The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1902-06-17
TRACY AND MERRILL
STILL In THE LEAD
Have Again Eluded a Large Force
Of Pursuers Near Van.
cOuver.
MEMBER OF POSSE WOUNDED
Mistaken for Convict and Fired
Upon Old Man Forced 10
Contribute 10 Supplies
Of Escapes.

/ VAN coUyER, Wash, June I6.-
conyis's Tracey and Merrill have again
eludcd the strong force OF pursures
which. under the direction of Sheriff
J. L. Malxh. guarded the roads he
tween Vancouver and Fourth Plain
last night. and are stir at large In
the woods 10 the north and west Of
Fourth Plains.
They added another 10 ihp long list
Of dcprcdations charged against them
this morning. when they Invaded the
houte of II. Tecde. 1 nan 90 years old,
who lives alone in the wo01s about
one mile southwest ~ Fourth Plain.
| They gagged and tied him on his own
bed nnt then proceeded 10 f-Ip hem
selves u provisions, clothing and mon
ry aftcg which hey locked The old
man In the hVusr tied down 10 the
bed, and departed This occurred
about o'clock this morning In
ncighborhopd fairly swarmIng with Of
iiccT, detectives mhlitlamen and arm
ed citizens Along the road leading
from Vancouver 10 Fourth Plain mill
tlamen under the command Of Captain
Sparks were posted In pairs every few
rods and this road the convicts must
have crossed some time during the
night In order to reach Teede's place.
Old man Teede managed TO free him
self from mis- bonds and made his way
TO the Fourth Plain store. arriving
there about o'clock. after the officers.
who, weary OF fruitless vigilance OF
The night, had departed for vancou-
yer When seen. the old man was
very much frightened and nervous from
the 'frscts " hia encounter with the
desperadoes, but after much question
lnG ha managed to tell the following
story;
Shortly before & o'clock, while
Was stili IN bed, heard loud rap
an my do,r. l got up and opened
the door and was confronted by two
men carrying guns, They rd 'rei me
TO stand aside which I did. They en-.
tered the loor and then told me TO go
over 10 my bed Then they showed me
down IN he oed and tied by hands
aud feet Then they built fire In
my stove and fried some bacon, and
ate breakfast, hey then cooked all
the baaon | had In he house, about
Ave or six pounds, and put II with
what bread | had iLto n sack. Each
OF the men put on suit OF clothes Of
mine. Before leaving they took s..
They then put gag in my mouth and
went away, locking the door behind
them. saying they would send some
one to release me in a short time.
managed to free myself after hard |
work"
Teede says the C0nvlcts talked in. !
cessantly while In the house, telling |
him they We're Tracey and Merrill, \ !
were worn almost entirely away.
pair of overalls with several inches OF !
one leg gone, acoat stolen from DR..
White at Gervais, and two old hats
were found in Tccde's cabin by her
IN Marsh and the detectives. The
surrounding the cabin and the
roads in the vicinity were thoroughly
patrolled by officers today, and sheriff
Marsh Is convinced that the convicts
remained all day In hiding In strip
II timber surrounding the cabin. All
'oads leading out Of the neighborhood
we're carefully pahnllad 'oday oy a
'orce nearly as strong as THAT which
rad them surrounded near Gervais last
week Deputy Warden Carson. Of
Valla Walla penitentlary, was tele-
;raphed for yesterday and was ex-
,ected to arrive here with blood
rounds this morning, but he had not
nut in his appearance tonight.
Late this evening a majority Of the
Ulcers and other searchers came to
Vancouver for rest and to await the
rrival Of the hounds, when the search
will be resumed in earnest tomorrow
morning, In the meantime 1t would
Iot be surprising to many II the con-
lets would attempt to reach the house
( Merrilfs relatives,
William Morris, member of the
itlzens posse from here, was brought
o the hospital tonight with shat
cred thigh, by rifle ball fired by
member of the searching party from
'ortland. Morris with a companion J
Sas Watching the bridge across SAL e
non creek when they were mistaken 4
or the convicts by another party a $
uarter Of mile away. Two shots I