The Washington times., 1902-07-20

| Speeu. leaving Neluer pdl0lulIy. Dul
not seriously, wounded. The news was
telephoned ahead. a crowd gathered along
the track, and when Tracy left the en-
gine he was followed by bowling mob.
After an exciting chase he was downei
| by an athletic butcher and turned over
| to the officers one OF whom was the de-
tective he had broken away from to
catch the locomotive
Thus these desperate criminals were
landed in the Portland Jail, lodged In
| separate cells and recorded in the prison
archives OF the cities.
Harry Tracy, % years OF age, feet
| 10 inches tall, weight 160 pounds, light
gray eyes, light hair and mustache,
etc.
David Merrill IS years of age. 8 feet
II inches tall, weight 160 pounds" etc
with other personal description, but
| only a shadowy record for their past
career. Two months later they were
tried and speedily convicted. Merrill
was sent up for thirteen years, but
Tracy's attempt 10 kill the detective
cost him an extra seven.
| Then the pair, heavily manacled and
guarded. were taken to Salem, delivered
to Warden James. and assigned to work
in the stove foundry OF the prison.
That Warden J. T. James is man Of
| experience in dealing with dangerous
criminals there can be little doubt, but
had he known that to his care was in
trusted a pair of desperadoes comnared
to whom the bad men" of the West
whose exploits fll the pages of sensa-
tional literature are peaceful citizens, it
Is likely that Tracy and Merrill would
have been more closely guarded.
Exploits Almost Incredible.
1t was, however. not till later that he
learned something of the remarkable ca
reer of the younger Of the two bandits.
and when he did he might we'll have
doubted many of Harry Tracy's exploits.
They are substantiated by undoubted
evidence. They eclipse the boasted es-
capades Of the James gang. BILLY the
Kid" Newt Force the Younger broth
ers, and other famous outlaws who
sooner or later were killed or captured
Since his last escape several statements
or his past career are current One is
that he is a half-breed Mexican, one
Manuel Arbertinez. but the most credit
able account is given by former sheriff
Of Montana. who arrested him for 4 pet
ty theft in 1890 at Dillon, Mont, where
he gave the name of Harry Carr, then
nlueIeen years OF age.
Tracy was Jailed, but room effected his
escape. The State of Utah still wants
Harry Tracy. After his flight Tracy
moved about few months finally drift
ing into Colorado, where he naturally
fell in with tough gang of kindred
spirits operating near the Utah. Colo
rado, and Wyoming borders, and passing
from one State to another as frequently
as the officials of any locality became
vigilant.
For a time they were under the lead
ership of George Curry. who is supposed
to have taken part with his leader in
the Wilcox train robbery. He is known
TO have been concerned while in Wyo-
ming in the robbery of a bank at Belle
Fourche and that of the postoffice at Big
Piney. Here they committed numerous
crimes, one of them being the killing of
ranchman named Hoy, for which John
stone is now serving life sentence at
Canyon City, but which 1t is believed by
many was the work of Tracy.
Captured by Posse.
After the killing of Hoy the citizens
of the county arose in self-dcfense, and
a posse was organized to capture the
freebooters. In a pitched battle fought
against deputy sheriffs. Tracy killed
Deputy Sheriff Valentine Day and cs-
capped for the time being with Liant.
and Bennett was at once lynched Tracy
and Liant were captured about six miles
from Powder Springs several days
later They had wandered far. their
feet were bleeding, and they were so
exhausted from the loss of food and |
sleep that neither was able to hold a |
gun. although Tracy had one. taken. 1t /
is said, from the body of Deputy Sher-
iff Day.
After their arrest they were placed
In the Jail at Aspen. Colo. for safe |
keeping, and Governor Wells, of Utah, |
wired Governor Adams. asking that |
they be turned over to the Utah gov
ernment as escaped prisoners. Gov
ernor Adams consented, but Tracy
and Liant hell different views on the
question. On the night of June %.
1897. they escaped from the Aspen jail.
and in doing SO beat Jailer Jones into
with poker. Jones went
into the cell to remove the dishes from
which the prisoners had eaten their
supper He was attacked by Liant.
armed with a poker and beaten into
nsensesibilIty. Tracy then possessed
himeslf OF the jailer's gun, but they
we're chaprined 10 find that he didn
have the keys which would admit them
10 freedom. Nothing daunted. they hid
IN the jailroom, and when Sheriff Fish
er entered to search for his jailer he
found a pistol muzzle in his face and
heard Tracy say: Throw up your
nands!" Instead of doing so. Sheriff
Fisher turned and ran for his life, ex-
planning afterward that he went for
his gun. When he returned with the
both men wrre gone. Liant has
never been captured or heard Of since.
Went to Oregon.
Tracy also disappeared for the time.
he went straight to Oregon,
probably because Merrill, who was also
member OF one of the gangs, lived In
hat part of the country. but very little
s definitely known of these two years.
1t is also certain that when he and
Merrill were finally landed at Salem,
Warden James and his assistant super
ntcrdent, J. d. Day. underestimate the
esourcefulncss and daring of their two
prisoners and trusted too confidently in
he strength of the bastile they ruled.
It all events, he did not attempt to sep
rate the two men, who continued
month after month to labor IN the stove
oundry of the prison.
On the morning of June 8, 1902, their
onfi1ence received rude shock.
o'clncL Tho y,aro