The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-08-07
FIGHT FIERCE BATTLE.
Militia and Convicts Meet and Engage
in Desperate Melee.

Placerville, Cal. Aug. saturday
night, shortly after Z o'clock, company
H Of the California National Guards,
met the escaped convicts on the Pleas
anton Valley road, seven miles from
Placerville, and q terrific battle en-
sued.
Private Gill Of Company H was shot
through the body, from the right to the
left shoulder, as the shooting began,
The wound viii prove fatal. When ar
sent to the scene of the fight as soon
as the news OF the battle reached the
nedghboring passes, ne stated hat at
lanst four OF his comrades were hit by
the convicts and probably killed.
It is not definitely known what hap
pened to the desperadoes, but it is said
that tvo were shot and dropped In the
brush n sire supposed to be dead.
Every available nan and boy in the
town OF PlacerviiIe has been armed
and all are now on the way to the scene
OF the fght.
The battlefield is at the base Of a
great hill adjoining the site OF the
Grand Victory mine.
When the fighting began Sheriff
Bosquit was on the other side OF the
hill. With his men he started in the
direction Of the shots as seon as the
firing commenced, and it is said Is
now in the thick of the affair.
.#. LIE dl1dA oNSIS llduOhS dAJ IuluS OK
a like nature that has occurred In the
west. AT least sixty men are now par
tfcfpating in the fight. All sorts of ru-
mors are floating into P~tacervflle as to
the result of the meeting between the
soldiers and he convicts. The people
i in a frenzy. Many of them have
relatives at the front
1t is impossible to tell just how
many were killed or wounded. The
thick underbrusn renders it difficult
to FIND a man If he drops helpless to
the ground.
Placerviue, Gal, Aug. 4.-The con-
victs who escaped from Folsom prison
are still at large. The five who en-
gagged in a fatal fight with their pur-
suers at the Grand Victory mines Sat-
urday night W. not been seen today.
and apparently a made a success
ful retreat. In their haste to get away
from the militia aud shertfrs posse they
left a water can, several hats and ON
firearms on the hillside where the con-
hict occurred.
The dead bodies of Festus Ruther-
ford and w. c.. Jones, the two militia
men who were shot by the outlaws,
were found this morning where they
had fallen. Jones had served in the
Philippines as a member OF the First
Tennessee and the Thirty-seventh vol
untee infantry reEiments. al Gill, the
national euardsnaan who was shot
through one lung Is expected to re-
cover.
Another victim Of the chase was
Philip Springer, a resident of this dis
trict- He is hard of hearing, and fall
ing to respond to an order to halt was
fatally o by a picket early Sunday
morning.
A report received here last evening
states hat four convicts, not believed
to be the same who ambushed the Off
GERS, were discovered Sunday near
Lotus, in the Weber creek district.
A number Of shots were exchanged,
but SO far as known without effect.
Dutch Flat, CAL, Aug. 3.-Two of the
Folsom eonvicts were surrounded here
last evening and a fight ensued.
1t is supposed that one of the con-
vtcts was shot by Glen Wedgewood.
Wedgewood was shot in the hand by
the cOnvtcts.