The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-19

swung his horse round and galloped off
firing at the posse as he did so.
The fire was returned, but 1t proved
harmless and the fearless, red haired
young daredevil galloped off and
warned his companions of the approach
| Of the pursuers. taking his horses with
him as he did so. Something of a pitched
| battle ensued and several hundred shots
| were fred, both sides taking the Indiar
way OF fighting and firing from cover.
j It was thought that one OF the horse
| thieves was killed, as English George
| shot at him while he was in a clump OF
| cottonwoods. AS he shot the hat blew
off the top Of the horsethiefs head, and
he sank to the ground apparently life
less.
At this point George made the discov-
cry that he had lost all of his cartridges
| and as the range was too long for effec-
tive use of the 3S-calibre pop with
| which Airport was armed, he advised CIV
ing up the fight and his advice was fol-
lowed.
Airport had all the fight he wantea
and lost no time in getting to Virginia
City where he told the people of that
town a great cock-and-bull story of the
battle, and made himself out a hero He
did not want to return to take up the
chase, as he said they were desperate
men and it would require small army
to capture them as they had been greatly
reinforced since they left the Boulder.
When the news Of Alports defeat
reached the settled part of the Madison
valley a report came with it that all or
the horses ranging on the upper Madison
had been rounded up by the Murphy gang
and were being driven off as the horse
thieves hiked it for Idaho.
Another posse was quickly formed OF
the young residents of the valley by VIII
liam Ennis, now deceased, and no time
was lost in again taking the trail. Ihere
were nine men in the party. Mr.. Ennis
heinp the driver of the grub wagon and
A. e. Lloyd of Laurin being the deputy
sheriff in charge.
The posse followed the thieves through
a. part of Idaho and caught up Win
John Edmundson and his family ON
CANVASS creek and placed them under
arrest. The second day thereafter the
rest of the gang was located in capln
in Rexburg, just across the Snake RIVER
from ST. Anthony.
The cabin was surrounded during the
night and, when the men appeared a'
the cabin door the following morning 10
cross the street to breakfast, tney were
ordered to throw up their hands py the
nosse in waiting. George Muho anu
Henry Edmundson were in the lead ana
when the command was given up went
their hands and in each hand the pol
ished barrel of pistol cleaned.
From every side came the crack OF hre-
arms and Edmundson dropped in ms
tracks Nund succeeded in getting back
=, tho cabin again and an instant later,
h. onneared at the open door with
r,no l., h;s hand. He could evidently see
ono Of the posse for he was sighting at
COMO object when a bullet entered his
eide and he fell inside the doorway
MORALLY wounded.
Shooting became general then. and a
shower of lead was pumped into the Ola
cabin. During a lull in the firing Mur-
nhy was heard begging piteousiy for the
hovs TO cease firing: that II he would
give M if they would not hang nm ana
that Nund was dying. The firing ceased
and Murphy came out unarmed ana was
handcuffed. At this point George Rea'
a member of the posse. undertook 10
shoot a block of wood out from unoer
the head of Edmundson.
Rea's gun had it's rear sight broken OH
and he was shooting it shotgun fashloh'
He did not hit the chunk OF wood, put
he scattered chips all over Edmundson'
face and that gentleman, who mad beeh
playing possum jumped to his feet and
Ragged 10 be tied alongside of Murphy,
lost some one make a scratch shot ana
hit him. He was obligingly accommo-
dated and secured alongside of Murphy.