Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-07
THE MASON COUNTY MAN HUNT
One Man ShOt-Three Escape - An Exciting
Time All Around.

Time All Around
The residents of Kamilche and Vi
cinity are now resting easily, after be-
ing Tor few days in the center Of one
OF the biggest man hunts that ever oc-
Cured in the western part of Puget
Sound. The hunt, or rather the chase.
began in Chehalis county, ut Monte
sano. a store was robbed there, then
the robbers went on to Shelton
and from there to Union City, on
Hoods canal. The residents of the
canal, not liking the looks of the men.
took them in charge. After question
ing them for some time, they ordered
them to travel. The bandits left that
night. They stole team at Webb's
and started for Shelton. A short time
after the bandits left Union City, word
was received to hold the men, but it
was too late, AS they had gone. Sheriff
Vogtlin having gone to Union City to
arrest the men and not finding them,
came back to Shelton. On the road
he met the team that the bandits had
stolen that night.
In spite OF the fact that the officer
was watching closely for them, they
entered the postoffice and broke open
the safe. Accounts differ as to the ex-
tent of the haul. The robber that
helped get it says it was not more than
$40; the Postmaster says it was over
5000, and there you are. AS the rob-
bers were leaving Shelton, they met
the Sheriff of Chehalis county and the
Shelton night watch, but for some rea-
sons best known to themselves they
did not arrest them. The robbers
then came on over to Kamilche. One
OF them went to Kullrich's store and
bought some provisions. The robbers
then went back in the timber and hid
till evening. In the meantime, Sher-
if VOgtlin had arrived with large
force of deputies. That night all Of
the roads were guarded by Deputies
Chas. Nutter. Ed. McReavy, w. Mar
tin, w. d. Forbes. Ralph Paths, A.
Getty, Jack Burke, Frank Mossman,
Jack Lndgate. W. +. Parsons. w. S.
Brown, Bert Sheldon, w. ]. Rex, ALI.
Fredson, Josh Noder, Spencer Tingley
and host of others. The above were
all picked men, the best shots in Ma
son county.
About o'clock, the robbers came
up the old Hardscrabble road that
leads to Oyster Bay. Ed. McReavy
and Will Martin were on guard, and
stepped out and told the four men to
halt. There was rapid exchange Of
shots, and when the smoke cleared
away, one man was groaning on the
ground and another robber was seen
to stagger. They left two of their
hats. The hats were all covered with
candle grease, split while in the Shell
ton postoffice. The robbers then ran
down the road toward Oyster Bay.
They became separated. One man
went direct to the bay and the other
two to Frank Mossman's boat-house
and stole one Of his boats, crossed
Oyster Bay and travelled south. The
other two men went down in the tim
Der about two miles and hid. The
next night they made raft and
crossed Little Skookum Bay, travelled
north and escaped.
At one time there were 70 men en-
gagged in the chase. Several anus
ing incidents occurred; one was when
deputy heard noise In the brush.
He fired several shots, then went to
investigate and found dying calf.
He said something about dun calf,
but this was black calf instead of a
dun one. THoo Hoo.