The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-13
NOTORIOUS BANDIT GETS
HIS LIBERTY ONCE MORE
Charles Yerger, Who Terrorized
the Southwest a Score OF Years
Ago, Now a Free Man.
PARDONED BY ROOSEVELT
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
Charles Eerger who was serving a life
sentence in the penitentiary at Chester. III.
for robbing the mails in one of the many
train hold-ups committed b. him in Texas.
was pardoned a few days ago by President
Roosevelt. 1t is said that he is now or his
way back to Texas. He is bent with age.
and few Of his old-time aoquaintances
would recognize him.
Yerger was a notorious train and stage
robber. He was member OF the Robbers
Cave gang that terrorized this part OF the
State in the early SOS.
In the Helotes hill. about fifty miles south
of here. are a number of caves where the
robbers made their rendezvous. The story
is told that much OF the plumber and money
carried off by the robbers was never re-
covered by the officers nor otherwise ac-
| counted for, and that it must still be hidden
! in one of the caves.
The leading members of the gang were
Yerger. Jim McDaniels and Ezra Pitts. AZ
! ter many efforts TO arrest them a force
| of deputy United States marshals in the
fall of 1884 met McDaniels on public road
near New Braunfels. They did not call up
on him to surrender. They simply opened
fire the moment they saw him.
| McDaniels fell from lis horse with a
dozen bullets in his body, but he had the
| strength TO raise himself on his elbow as
| he lay in the road and fire two shots from
! his pistol before he expired Both shots
] took effect, seriously wounding two dep
4 few days after this Yerger and Pitts
were captured. In quick order they were
convicted and sentenced to life imprison-
| ment in the Chester penitentiary.
| 1t was for the fight that followed his con-
| viction that Yerger was most notorious.
The United States marshal for this dis
| trict at that time was Henry L Costing,
editor of a country newspaper called the
Quill published at Castroviile. Tex. 1t was
paper when General Phil Sheridan was
| quoted as saying that if he owned Texas
| in hell: Damn a man who would not stick
up for his own country!
CARELESS IN DANGER
Goslng's fearlessness led him to be care
less in the presenceao of danger. 1t was this
carelessness that cost him his life.
After the conviction of Yerger and Pitts
Marshal Costing came TO Austin 10 convey
the prisoners to San Antonio. where they
were to be placed in Jail for safekeeping.
pending their transfer to the Illinois peni-
tertiary. He was accompanied to Austin by
Deputy Marshals Manning and Long.
The seat occupied by Costing was three
companion was the late II. S. Garfield. a
former Texas ranger, who later attracted
wide attention as writer. Mr.. Garfield
was unarmed on this occasion.
When the train was about TO depart from
the Austin station Mrs. Pitts, the pretty
wife of one of the prisoners, went UP to Cos
ling and pleaded TO be permitted TO sit by
the side of her husband She also asked him
to allow Rose Yerger, sister OF the other
prisoner, to have similar privilege Costing
and he granted the favor. Double seats,
fronting each other were arranged and the
two prisoners. shackied together and the
two women, occupied them.
II was about 9 o'clock at night when New
Braunfels, fifty miles south Of here, was
reached. During the ride of two hours the
prisoners had been very quiet, the sobs OF
the women being the only sound that was
| heard TO come from that quarter. The two
deputy marshals sat just behind the pris-
oners.
The train had just left the station at New
| Braunfels when Yerger and Pitts stealthily
, reached their unshackled hands under the
folds of the women's dresses and each drew
out a six-shooter. They then sprang into
the aisle OF the car and began firing at the
The first two shots OF the prisoners were
aimed at Costing. The two bullets hit him
squarely in the back and he pitched forward
on his face into the lap of Garfield.
. The prisoners then turned their pistols on
( Deputies Long and Manning. The latter
, were out of their seats the m, moment Sney
The cylinder OF Longs pistol would not
work and he was powerless TO give Manning
, any aid.
: FILLED CAR WITH SMOKE.
Manning. as soon as he could draw his
? own pistol, began shooting at Yerger and
! Pitts as they backed toward the door Of the
car. The first few shots caused the car TO be
) filled with smoke and ii was difficult TO dis
tinguish the outlaws from the panic
3 stricken passengers. The fash CT pistols
- 80 I1f
( Manning was struck by three bullets. one
= | went through his left side, another through
the heshy part Of his neck and the other
y from these wounds, but he continued TO
!; fight until Yerger and Pitts had gained the
! | platform and Jumped off the train.
: He coolly followed the prisoners as they
: moved toward the door of the car, firing
| shot after shot at them. His cartridges be-
: ! came exhausted and the ejector OF his pistol
5 stuck With bullets raining around hin,
|, | he stopped at the side of Garfield and took
. a lead pencil out of the latter's pocket with
: which he punched the empty shells out OF
the chambers.
. . He then reloaded and resumed the firing.
4 When Yorker reached the platform he
= | turned and shouted at Manning:
you shoot like hell for a little devii'
e Yerger and Pitts disappeared In the dark
Z | ness. The train was stopped and when the
: car had been cleared OF the powder smoke
e an accounting of the casulties was taken
: Costing was lying the floor, dead. Rose
Yerger was shot through the thigh, and
another woman, Mrs. Drown, was mortally
| wounded.
e The next day the body Of Pitts was found
e lying i'm a bunch OF weeds near New Braun
: fels He had been shot twice through the
body Yerger had released himself from
II the dead man, 70 whom he was shackled
y by cutting off the latter's right hand at the
n wrist.
u Yerger was found wandering in the hill,
Il several miles west OF New Braunfels late
q in the evening Of the same day. He was
;. demented and made no resistance when tho
- officers ordered him TO surrender. The
: 4 safe DIET RULE.