were fired, and three men fell
to the ground.
The robbers fell defiant and fighting
Two Of them died in an instant. their
skulls split, their hearts and their bodies
penetrated by rifle balls. One of the
men, who gave his name as Harris,
lived for an hour, and gave the names
of his pals, as stated above. The names
are undoubtedly assumed, but the man
who gave his name as Harris died with
the secret of their identity-loyal to
the last to his partners in crime.
Jones and Harris were literally rid
died with bullets and that Harris lived
so long is remarkable. There We're near
ly 100 men in the vicinity at the time,
but the wounds received are Slight.
The robbers managed to empty their
revolverS, putting up one of the gami-
est fights ever recorded in criminal an
nails. The money, less than 81 900, was
recovered. .
The men are not known. They were
never seen in these parts before. Smith
was about 20, and the others about 80.
They were magnificent specimens of
physical manhood. Where they came
from and what they were previous to
coming is a mystery. Charles Jones,
the leader was typical specimen of
rough frontierSman, and from his
makeup just the sort of a man who
would embark in such a daring exploit.
The robbery was we'll planned. The
men by their actions showed themselves
to he old hands at the business, and
they would have escaped with the
money which they secured had it not
been for the fact that they fired the
first shot in the bank, thus giving the
alarm which resulted in their being
cornered and shot to death.