The state herald., 1898-08-19
TRAGEDY AT KOKOMO,
OFFICERS AND ROBBERS KILLED
Party of Hold-ups From breckenridge XIII
Ex-sherin Conrad and sumner Whit.
noy Who Tried to Arrest Them,


edy near that place:
In fight with gang of hold-ups
near here early this afternoon, eX-
Sheriff NJ. Il. Conrad of Summit coun-
ty was killed and Sumner Whitney, a
prominent business man of Kokomo
was probably fatally injured. Dick
Bryan, one of the robbers, was killed
and Dick Manley, another, was NOR
tally wounded. A man named Reilly
who was with the robbers ut the time
OF the shooting was captured and 1t is
not unlikely tlat he will be lynchcd
before morning,
The battle Letwecn the officers and
hold-ups was the outcome of long
saSies of crimes committed In Victor,
Cripple Greek, Goldiield, breckenridge
md other mining camps of the district
hereabouts, for all of which 1t is be-
lieved. the gang now dead or in GUS
tody was responsible.
The last in the series of robberies oc-
Cured at Breckenridge last night. The
next was to have occurred in Lead
vile, whittier the gang was headed,
with plans already formulated for the
h0lding-up and looting of the Pioneer
saloon. By the confession of Manley,
one of the robbers, 1t Is known that
the gang has committed at least two
murders since its organization, in ad-
dltion to the murder of Officer Conrad
to-day and the mortal wounding of
Sumner Whitney. These two murders
occurred In the Cripple Creek district
during the commission of robberies.
One of the victims was Victor sa-
loonkeeper.
According TO facts CLEANED here to-
night, from the confession of Manlcy
and from other sources, 1t appears that
Manley, Dick Bryan, Pug Ryan and
Fred Wilson went into the Denver sa-
loon at Breckenridge last night, mask
ed and armed with shotguns. Winches-
ter rifles and revolvcrs, for the purpose
Of holding the place up. robblng the
gambling games and going through
the inmates. One OF the men carrying
shotgun accidentally discharged his
weapon as he stepped inside the door
of the saloon. The charge took effect
in the ceiling, doing no more harm
than to frighten the people in the place.
Seeing that they had alarmed their
victims, the robbers got down to work
with great speed. While two members
of the gang covered the crowd with
their weapons, the other two went
through the till Of the faro bank,
which was not in operation at the
time, and through the pockets of the
saloons inmates. In their haste they
overlooked the safe and cash register.
In which n large amount of money
was lying. In all, they secured din
mond shirt stud, three gold watches
and $50 in money.
Then the hold-ups turned ON their
heels anu left the place, disappearing
quickly In the darkness. II. w. Foote,
the proprietor of the Denver. offered
n reward OF 800 for the capture of the
robbers. Among those to whom the Of
fer of n reward was made was NJ. Il.
Conrad, formerly sheriff of the coun-
ty, and lately member of the Rocky
Mountain Detective Association Of
Denver, OF which General Dave Cook
Is the chief.
Early this morning Conrad. who car
ried deputy sherlfrs star. boarded Il
train for Kokomo, In the direction OF
which town he learned the robbers had
proceeded. He arrived here about noon
and called on Sumner Whitney, n
he impaired the secret Of his mission.
Whitney, who has always borne the
reputation of being law-ablding.
fearless man. at once volunteered his
services In helping To capture the out
laws In the event that they were 10.
Gated.
Conrad had not been long In Koko.
mo before he learned that n party con.
Ht.s..a
cnmped In an abandoned miners cab
In, near the cemetery, mile from
town. He nj once went 10 Whitney
and related his find. Whitney armed
himself and the two started for the
cabin.
ON arriving there they found the
four strangers lounglng on hunks
about the cabin. They entered and
opened n conversation with the men.
who said they We're prospcctors. This
statement appeared credible to Conrad
and whitney, who arose and left the
cabin, with the Intention OF returning
To town.
Once outside, however, Conrnd's sus-
piclons Of the men returned. and he
said to Whitney he believed he would
go back and make n further investiga-
tlon. To this proposal Whitney agreed.
and the two returned To the cabin.
ON their return Conrad said.
BOYS, We must see what you have
got under those blankets"
ON the instant the four men lcapcd
10 their feet and firing commenced.
Conrad fell nt the first shot. was
killed Instantly by n shot through the
head. whitney fell his left thigh
shattered. his left leg broken below
the knee aud n part of his ear shot
away.
But whitney continued firing. one
OF the men, Dick Bryan. fell. MORALLY
wounded. and died after wrlthlng In
agony for thirty minutes. whitney.
though perhaps fatally wounded also.
continued firing, MORALLY wounding
Dick Mnnlcy, who received several
bullets. the mortal wound being n
shot through the right kidney. which
entered the abdominal cavity, scverinr
the inies'incs.
Despite these wounds. Mnnley ran
several hundred yards.
Pug Ryan. well known In most min.
Ing camps of the state na "a tough
character. had been using his gun
very freely and after Conrad nni one
Of the robbers Ind fallen nnd whitney
Ind been disabled. he escaped from
the cnbln nnd followed Mnnlcy. When
he reached Mnnley. who Ind fallen To
the ground. he took The plumber pro.
cured In breckenridge Inst night. with
bis sis.shooicr, and continued on over
the mountains.
Iahn nngp.tit AL I.utNItt.. ..llt..