River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-09-12

I
the tragedy of the situation, but she
did realize what was wanted of her,
and like most frontier women she was
not found wanting. When darkness
settled down the Jail was strongly bolt
ed and barred. In the front room of
| the seeond-story overlooking the court
the Bell brothers lay by barred win
dow, mattresses for shields, and wait
ed for the coming Of the avengers.
They had noted that back of them and
some distance away a woman was Sit
ting by table and that she had on the
table a magazine Notwithstanding it
in such way that it commanded their
position. Still they did not UNDER
stand As for the deputy he was all
over the Jail looking after things. He
| had no other prisoners to care for, but
he was inspecting locks and barriers
which he had created. By ten o'clock
the settlement outside was asleep.
By II there was a fringe of moon
| light on the eastern horizon, and
the prairie waste was illumined with
white light. In the stiffness the
uneasy movings of distant herds of
cattle could be distinguished and often
the call of the ranging wolves. The
Bell brothers TESTED with themselves
ON the outcome of the night raid
Il never tried rope for collar" said
one.
Its too tight" said the other.
The woman sat immovable
| Up through the moonlight came rid
ing the East Enders, so strong, as the
deputy had suspected. They galloped
through the town and citizens who
heard them crept closer in their beds.
They knew it meant a jail raid, but
they were not responsible for the
| Jail. The horsemen halted in front
of the structure, and their leader beat
hard on the door with the butt of
gun. In time the deputy lazily raised
a window in the second story, and
lazily asked: what in thunder" was
wanted.
''rurn 'em out, old man." said the
leader. 'We're after the Bell boys"
you don't say. Why, l amt got
authority to turn 'em out. The last
thing the sheriff said to me just to-
night was that l must take good care
of EN-
saw, quit your fishing. You know
what we want. Open up"
81 can't do it unless you've an or
der from the court. You'd better put
your horses up and get lodging until
you see the court. The Bell boys is
asleep and l don't want 'em dis
turbed."
Then that valiant body of East
Enders shot the door full of holes
and tried to blow the lock. After
that the fun began. 1t was fast and
furious. More good horses died that
night than the country ever had rec
ord of before or since. In all the Mis-
souri, country except in battle with
the Indians there never was such a
killing of horses as that night. Per-
haps there were a hundred shots
fired, maybe more, but when the East
Enders withdrew they were un-
harmed, but of their horses more
than so were dead or MORALLY wound
ed, and the Jail was still intact.
Short of ammunition and disguised,
the East Enders retreated and made
their way back over the prairies to
their homes as best they could. The
sheriff appeared to be greatly sur
prised the next day to find so many
evidences of battle about the Jail,
dead horses here and dead horses
there. But the Bell brothers were
safe, and the deputy, too.
Didn't hurt any OF the boys"
asked the sheriff, referring to the
East Enders.
"No-I reckoned it was cheaper to
get their horses. Hate to kill horse,
but had to. Crowd wasn't very
spunky anyway, sort of white-livered
after shootin' commenced"
BELL brothers help you?"
"Yes-they toted all right. Had the
woman keep gun on 'em."
"All right-guess you'd better turn
in and take nap"
$50 long."-Chicago, Record-Herald.