The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-09-11
FIGHTS WITH BANDITS
UNIQUE METHOD OF DISPOSINO
OF A DESPERATE BAND.
Cannon Brought to Bear on the Outlaws
Fortress and Finally Dynamite Is
Fired-whole Gang Wiped Out

A veteran United States marshal at
Wichita, Kan, Charlie Copeland, told
to a few friends a short time since
the story of what he considered the
hottest fight he ever led against a
band of outlaws, and his experiences
with bandits have been many. THE
time of the fight l have in mind
he said, was six years ago. l was a
deputy marshal then and Judge Par
ker was on the bench at Fort Smith.
We were on the edge of the reign OF
terror down there then in the days be-
fore Judge Parker cleared the Indian
Territory of its gangs of desperadoes.
| Christy and five other Cherokee In
dams, Red Eye, Scraggy, Red Cloud,
Browne, Rattlinggourd and Ike Rogers,
banded together for robbery and muir
der Christy was the leader and the
nerviest man l ever met In the six
months that the gang operated he
! killed six deputy marshals, four ex-
| press messengers, and 10 other me-.
who had the misfortune to stand guard
over money that he wanted. During
that time the six Indians together
committed forty burglaries, mostly OF
| express trains and bank safes. Five or
six posses were equipped and sent
against the robbers, but to no purpose.
/ They had friends all over the Terri
tory, and these kept them posted when
parties started in pursuit and supplied
them constantly with ammunition and
food. Depredations were committed
under the very noses of the marshals
Ore afternoon, in August, 1894, at
Vinita, l had a telegram from Judge
Parker. 1t read; "Chrlsty gang locat-
ed in Grand River hills; 81 900 in addi-
ton to $4,000 state reward for capture
of the men, dead or alive l consult
ed with BilP White, who happened to
be in Vinita at the same time, and we
decided to try for the reward. We
hired Bill Smith, Heck Bruner and
Jack Ellis to help us, and all set out
for Fort Smith. We got further in
formation of the gang there, and on
the evening of August IA we rode out
of Fort Smith, our saddle bags stuffed
with ammunition. 1t was long ride
of 70 miles through the wild Grand
River hills east Of Tarlequah before we
reached the rendezvous. Heck Bruner
the best scout in the territory, knew
every step of the trail, and we got tic
Ts.Hequah the next afternoon. We
formed a circle and travelled toward
the house in which we had been tolC
the Indians were located About dust
we reached there and completely sur.
rounded the cabin. 1t was a two-story
log hut about 20 feet square. For 15C
yards on all sides the ground wa!
cleared of trees and underbrush. This
had been done by the outlaws to stol
any ones approaching very close with
out being seen. after establishin.
our posts for the night we slept unit
daylight. An old squaw came out
looked around the clearing, spied us,
suppose, and hurried back. We at
breakfast behind cover, and upol
showing ourselves in the edge of tn
clearing were received with a rafting
fire. 1t came from the windows in tn
upper story of the log fort, there bein
no opening in the lower part. We re
turned the fire and lodged benin
trees. For an hour or so shots wer
thus exchanged without effect. I mad
up my mind to send to Fort Gibso
for cannon. Ellis went after it, an
wa laid low and watched the log hu
until he returned with it, late tina
night. 1t was unloaded on the mort
side of the clearing, nearest the hut. A
the first peep of dawn we let the out
, laws have heavy charge. 1t fe
against the logs, but did not penetrat
the house. Another shot entered tn
window upstairs. Then two squaW
opened the door and ran out, scream
> ing. We let them scamper off into tn
, woods. This notice that the gang wa