The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-11
Tracy Has Again Appeared and
Disappeared.
Vanished Through Gordon Of
Officers Surrounding Him.
SHOTS ARE EXCHANGED
This Time Nobody Is Hurt I'm
less 1t Be the Outlaw.
A Victim Relates His Experience
With the Desperate.

Tacoma, Wn, July 11.-A special to
the Ledger from Covington. Wn., says:
Tracy has performed the marvellous
again and has slipped like a phantom
through a Gordon of guards at the
mouth OF Sluice creek, fought a battle
with the deputies a mile west of here
and escaped into the timber. In th6
fighting no one was hurt, though when
the outlaw fired twice al 7. +. Crow, he
was SO close that the deputy could feel
the burning powder as it was blown
from the gun.
When darkness fell Tracy was thought
to be securely penned on the point of
the Western Bluff, where he had lain
concealed all afternoon. Though the
guards were stationed thickly, one be-
ing posted every SO feet he successfully
eluded them and travelled up the road
bed Of the Palmer cutoff toward Gov
ington, five miles distant.
At 11:45 last night Tracy arrived at
the sawmi1 plant of the Covington
Lumber company. a mile from this
place. Deputy Sheriffs J. A. Bunce.
Fred C. Bunce, Calvin and Crow had
been sent to guard this point. Deputies
Crow and the Bunces, father and son,
had posted themselves on the railroad
near the sawmill at the entrance of n
big cut near rise of ground. the
Bunces being on the outer guard line.
They were hardly settled when they
heard footsteps approaching from, the
Auburn side but remained quiet until
the unknown had almost come abreast
of them when the challenge to halt was
given.
Hello" responded the stranger.
whats your name?" demanded J.>A.
Bunce.
my name is Anderson"
AS he gave this reply Tracy. for it
was he, started to run The deputies
again called on him to halt. but he kept
going and they opened fire. shooting
four times each. Tracy ran up the track
and few yards further encountered
Deputy Sheriff Crow.
flcer.
"A deputy" coolly responded the OUT
Grow thinking it was the elder Bunce.
started to approach when Tracy COM
menced shooting at close range. firing
two shots. The bullets whistled harm
lessly by. but Crow suffered slightly
from the burning powder, as it sped
from the muzzle of the rifle.
After the shooting Tracy turned and
entered the brush along the side of the
track where he was lost in the black
ness of the night few feet away.
The deputies made hurried circle
through the woods to Covington to head
Tracy off. but on their arrival found
that he had not passed the station.
A dispatch dated 3 a. m. adds that
since his escape from the north side of
Sluice creek Tracy attempted to board
one of the east bound freights. The
grade is heavy at this point, but the
train was running light and at such
speed that Tracy was unable to board
it.
Another train passed and the conduc-
tor reports that while running near the
sawmill, some one called for him to
stop. AS there are no deputies there at
present, II is thought that Tracy is the
man who called, and the opinion is ad-
vanced that he may have been wounded
in the battle just before midnight
A man. thought to be Merrill. ap-
peared yesterday at the home of e
farmer a few miles east of Ravendale.
near here, and wanted food. He remain
ed in the vicinity all day.
Sheriff Cudihee and Guard Carson,
with the blOodhounds and q small posse
left Auburn at o'clock this morning
for the place where Tracy was last
seen.