The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-25
WILLARD Gait ESCAPES
AMID A RAIN OF BULLETS,
BUT IS BADLY WOUNDED
Leader of the Gladish Chapel Gang
of Criminals Is Arrested, but
Regains Liberty.
IS TAKEN BY SURPRISE
But Later Takes the Marshal by
Surprise, Says Goodbye and
Hides i'll Woods.
PIKE COUNTY SENSATION
Twelve Men and Boys Concerned
in the Crime-Mrs. Dedrnan
Critically III.
IS TAKEN BY SURPRISE
FIKE COUNTY SENSATION
sp.cial 70 the Indlanapoll. Journal

Special TO the indianapolis Journal
PETERSBURG. Ind. Jan. 24.-wirard
Gait. leader Of the gang OF twelve men
and boys who committed the crime at Glad
fish Chapel. of which Mrs. Lafe Dedman
was the victim, is hiding somewhere in the
woods with a bullet in his body He was
wounded to-day by Marshal Jesse Watson
while making a sensational dash for liberty
after having been surprised and captured.
Nothing more dramatic than the capture
and escape OF willard Gait has ever oc-
CURED in this vicinity. After being hunted
down. surprised, arrested and given hear
ing. at which his bond was fixed, he turned
the tables on the marshal and escaped
amid a shower OF bullets. one of which took
effect. How badly Gait is wounded is not
known, but it is believed he was forced
TO rest I'm the woods tonight and that he
will be recaptured in the morning.
Willard Gait. for whom a warrant was
issued. was located at the home of Peter
Gladish. a farmer living six miles west of
Petersburg. The authorities here were i'm
mediateIy notified and left for the Gladsh
home with the warrant for Cats arrest
He was taken by surprise and yielded to
where preliminary trial was held, and
Gait was placed under $500 bond.
LEAPED AND RAN
Marshal Watson. in company with Gait.
went to the home OF Hoke Smith, living
in the west part of the city to get Smith to
go on the prisoners bond. Mr.. Smith refused
and then. as the marshal and his prisoner
were leaving, with one nightly leap. Gait
made a dash for liberty. He was twenty
feet away before the marshal had time to
start in pursuit. but drawing his revolver
he ordered Gait to halt. Gait only ran the
faster. and with goodbye to the mar
shall. he darted around the corner OF the
house and the race began.
The marshal emptied his revolver at the
fugitive. who had managed to get of his
overcoat and was rapidly leaving the
marshal far in the rear. Gait ran toward
the woods west of town. but was seen to
fall AS the officer approached him he
Jumped to his feet and started to run again.
Watson fired four more shots at him and
pursued him some distance, when he struck
his leg against stump and could go no
farther. Deputy Marshal Young took up
the chase. however. and traiIed Gait about
five miles. Spots of blood were found along
the trail. and it is believed Gait was badly
wounded and that he will soon be retaken.
The indignation of the citizens runs high,
but they are determined 10 let the law take
its The Sumner and Snyder boys
who are implicated in the crime. and who
ran away to Illinois but were brought back
here by the latter's father. Saturday night.
are held by many of the citizens to be
blameless of wrongdoing. However. they
may suffer for keeping bad company Sew
eral more warrants have been sworn out
and number of more arrests will be
made
Gait MAY FIGHT
Gait, the ringleader of the gang. is dan
gerous man. and it is feared that unless he
is again taken by surprise the authorities
will have trouble before he is captured
Mrs. Dedman is In serious condition. II
learned to-day that twelve boys and
men. whose ages range from fourteen to
thirty-five years. participated in the crime.
Some OF the men are married and have
children. IL also was learned to-day that
Lafe Dedman and his wife were travelling
about the country and staying at night
wherever they could find shelter. 1t was
late on Thursday when they slipped into
Gladish Chapel with the determination to
spend the night there. Some men and boys
saw them go into the chapel and planned
the crime OF which they are charged
They waited until about 10 o'clock, then
pushed In the doors OF the church and COM
mitted the deed.
The woman screamed for mercy. and
Leslie Gladish and two farmers living near
the chapel heard her cries and hurried tc
the church, but were held at bay by the
gang