Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1898-08-18
TRAGEDY AT KOKONlO.
OFFICERS AND ROBBERS KILLED.
Party of Hoid,ups From breckenridge XIII
Ex-sherifr Conrad and sumner Whit
ney Who Tried to Arrest Them.


ney who Tried to Arrest Them.
Denver, Aug. 13.-A special to the
Republican from Kokomo last night
gives the following details of Il trag-
edy near that place:
In n fight with n gang of hold-ups
near here early this afternoon, eX-
Sheriff NJ. Il. Conrad of Summit coun-
~ was killed and Sumner Whitney, IL
prominent business man OF kokomo
was probably fatally injured. Dick
Bryan, one of the robbers, was Killed
and Dick Alanley, another. was NOR
tally wounded. a man named Reilly,
who was with the robbers mt the time
of the shooting, was captured and 1t Is
not unlikely that he will be lynched
before morning.
The battle between the officers and
hold-ups was the outcome. of long
series of crimes committed In Victor,
Cripple Creek. Goldiicld. breckenridge
and 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 &C.
Cured mt breckenridge Inst night. The
next was to have occurred In Lead
with plans already formulated for the
holding-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-
dition to the murder of Officer Conrad
to-day and the mortal wounding OF
Sumner Whitney. These two murders
occurred In the Cripple Greek district
during the commission of robberies.
One of the victims was Victor So
loonkeeper.
According to facts Cleaned here to-
might, from the confession of Manley
and from other sources, 1t appears that
AIanicy, Dick Bryan. Pug Ryan and
Fred Wilson went into the Denver sa-
loon ut breckenridge last night. mask
ed and armed with shotguns, Winches-
ter rifles and revolvcrs. for the purpose
of holding the place up, robbins the
gambling games and going through
the inmates. One of the men carrying
n shotgun accidentally discharged his
weapon rs he stepped inside the door
of the saloon. The charge took effect
In the ceiling, doing no more harm
than to Brighten the people in the place.
Seeing that they had alarmed their
with great speed. While. two members
of the gang covered the crowd with
their weapons, the other two went
through the till o. the faro bank.
which was not In operation ut 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 and left the place, disappearing
quickly In the darkness. II. w. Foote,
the proprietor of the Denver, offered
n reward Of 500 for the capture of the
robbers. Among those to whom the Of
fer of 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 n deputy sheriff's star. boarded
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
well-known business man. to whom
he impaired the secret of his mission.
Whitney. who has always borne the
reputation of being n law-abidine.
fearless man, ut 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 party COLI
sisting of four men, all strangers, was
camped in an abandoned miners cab
in, near the cemetery, mile from
town. He ut once went to Whitney
and related his find. Whitney armed
himself and the two started for the
cabin.
On arriving there they found the
four strangers lounging on hunks
about the cabin. They entered and
opened Il conversation with the men,
who said they were prospectors. This
statement appeared credible to Conrad
and Whitney. who arose and left the
cabin, with the intention of returning
to town.
Once outside, however, Conrad's sus-
picions of the men returned, and he
said to Whitney he believed he would
go back and make further investiga
ton. 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 leapcd
to their feet and firing commenced.
Conrad fell ut the first shot, was
killed instantly by shot through the
head. Whitney fell, his left thigh
shattered. his left leg broken below
the knee and part of his ear shot
away.
But Whitney continued firing. One
of the men, Dick Bryan, fell. mortally
wounded. and died after writhing in
agony for thirty minutes. Whitney.
though perhaps fatally wounded also.
continued firing, MORALLY wounding
Dick Manlcy. who received several
bullets. the mortal wound being n
shot through the right kidney, which