Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-08-18

"a
distance away but a deputy in town
made UP posse consisting of doctor.
a lawyer and a railway section fore
man and the four started for the Ei.ly
ranch about noon. For some strange
reason Tracy had not left and on see
ing the armed men had time to dodge
into the barn and secure his rifle, the
famous weapon that he had carried all
the way from the Salem penitentiary.
AS the posse spread out to surround
him and called out for him to throw up
his hands and surrender, he fired twice
and then ran down the valley at the
top of his speed. But his pursuers
followed him just as quickly and he
was forced to drop behind large rock
for shelder. The posse found cover
too and number of shots were ex-
changed, the bullets striking the rocks
behind which the Creston men lay.
Suddenly Tracy jumped up and ran
for field of grain near by, the officers
fired and he was seen to drop and crawl
along until hidden by the wheat. The
field was then surrounded and the
shooting continued until about 8
O'Clock when single revolver shot in
dicated that the desperate man had
committed suicide. Reinforcements
came up later but no one cared to en-
ter the field until daylight. when the
body was found about seventy-fve
yards from where he entered. His
leg had been broken and an artery cut
by a shot; he had attempted to stop
the flow of blood by twisting a strap
around above the wound hut falling
had ended his career of crime by blow
ing his brains out with his own re-
volver
The CORY remains were taken to
Davenport where a coroner's jury rem
dered verdict in accordance with the
justifable killing. An indication of
what would have happened had the
outlaw been taken alive was afforded
by most unseemly scramble for rel
les; the officers saved little but the
famous rifle and men and women
struggled and fought for locks of the
convict's hair and pieces of his cloth
ing.
There being much controversy over
the disposition Of the reward, the orig
lnal posse of four retained possession
of the body and started with it for
Salem. When the train arrived in
Seattle the crowd at the station was
enormous and great efforts were made
to have the remains placed on exhibi-
ton but the authorities very properly
refused. On August 9th. just two
months after the desperate escape of
Tracy and Merrill from the peniten-
tiary. the body of the chief scoundrel
was returned to the custody of the war
den and after being shown to the con-
victs was buried without ceremony in
the prison yard. Steps were taken to
effectually discourage any attempts at
grave robbery, for as much as $4,000
had been offered for the body. 1t is
probable that the reward, officially
stated as $4,100, will be divided among
the Creston posse of four and young
Goldfnch. .-...
Certainly it was fit end for such
cold blooded villain as Harry Tracy.
While it is pity that such phenom-
email nerve and courage could not have
been bestowed upon some man who
would use them rightfully. there can
be no sympathy for one who would
kill human being who crossed his
path as he would a fly. His trail from
Salem to Creston is one of blood and
terror and it is sad to think of the
widows and orphan children for whose
anguish and misery this monster was
responsible. But he was as shrewd
and cunning as a fox and his escape
might have been successful had his
vanity and thirst for notoriety not
prompted him to unnecessary rashness.
Il is difficult to understand what else
could have induced him to twice leave
almost inaccessible Businesses and
come out where discovery was certain,
hut these erratic movements served
well to mystify his pursuers.
# T. }
# It affords me great pleasure to say
that the sozcalled melodrama of
Tracy and Merrill, which was placed
on the stage here by some eallous
schemers after the almighty dollar, is
likely to prove failure. as none of the
surrounding towns will tolerate it. OF
course it has not single redeeming
feature. w. H. B.
Where Her Hopes Centered.
II have a surprise in store for you,
dear" he said, seating himself at the
supper table.
syNryL =,