Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-09-01


With SeIf-Murder to Cheat the
GaIIows and Give a Dramatic FL
male to 1t All.
Could Harry tracy, who killed
himself in the last ditch to which he
had been driven after a pursuit ex-
tending over two months, all but
three days recently, be regarded as
reasonably representative rather
than as an isolated case of curious
moral degeneracy we might look up
on Jules Verne as prophet with
cause. That genial and original ro-
mancer, who has lived to see much
of what he imagined for the purposes
of fiction become the facts of scien-
tific and mechanical achievement,
recently told an interviewer that the
day is near when the newspaper
shall have taken the place Of the
novel as a means Of diversion and
entertainment-that the reporters
and editors Of the near future will
bring to bear upon their handling of
the days news an art Of writing and
literary decoration that shall drive
fiction out of vogue.
But, Allah be praised! Harry
Tracys are few and far between.
His final operations were conducted
many miles from Philadelphia, but
it is very doubtful if the newspaper
readers of this vicinity had expert
enced such exquisite thrills since
they read of Dewey's bold entrance
into Manila bay SIS were given by the
daily reports that followed Tracy
escape from Jail June 9 last. He
was, without question, a remarkable
man; but his claims to distinction
were not attractive, however interest
ing were the manifestations by which
they were called to the popular no.
tice.
a wo Months Record.
Our esteemed fellow citizen and
br Their, Aguinaldo, managed to con-
tribute an interesting share to each
days news before he finally came to
terms with our assimilative govern
ment; but he contended against no
such odds as Tracy met and over
came after killing guards and fell
lew convict in the Salem, Ore, peni-
tertiary. Here is an incomplete but
eloquent diary Of the Tracy itinerary
from his escape to suicide.
June 9-Escaped at Z o'clock in the
morning from the Salem penitentiary
III company with his brother-in-law,
David Merrill, with whom he was
serving twenty-years' sentence,
three years of which hau been pass
ed. He killed S. R. Jones, Frank
Ferpell and B. F. Tiffany, guards, ana
Frank S. Ingram, a convict.
June 10-Returned before dawn,
robbed a man Of his clothing, stole a
team of horses and went with Mer-
rill to Portland. Near Gervais they
robbed two members of the pursu-
ing posse and stole q horse and bug
gy.
June 11-Ambushed a fired on
the posse near Geryais.
June 12-Made their escape by
night through a Gordon of $50 militia
men who had been summoned to cap
tUre them
June 14-Stole two horses near
Oregon City and made their way
through the suburbs of Portland.
June 15-FOrced two men to ferry
them across Columbia river in the
morning, landing within five miles of
Vancouver
June 17-Fired on the posse at Sal
mon Creek, wounded a deputy sher-
if, and, at Ridgefeld stole two horses
and went on.
June 23-RObbed a house near La
center while the owner was at
church, taking money and clothing.
June 25-Robbed a house near Kel-
so, Wash
June 26-Stole couple of horses,
but dismounted and returned them
on meeting owner. ..
June 29-SIipped through a big
posse guarding roads near Chehalis
during Tie night.
July Tracy and Merrill seen on
Northern Pacific, forty miles from
Tacoma. That was the last seen of
Merrill alive. His body was found
July Is with bullet-hole in the
back. Tracy afterward explained
that he and Merrill had fought duel,
and that he had been compelled to
kill in self-defense. Tracy stole an
other horse July 1 and passed
through Olympia.
July 2-Robbed six men at South
Bay and forced four others, incluo-
ing the captain of a gasoline Iaunch.
to take him on Puget Sound to Seat
tie, where he landed at night. Told
Il I