The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-08-12
LIKE The RATTLESNAKt
Which Prefers Death by Its Fangs to
Any Other.
A SHORT WILD RACE FROM The OFFICERS
Surrounded in a Wheat Field, His Leg Broker
by a Bullet, This Haunted Magnificent
SavageDies Rather than SUI
render His Liberty.
render His Liberty.
(By the Associated Prcss.)

(By the Associated Prcss.)
Spokane, Wash, Aug. 6.-Harry Tracey.
the notorious outlaw, who, with David
Merrill. escaped from the Oregon peni-
Tertiary at Salem, June 9, after killing
three prison guards, killed himself early
this morning, after being wounded by the
rife of one of a posse in pursuit. Tracey
was surrounded in a wheat field near
Fellowes, a station on the Washington
Central Railroad, about fifty miles west
of Spokane, last night. Word was sent
back to Davenport, the county seat. and
q large number of armed men hurried to
the scene. The posse, under Sheriff
Gardiner, opened fire on the outlaw, and
one bullet pierced his right leg between
the knee and thigh. About twenty min
utes after being wounded, he shot him
self with one of his revoIvcrs and his
body was found this morning after day
break. The revolver with which he killed
himself was grasped tightly in his right
hand.
After battling the officers of two States,
after a wonderful flight of nearly four
hundred miles across Oregon and Wash
ingtOn, Tracy was hunted down by four
citizens of the little farming town OF
Creston, and a lone deputy sheriff. Sheriff
Gardiner and posse arrived in time to
guard the wheat field through the night;
but the work had already been done.
The posse that will share the reward
was made up as follows:
C. A. Straub, deputy sheriff: DR.. E. c.
Lantcr, Maurice Smith, attorney; J. J.
Morrison, railway section foreman. and
Frank ij1JoDrpD fThcca man nruoJ to
the teeth, set out from Creston yester-
day afternoon about 2 o'clock.
They were working on the information
of the Goldfinch youth, who had been
fCrcibly made the companion of the Ore
gOn convict for over tWenty-four hours
at the ranch Of l.. B. Eddy, on Lake
Creek, about three miles south from
Fellowes, Il station on the Washington
Railroad. The party made all possible
haste in getting to the ranch. When
within p few hundred yards of the farm
they encountered Farmer Eddy moving
in one of his fields. While engaging
him in conversation they saw a man
issuing from the barn door.
is that Tracey" asked one of the
party.
ut surely is replied Eddy.
The party separated, Lanter and
Smith accompanying Eddy in the direc-
ton of the barn, while the other men
swung around to the other side. Two
Of the manhunters stepped behind the
barn on a slight eminence, from which
they could watch everything that went
on, and. Eddy continued on up to the
door. Tracey came from the barn again
and began helping his host unhitch the
horses. He carried no rifle, although he
had his revolvers in place.
The fugitive finally saw eight men
carrying rifles and turned sharply to
Eddy. and said:
'Who are those mem"
81 don't see any men," said Eddy.
Tracey pointed out the two men on the
hill. Eddy informed his companion who
the men We're, and the outlaw made a
leap for the barn door. The pursuers
stepping a bit closer, commanded. Hold
up your hands" The outlaw jumped be
hind Eddy and first placed the farmer
aud thon his horse between himself and
the pursuers. He commanded the farmer
to lead his horse to the barn and re
manned under cover, moving toward
shelter. When near the stable he broke
and dashed inside. He unickly reap
peared, rifle in hand, and started on a
dead run.
Turning on the W men nearest him,
the Desperate fired two shots, but with
out his usual duck. neither bullet taking
effect. Without waiting for further fight
ing Tracey made q dash down the valley
leading south from the barn, and headed
for the brush. In an instant the man
hunters were off in pursuit, firing as hey
ran. Coming to a rock, Tracey lodged
behind it, and resting his gun on the
rock began a fusilade. Eight shots in
all were fred by the outlaw, not one
hitting it's mark. Seeing he was not
succeeding he bOlted for q wheat field
close by. At the edge Of the field he
stumbled, falling on his face and crawIed
into the grain on his hands and knees.
1t was growing dark and the p%ursuers,
not daring to move in closer, decided TO
surround the place and wait for daylight.
In the meantime Sheriff Gardiner. with
Policemen Stauffcc and Gemmerim, OF
Spokane; Jack O'FarrclI, of Davenport,
and other reinforcements had arrived on
the scene, apd they went into camp
around the field during the night. Short
ly after Tracey disappeared a shot was
heard from the direction of the wheat
field. No Investigation was made, how
ever. until this morning. AS soon as
dawn came, an entrance was made into
the wheat field.
Tracey's dead body was found Ling
amid the grain with his face turned 10
ward the sky. His left hand thrown over
his head held a revolver which had in
ficted the death wound. The thumb CT
his hand was on the trigger of the pistol.
His right hand, thrown across the lower
part of his body, firmly grasped the
barrel of the famous rifle. Death was in
fiicted by a revolver held close to the
forehead. The top of his head was bad
ly shattered.
Two bullet wounds on the left leg show
ed the cause Of the mans dependency.
One shot had broken the leg between the