Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-09-05
OPEN FIGHT WITH OUTLAWS.
How Warren Bennett Ended the Mar
tin Gang.

Il
deputy marshal and chief Of the In.
dian police of the Usage nation, who
died at Pawhuska last week, was the
last Oklahoma official to engage II
an open conflict with outlaws.
The killing Of Biz and Sam Martin
says the Kansas City Journal, in 6
secluded opening surrounded by g
thickly wooded region In the Usage
nation near Pawhrska has been re.
corded by the officials who knew the
circumstances as one Of the bravest
acts known among the United States
officials of Oklahoma.
Arthur Simmons. q companion OF
the notorious Martin boys, escaped
and for lack Of other information Il
was said that Simmons had "showr
up" his companions to the United
States officers to avoid capture and
prosecution. What really saved Sim
mons was the wounding OF Wiley
Haines, an Indian policeman, who ac-
companied Bennett. After killing the
Martin brothers Bennett gave up pur-
suit Of Simmons to care for the
wounded officer Simmons Is still al
large.
The Martin brothers had been
wanted in five states for five years
Starting on their career as chicken
thieves in Kansas, they became des-
perate horse thieves. changing their
stopping places from Kansas to
Colorado, Oklahoma. Texas and In.
dian Territory, and eluding the Of
ficers in this way. In the year 1908
they became bloodthirsty and on
March murdered the Rock Island
station agent at Hennessey In cold
blood. They robbed the station house
but were pursued the next day, and
the stolen property was recovered. A
few days later they murdered City
Marshal Cross of Geary. seemingly fol
the sole purpose of taking his star
After shooting him the star and q
small pocket pistol we're all they took
from his body. Both were taken from
the bodies of the desperadoes after
they had been killed.
A few weeks later occurred one OF
the boldest holdups that ever took
place in the history Of the territory
It happened one Sunday morning q
few miles from Pawhuska at lodge
picnic. The picnic took place In g
IL. Id lof q
Before the picknickers began to ar
rive the Martin boys and Simmons
took their places beside the lane.
When the first wagon load Of per.
sons arrived the outlaws drew theiI
guns and made the occupants climb
out. Two kept them covered while
third inspected the horses. The
horses did not suit. and the pick
nickers were commanded to drive on
In this way more than one hundred
persons were held up as they came to
the picnic. The outlaws finally found
three horses that suited their fancy
and rode away.
A United States officer gave the
following as the version Of the fight
which followed a few days later as
Bennett had told it to him a few
weeks before he died:
After the picnic holdup a cowboy
rode into Pawhuska one evening and
informed Bennett that the men who
had robbed the picknlckers were
camped in an opening about five
miles from the town. Bennett or.
dered his horse Immediately. and
with Wiley Haines, started after tht
outlaws. Hitching their horses about
mile from where the camp was
supposed to be, they crept cautiousl!
up to the glade.
Sitting around their saddles the
Martin brothers were shaving. one
holding a mirror for the other. Fifty
yards beyond Simmons was patrolline
back and forth with a Winchester
over his SHOULDER. Bennett easily
recognized the horses that had beer
stolen, as a man in a cattle country
learns to do with ease. They were a,
distance of four hundred yards and
were just planning a method of at
tack when Sam Martin jumped tc
his feet and shouted to Simmons:
THAT looks like man over there
Almost at the same instant Sim
mons's rifle cracked and a bulle'
whistled through the trees close by
The battle was on and a fusilade OF
shots was kept up for half an hour
The Martins crou"hed behind theil
saddles and Simmons fortified him
self behind a clump Of bushes. The
officers were fairly well protected.
Bill Martin was the first to be
struck. A bullet penetrated his body
and he lay over on his face out Of the
battle. Almost simultaneously a bull
let from Simmonss rifle STRUCK
Haines in the shoulder. The soft
nosed bullet made a frightful wound
The firing ceased for a moment anc
then the two outlaws started fol
cover toward the other side Of th'
opening. Bennett stepped boldly ou
into the opening and his killing o.
Sam Martin Is descr'bed as follows:
Martin was running directly from
me, and l aimed at where his sus
penders crossed In the back. Just a
aimed he turned his head over hi
shoulder and the bullet struck him II
the mouth. He rolled over and owe
like a jackrabbit shot on the rum"
| Sam Martins neck was broken eth
er by the fall or the force Of the bullet
Bennett then hurried back to Haines
whom he believed to be dying. Witt
a pocketknife he cut from the should
er the copper jacket Of the bullet
bound up his wound and took him OF
horseback to surgical aid. The bodie
of the last desperate outlaws wer'
buried in the potters field at Guthrie
on the night following.
In their camp were found 100
rounds Of ammunition, four Winches
ter rifles of the best pattern ant
horses and saddles they had stolen {
few days before. Marshal Cross's sta
was pinned on the inside Of one o
their coats.
| Tho daotb of Pappet and mention n