The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-11-07

MOST REMARKABLE NAV HUNT w
THE ANNALS or CRIME.

Life and Death chase Across Country
which Lasted Fifty-olght Days asd IA
tended over Two states - a Powerful +
man Though Of Very slight Build
The death Of outlaw Tracy by his /
own hands ends perhaps the most re-
markable man hunt in the annals OF
crime, and closes life and death
chase wnich lasted without cessation
for So days and extended over the
| greater part of two states.
Since June 9 last Tracy hunted by
/ Indian crackers, bloodhounds, nun
dreds of authorized officers of the law,
| the state troops OF Washington, ana
unnumbered volunteer bands OF yigl-
lantes, with a price on his mead tnaI
amounted to a fortune, Travelled over
about fifteen hundred miles OF VITA
country, and dehed capture to the
last.
From the moment of his daring es-
cape from the Oregon state penlIeh-
tiary to his last stand in the sWamps
of Lincoln county, near the eastern
border OF Washington, he kllleu
six officers Of the law, slew his
fellow fugitive, David Merrill, IN a
duel fought while men and HOUNDS
were on his heels, wounded nearly
dozen other officers of pursuing par
ties, and terrorized the people OF TWO
states.
Living on the country he passed
through, Tracy rode down stoleu
horses without number robbed farm
ers of food, clothing, and money need
. ed for his flight; crossed and re
crossed rivers, hiding when be coul'
. and fighting when too hard pressed
Six times he shot his way through
pursuing parties which SURROUNDED
- him, and struggled on in his desperate
race against death for liberty.
The criminal exploits of Frank ant
Jesse James, the Younger Bros, Mui
! rell. and all the horde Of desperat
: outlaws of the west pale beside Tn
: determined daring and reckless coul
;, age of the Oregon convict.
- On the morning Of. June 3 Irac,
- then serving a sentence Of 20 year
- IMPRISONMENT for robbery and shoe
!, ing a sheriffs officer who had attemp
!, ed to arrest him, made his successf'
&c dash for freedom from the Salem pr
az on, aided by his fellow-criminal, Day
81 Merrill, who was serving a term
- 10 years for completely in the robbel
wv Of which Tracy was convicted.
,at That there was aid for the two dc
lin perate men from the outside is e.
tain. for on the morning of the day
cd their escape, two repeating rifles we
mr.. left in the Jail corridors, where Ira
in. and Merrill easily could reach the
,rv as they marched with the other pr
oners from their cells to their ia
r work.
Tracy believed all along that M
-. rill. who first was arrested for the r.
~ berries they both committed at re
~ land in February, 1899, had betray
him to the officers of the law, but
al. ertheless he consented TO plot W
Merrill to break prison, and their Pill
4bo were carefully made,
wv AS they passed the guns left
them each seized a weapon and nj
Ter rush for the walls around the p'
Tertiary. The guards attempted
anu stop them, and Tracy, a dead 81
lere killed Guard F. B. Farrell and won
nls ed Frank Ingraham life convict
loI attempted to aid the guards.
ln0 Then, in the face Of heaVy
from other guards, Tracy and Me
= raised ladder and escaped over
wall stopping long enough to ret
o1n1 the fire directed at them, third
'"lu' from Tracy's rifle killing Guard )
way T. Jones. Then the escaping
l'"i- peradoes made a rush for the pr
l. outer gate, where they encount
two other guards, whom they n
prisoners. meaning to keep then
an hostages should the other guards
lVely cease firing.
brain The latter, however, kept up
The hail of bullets. and Tracy, who
Sc or compelled his captives to walk b'
elop- him, shot dead b. F. Tiffany '
and Merrill fired at the second CAP
this who dropped, and, pretending to
1t is been hit, escaped. Then both esc'
Pa Twenty guards from the prison
and sent in pursuit, and from that b
Aimed ming grew the famous chase Y
man closed with so dramatic a settn
i'm to Eluding their pursuers, the two
laws captured an involuntary
nature J. w. Stewart, whom they mad
lgs OF change clothes with them, and
Taylor pressed into service an expires
ms in whose attire they likewise appro
n had ed