The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-08-20
OUTLAW TRACY 4 SUICIDE
Famous Bandit Shoots Himself After
beins Twice Wounded.
RUNNING FIGHT IN A FIELD

Posse OF Five Came Up with tie FuRitivs
ss Farmhouse and Shooting Began
Chase os Tracy Had Cost Over o<o.-
ooo.sevsn Victims Of Hts Rife Since
EIls Esesps.
Tacoma. wash.-After being at large
from the Oregon Penitentiary for two
months, during which time he killed
seven and wounded three men. Harry
Tracy ended his eventful career In a
wheat, field near Fellows. Eastern
Washington. by shooting the top Of
his head Of.
Closely pursued BY Ave men from
Creston. WASH. who had the nerve to
advance on the desperate under fire.
he had escaped into wheat field. He
had been wounded In the right leg be-
tween the k1ee and thigh, and. seeing
tAas his captare Was certain. he Killed
himself.
His body was found early next morn
Ing. Two bullet wounds In the left leg
showed the cause Of the mans act.
One had broken the leg between the
ankle and the knee. and the other one
had cut an artery. The murderer had
taken q strap and buckied It tightly
around his leg. Despite this the bleed
ing continued and Tracy. probably re.
slixing his hopeless condition. ended
the struggle.
When the news arrived Of the pres
ence Of Tracy In the vicinity Of Cres.
ton q posse. working independently OF
Sheriff Cudlhee or other officers. was
organized. They headed at once for
the L. B. Eddy ranch, eleven miles
southeast. where Tracy had spent SUM-
day. Arriving near the ranch shortly
after 4 o'clock In the afternoon. Eddy
was seen working In one Of his fields.
The posse approached. and at that mo-
ment DR.. Lanter. Of the posse. saw a
man step from the barn, some distance
away.
lis that Tracy?' he asked.
1T surely is" replied Eddy.
The party separated, Lanter and
Smith accompanying Eddy In the d.
rection Of the barn. while the other
two men swung around to cut or any
break for liberty In another direction.
When Lanter and Smith got near
enough 20 Tracy they shouted: "Hoid
up your handsr' The outlaw jumped
behind Eddy and commanded the
farmer to lead hin horses to the barn.
Under this cover he moved toward
shelter. When near the stable he broke
and dashed inside. He quickly reap
peared. rife In hand. and started on q
dead run down the valley. Turning he
fred two shots, but without result.
Coming to q big rock Tracy lodged
behind II, and sighting his gun. began
q fusillade. Eight shots in all were
fired by the outlaw. Tracy's star was
beginning to set. None Of the shots
took effect. The posse continued to ad.
vance. and seeing how ineffective were
his efforts. Tracy made dash for the
wheat field. Just as he was entering
the neld he stumbled and fell. but
crawled into the protecting grair on
his hands and knees.
It was then getting dark and the
posse decided 30 surround the place
and await daylight. In the meantime
Sheriff Gardner and others arrived. In
the morning they searched the deld
and found the body.
For some time the body was publicly
exhibited On street corner. Then II
was removed to the police station.
Every one has words Of praise for
the I've members Of the posse. These
men and the Go3dfnch boy, who tele.
phored news Of Tracy's presence at the
Eddy ranch. are believed to be entitled
to the reward Of $4,000.
Two States and thirteen counties.
two In Oregon and eleven In Washing
ton, have spent about $4,000 In the
hunt for Tracy. He traversed Multc-
pomah County. Oregon. and CLARK.
cowlitz, Lewis. Thurston. Pierce. King.
Kittitas. Chelan. Douglas and Lincoln
counties, Washington. These. together
with Spokane County, where Tracy
was heading. all Joined in the chase.
Tracy and another convict named
Merrill escaped from the Salem tOre.)
penitentiary on June 8. killing three
guards and wounding another. Tracy
had previously killed deputy sheriff
In Colorado, but escaped conviction.
He and Merrill Travelled together for
the next three weeks. keeping ahead Of
their pursuers by riding stolen horsesl
At one time they he'd up two mem
bers Of q posse and took their horses.
At another they were surrounded by
$50 mllitianen, but broke through the
Gordon.
Early In July Tracy was seen alone.
and be announced that he had killed
Merrill in a duel. admitting that he
treacherously fred before the agreed
signal. Merr;ll's body was found later.
On July Tracy was overtaken by q
Seattle posse. and In the ensuing hght
he killed two deputies and fatally
wounded another. He then continued
his Night on stolen horses until he
reached Puget Sound. where he held up
I small fishing schooner and compelled
he crew to take him to point further
IN. All during his flight he got food
md clothing Mt farm houses, taking
what he wanted at the point of the re.
rolver.
- - Great Negro Cossress Site.
The great negro Young Peoples
Christian and Educational Congress,
,erhaps the largest gathering Of ne.
yroes ever held In America, convened
In the auditorium at Piedmont Park
Atlanta. Ga. with an attendance est