The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-09-15


81 married Westcctt, but we didn't
get along, so we just quit
81 didn't care, because he tried to
make me stay in the house nights
when he was away, and l didn't want
to. l like to enjoy lifT. Well, when
he told me to go away from him, l
went l stayed at home little while,
and then met fellow named Albert
Ross, who was clerking at the Putnam
house in Bennington.
1--WE kept company, Al and I, and
he worked at the hotel and over at
the golf links at Misunderstanding
Mountains. But finally we got tired
of living around here, and thought
| we'd get out.
1.-The first night it was dark, and l
got tired; so Al and 1 went into a
barn to sleep till morning. We didn't
know there was anyone in there, but
we had hardly got inside when we
heard our names called, and, looking
| up in the haymow, saw my cousin,
Merritt Reed, and friend named Dan
Brockway.
when Al and l saw the fellows we
wanted to know what they were doing
| there, and Reed told me that he and
Brockway had given up their jobs and
were going to be burglars. They had
| Just robbed a store at Dorset and
two or three houses, and they showed
us a diamond ring, a watch, some
| other rings and whole lot of stuff
| they had stolen and were hiding in the
| barn.
when I told them Al and l were
| going away they asked me why we
| didn't join them. They said it would
| be a good thing for gang to have a
woman along, as she could do jobs
that they would be caught trying.
They offered me an equal share OF
everything, and said they would make
me the queen of the gang.
"Al didn't like the idea, but / said:
Come along. 1t can't be any worse
than working So he agreed to join,
too. and we slept till morning.
Early in the morning we left the
barn and started north. Reed was
armed, | knew, for he had shown me
two big pistols, one of which he gave
me. l don't know about the others
except that AL had a knife that he
said he could use in close quarters
if we got caught at anything. We
walked all day, laying plans as to
what we should do, and that night
slept in the woods, making our beds
of pine boughs. We were hungry, Sc
l raided hen roost near by, and that
with some veal that Reed stole, made
our supper.
"The next day we went on to
Pawlet, and that night we cleaned out
a farmers hen roost and all his clothes
lines. Again we slept in barn, and
next morning tramped on to Granville
"Our plans were not quite ready for
the big trick we were going to try,
which was the robbery of bank in
| Manchester We were not armed
enough, and we didn't know the ar
rangements, so we decided to stay in
| Granville for little while. So we
| stopped at the hotel over night. But
the next day we thought we'd better
60 back, as it was rumored that we
were being watched, and we didn't
want to get caught and jailed for the
simple little things we had already
| done Besides, there was a jewelry
store at South Dorset. kept by man
named Abrams. 1 thought it would be
easy to get in there, and besides get
ting some diamonds, take what pistols
and ammunition we might need for
bigger work.
at was a dark night, and we didn't
expect we'd have any trouble over the
the boys should stand guard while l
got into the store and cleaned it out.
So I was to take the pistol that Reed
had given me and protect myself if
they didn't warn me in case of any
one coming, or if I should run across
anybody in the store. About nine
o'clock that night we got near North
Dorset, where the jewelry store was
and were just going down the road
toward it when a team drove over a
bridge that we would have to cross
over a little stream.
1--WE tried to get out of their way,
for none of us thought the team was
after us. But the men in the wagon
had lanterns, and I saw that we were
discovered. We had been followed.
I yelled to the boys to run for their
lives.
81 recognized some of the men in
the wagon as they began to jump out,
among them Constable A. G. Mason,
of Pawlet, and a farmer named Black,
near whose house we were overtaken.
Merritt Reed ran first, and Ross
right after him, but 1 didn't see where
Brockway went. I wasn't going to
run, thinking that the officers would
follow the men and I could sneak
away quietly. Besides, wanted to
see how Al Ross would come out of
the scrape, and, if possible, help him.
AS soon as Constable Mason struck
the ground he drew revolver and
commenced firing. Then I drew mine,
intending to use it if they fired at me-
But before could get a chance to
fire / felt arms about me, and Farmer
Black had me pinioned. At the same
time Reed who was being fo11owad