, 1905-02-18
CREEKS
BOLD BANDITS

Manuse two si%x-shooters and told him
to be prepared for n emergency. Bos-
well stepped to one door Of the car and
Rankin to the other, each having a
gun in hand. The train men told the
mob that assembled that it would be
impossible Tor them to take Manuse
without great ~bloodshed, as the three
men would sell their lives dearly. Bos-
well and Rankin cautioned the
crowd that they would have to walk
lover Their dead bodies before Manuse
would be given up. 1t is needless to
say that the train was in motion as
soon as possible and Manuse was tax
Ell to Rawlins without further incident.
He was tried and acquitted, there be
ing nothing of a cal criminal nature
against him. lie was Immediately re-
arrested and taken to Green River,
where he was tried for stealing cattle
and Sent to the penitentiary Tor five
years. After Manuse vas released
from the ~penltentiary he went to Den
yer and engaged in service as a stone
mason. 1t is believed he is in that
city today. From his story to the Of
icers they were able to bring to jus
tice all but one of the desperate out.
laws implicated in the attempts to hold
up the Union Pacific train at Elk noun
tain II at Rock creek. He was not
a bad fellow-simply the victim of bad
associates and environment.
The Republican gives herewith a
story Of the crime and capture from
the pen of Captain Dave Cook of the
Rocky Mountain Detective association,
as published in Hands Up" 1t will
be noted by those familiar with all the
circumstances surrounding the cap.
ture of the gang that there are a few
inaccuracies, but in the main the story
is true to life, as follows:
Early in December. 1878, a portion OF
this band. consisting OF Erwin, Manuse,
Dutch Charley, Frank Ruby. A. c,
Douglas, Hank Harrington, Frank
Howard and Charles Condor (alias
THE Kid decided uron another raid
upon the railroad and this time Sc
lected as the point of their attack the
bridge across Rock creek, fifty-six
miles west of Laramie City. Their pro.
gramme included the robbery of the
train, II also of the hotel kept at the
point by ex. Governor Thayer, of Wyo
ming.
The plot was quite as devilish as that
which had been frustrated at Medicine
Bow, but it never came So near bearing
fruit as the former onefdid. 1t was
frustrated through the efforts princi
pally of two men, named Frank How
ard, II of the party, and Detective
Boswell, who succeeded in taking in
the entire band by a very bold and
shrewdly arranged mov upon them.
Frank Howard was a member of the
party as it started from the north fol
the purpose of committing the robber
les planned as above stated. The party
came south to within a few miles OF
their destination and, camping in
spot where they supposed themselves
safe, decided to send a member oil
their organization to the station to lool
over the land and make report upor
the prospects there. The perfor
nance of this duty fell to Howard
whose conscience appears to have beer
considerably wrought upon, and whose
heart failed him in the work in which
he was about to engage. AS a conse
quence of this state of his mind he de
cided to Illustrate the plans of his as
sociates, prevent the raid INT assisi
in securing the capture of the band. He
laid the entire story before Gov. Thay
err, who was not slow in communicat
ing it to the authorities of Albany
county.
Mr.. Boswell was not then acting sher
if of the county, although he had but
recently been elected to that position
The sheriff was notified, but did not
act. Governor Thayer then informed
the officials of the Union Pacific rail