Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-12-07

the Michigan Central and, throwing
himself fat on the roadbed, steadied
his arm on the rail as he kept up a
rapid FIRE with three revolvers. Roes-
HI ran for the brush, but Vandine re
treated slowly, although the air around
him was filed with bullets and the
: snow at his feet was kicked up by
them. Catching sight Of Detective
I thinner. who was behind a tree, he
/ fired. thinner went down with bull
let in his head. AS he fell, Vandine
fred again, the second bullet going
through Zimmer's arm.
Brakeman slain.
( Roesh had by this time disappeared
and Vandine and Niedermeier made
a run for freedom. The detectives
fired constantly, but the bandits es-
capped. After running a mile across
the country, they came to the Penn
sylvania railroad. A switch engine
with a train was close at hand, and,
hurrying up TO il, the men ordered
( Brakeman Sovea to uncouple the
train from the locomotive. He refused
and attempted to take Niedermeier's
revolver from him. The latter instant
IL sent a bullet through the brake
marks brain, laying him dead in the
snow Springing past SOvea's body,
the bandits mounted the locomotive
with revolvers i'm hand and ordered
the engineer to move out in a hurry,
which he did, going in the direction Of
Liverpool. Indiana. After two miles
3 had been covered, the men ordered
! the engineer to slow down and, leap
ing to the ground they disappeared in
the woods.
Men and Rifles Ordered.
After the train had carried the ban
dts away Detective Sheehan hurried
TO the nearest telegraph station and
wired Chief O'Neil for men and rifles.
The message met with prompt re-
spouse and in a short time Assistant
Chief Shuettler and so officers armed
with rifles, were on the way. The Of
ficials of the Pennsylvania road also
rose To the emergency. Captain Briggs,
of the detective service of that rail
g a
soon the news of Sovea's murder was
known and, with orders to take no
chances, spare no expense and get the
men dead or alive, he and his men
were off toward Liverpool. The entire
Pennsylvania system was placed tenn
porarily under Briggs orders.
Farmers True Shotgun.
The news of the fight at the dugoutI
spread through the country and by the
time the bandits rushed up 10 the loco
motive a hundred farmers and railroa
lsJOreTs were after them. One farm
or. armed with a shotgun, catching
sight OF Vandine as he poked his face,
through the cab window, turned lOos
with both barrels. The shot struck
Van Dine in the head. face and throat
Tracked in the Snow.
When they left the train both men
were nearly dead and unable to travel
over the rough, sandy country. They
made slow progress, but the farmers.
railroad labOrers and officers of the
PENNSYLVANIA road were coming up
fast and soon were close on the fugi-i
tives' heels. 1t was easy to track them
In the snow and the hunt was speedily
closed. The bandits were seen as they
lodged about in the sand dunes and
the farmers armed with double-bar-
relied shotguns. opened fire. Niede-
meier received a charge full in the
mead and the blood streamed down his
face into his eyes, binding him so he
could hardly see.
Hunted Like Wild Beasts.
\ shot grazed Vandines's head, car
rying of some of his hair. The posse
was closing in on al sides. There
was no escape and il was er!dent TO
both men the time had come either to
surrender or fight TO the death. Both I,
were heavily armed and able to take /,
more lives before beth lost their own, !
but as Va2dine said last night:
There would have been no good in
that. as we never shoot anybody IN
less we have TO, and killing any of
these fellows would not have let me
of The jig was up for us. no matter
how many We LfllaH said 10 Pate