The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-03-15
OFFICERS TRAPPED.
Three Killed in Indian Ter
ritory by Outlaw Band.
WERE SHOT FROM AMBUSH
Posse, Attempting to Make Arrests,
Was Met With voIIeys from
Barricaded House-Excite-
element Intense.

A dispatch from Vinita, Indian Ter
ritory, says: 1. L. Gilstrap, deputy
United States marshal of Vinita; Otis
Tuttle, posseman OF Vinita, and Dick
Terry, posseman of Talequah, were
killed IN bloody battle with the
Wickliffe band of Cherokee Indian
outlaws, in the Spavinaw hills, Sun
day afternoon.
After the battle, the outlaws were
besieged in the house of their uncle,
Jim Wickliffe, at the scene of the
crime, 81 miles from Vinita. There is
20 telephone or telegraphic commun-
ication with the battle-ground, and no
news has yet been received from q
large party of deputies, who went TO
the Spavinaw hills to capture or kill
the outlaws 1t was not expected that
they would yield without a fight.
The Wickliffes killed Deputy Mar
shall Vier about a year and half
ago, and the officers have been on
their trail ever since. A posse of
six officers, who were on the way to
arrest the gang, we're fired upon from
cmbush by the Indians, who shot and
killed three of their pursuers and eS-
capped unhurt.
PleZZ Mann, pCsseman, who sur
vived the attack of the outlaws, walk
cd 2S miles to Tahlequah, and told
the story of the battle, which was tel
egrapned to United States Marshal
Darrough, Of Vinita, at 5:35 Monday
morning. Tlirty-dve deputy marshals
were Immediately sworn in and dis
patched to the scene of the battle,
and authority has been granted Mar
shal Dar:ough by the department Of
Justice in Washington to increase the
number to one hundred. Marshal Dar-
rough announces that he will employ
this many men, if necessary, to round
uD the desperadces.
1t is reported that the full-blooded
Cherokee Indians in the vicinity OF
the battle-ground, commonly known
as the Night Hawks, are Joining the
Wickliffes and the authorities fear
that they will barricade themselves
in the rough country and a desperate
battle ensue before the outlaws ara
captured The Wickliffes are members
of the Night Hawk band Of Indians,
which has given the United States
officers so much trouble IN the mat
ter of taking allotments, and it is
said that many of these Night Hawks
sympathize with them.
The home OF the Wickliffes is H.
the center of the Night Hawk settle
ment, where the battle occurred. Many
of the Indians have been sheltering
I the outlaws during their months ot
scouting, and the officers have arrest
ed many of the Indians for giving such
protection to the Wickliffes. It Is
feared that the full bloods in that
vicinity, which number several num-
dred, may join the Wickliffes, AMI
that it may be necessary to call out
the United States troops. The OIL
GERS at Vinitia, however, believe they
will be able to cope with the situa-
ton successfully.
Deputy Gilstrap was fearless OIL
Ger appointed to succeed J. H. Vler,
who was killed by the Wickliffes. He
leaves a widow and several children
at Kansas, I. T. Tuttle and Terry
were Cherokee full-bloods.
Marshal Darroueh has asked the de-
partment of justice to authorize MIN
to offer $1,000 for the capture OF the
outlaws. Only meager details OF the
fight have been received as yet. The
battle occurred far from the railroad.
and it is hard to get tidings from
there.
Outlaws Open Fire.
DEPUTY Gilstrap, with Otls Iu1tl7'
Dick Terry, Plezz Mann, Thomas Wo1-
ford and Andy Dick, possemen' SUI
dav afternoon at 4 o'clock rode up TO
the home Of Jim Wickliffe, uncle OF
the Wickliffe boys, and were lnteno-
ing to make a search of the place
-hen the outlaws, concealed IN INC
house, opened fire on them. AT the
first shot Gilstrap, Tuttle ard lerry
we're killed, and at the next "olley all
Of the horses were killed, besides tWo
blcodhounds. The survivors OF Gll-
strap's party fired into the h7us7' ou'
the firing from the outlaws was SO
sharp that they soon sought snel'er
behind trees and stones.
The three survivors decided TO se1'a
p,ezz Mann to Talequah for ASSIST.
ance while the other two men "oulo
sno dow the house and if possible pre-
,+ Tho escane of the WickllffeS.