Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-08-07
THE DEAD OUTLAW
Tracy killed Eight Men and Terrorized.
Two states.

Tracy Killed Eight Men and Terrorlzed,
Two States.
Spokane, Wash, Aug 7.--When the
sheriff. with the body of Tracy, drove
through Davenport, hundreds OF per-
sons followed up the street and crowd
ed about the wagon. By the time the
wagon reached the morgue the streets
were so crowded that the morgue doors
had to be -closed. Several persons
were allowed to see the body, and then
everybody wanted a relic, and in
short time nothing was left but the
body.
Some one even picked up the blood
stained handkerchief which had been
used by Tracy to keep from bleeding to
death. Many locks of the desperado,s
hair were carried away, and III some
places his head had been made bald.
His trousers were cut into strips, and
before they were divided they We're cut
into smaller pieces. Many of Tracy's
cartridges were divided among the
members Of the posse. 4,
Tacoma. Wash, Aug Tracy the
outlaw, who has slain eight men and
struck terror to the hearts of thou
sands, fell victim to his confidence in
an 18-year-old boy.
For two days and as many nights
Tracy held the family Of Farmer L. B.
Eddy under subsection. Here again
he showed the qualities of nerve and
cool headedness, but these very quail
| ties brought about his downfall. Had
he not allowed G.. e.. Goldinch. the.
eighteen-y ear-old boy, to leave the
ranch when he did the story today
might be different, but the outlaw had
too much faith in estimating the ter
ror his words of warning would give
| to the lad,
| The story OF the exploits of the ia
nous bandit at the Eddy ranch are
| given by the boy, who was his servant
| for over day. It was Sunday after
noon that Goldfinch was riding horse
| across the prairie not far from the
| Eddy farm He noticed a strange
man camped not far from where he
passed. To all appearances the stran-
ger was just having his supper, but
young Goldf1nch paid no attention to
him, not seeing anything unusual in
his actions. Just as the boy was going
! by the camper called out, asking him
| TO have some supper. With the reply
| that he had finished his supper, Gold
/ finch did not even slacken the pace of
/ his horse and passed the stranger. 1t
] was then that an imperative command
/ from the stranger brought Goldfnch
ito a sudden stop. He was ordered to
come back. This order the boy obeyed.
With his usual ceremony Tracy soon
made himself known. He inquired
the way to the nearest farm and was
directed to the Eddy place Tracy at
| this time still had two horses. One he
rode; the other, the boy says, was
| loaded with meat, sugar, coffee and
4 bedding.
"You go ahead and tell them am
4 coming" commanded the outlaw.
Goldfinch readily complied and start
| ed ahead to announce the coming or
the guest. Tracy, however, kept close
1 on the heels OF the lad, evidently not
intending to give him chance to give
4 warning.
Arriving at the Eddy ranch, Gold
j finch performed the service allotted to
him and soon told the family who the
i visitor was. The night passed without
any special happenings. SO far as the
1 lad relates. In the morning Tracy
/ first made his toilet. A bath and a
1 shave were included in his morning
makeup, the farmer and his men hav-
ing provided soap, towels and water.
4 During the day the outlaw decided to
make himself useful and, divesting
himself of his Winchester and one of
his revoivers, labored with the other
| men during most of the morning. He
kept one revolver, however, in the
holster by his side ready for instant
use.
Monday evening Tracy told Gold
finch he might go. He was cautioned,
however, on pain of death not to tell
what had happened until Wednesday.
It was this very display of nerve that
had heretofore made the outlaw APP
parently safe, but this time caused his
ruin. Goldfinch, instead of being suff-
GENTLY terrorized to keep silent, soon
spread the news and aroused a posse.
Tracy had killed eight men. He es-
capped from Salem penitentiary ten
weeks ago. The Oregon and Wash
ington authorities had spent $4,000
trying TO catch kim.
Two bullet wounds in the left leg
showed the cause OF the mans despond-
ency One shot had broken the leg
between the ankle and the knee. The
other cut the tibial artery. which of
Itself was sufficient cause for death
The fugitive had taken a strap and
Duckled 1t tight around his leg in an at
tempt to stop the flow of blood.
Despite the tightly fastened strap
the bleeding continued until he proba-
bly, realized his hopeless condition and
ended the struggle. He was dressed in
blue overalis and a white shirt, wear
ing no coat or vest. He wore bicycle
cap and pair of rough shoes. He had
one rifle and two revolvers.
The body, effects and the horses OF
the desperate were taken in charge by
| Sheriff Gardner and taken direct tc
Davenport, where they will be kept
pending the decision of the final dis
position OF Tracy's body.