The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-26

suspected us. for soon they all began
to saddle their horses and put on
their packs. We now got our rifles
and pistols in readiness, and just af-
ter the gang left the saloon building,
and as they were crossing the Flat
toward the bridge where the road
crossing Of the Little Missouri river is.
I called to them to halt and sur
render (not that I expected them to
surrender, for we expected a fight and
we're we, ready for it. IT, They answered in
We had taken up our position in a
small ravine at the rear of Stones
house and had quite an advantage, so
when the answer came from the
gang. who were then a distance of $50
said, Put it to 'em. boys!" and put
1t to 'em we did.
I will go back a little now an ex-
plain that only six of the gang started
out. the other one, called BILLY the
Kid" being delayed fixing his saddle
at the saloon. and when the shooting
began he took up a position behind
post, in good range and view of us.
The first intimation of this was by the
killing of Jack O'Hara. one of our
men, the ball striking him in the left
side and passing clear though him. He
stood within four feet of me. When
shot he dropped his gun, put both
hands on his wound, and said as ne
you as long as I could" Another one
of our men, Fred Willard, got Craze
across the shoulder from the same
source. The ball went through the
coat at the point of the shoulder
blade, even making a mark on his
undershirt, but not touching the skin.
While all this was taking place we
were giving the main part of the gang
the best we had. killing two on the
spot. A. M. Willard lost the lower
part of his left ear by a ball. Harry
futile was riding a gray mule, which
got SO frightened at the shooting that
he bucked for all he was worth and
prevented his rider from shooting at
us. Tuttle got a shot in the point of
his left elbow which slivered his arm
to the shoulder. This caused him to
fall off his mule. Tuttle then crawled
to a cabin a short way off, occupied
Jack Campbell got a scalp wound
which knocked him off his horse. He
crawled to the brush and made his
way down the river to a ranch about
four miles distant.
Exelby, the leader, was shot in the
thigh nd made 70 rthe brush, to-
gether with Billy the Kid and the
other remaining one. whose name We
never learned.
All were now dismounted. and we
killed every one Of their horses in
order to prevent the ones who went to
the brush from getting them to ride
Exelby, the Kid and the other one.
as soon as they got under good cover
in the brush, began to shoot at any
body they could draw a bead on.
Some cowboys who were at the saloon
and who took no part in the fight
either way were fired upon by the
three outlaws. One Johnnie Cunning
ham, who was standing in the door of
the saloon, was shot in the heart and
fell square in the doorway. Another
cowboy, Jack Harris, got a shot in
the groin. He died from blood poison
ing three weeks afterward. This sud
den attack, of course, now turned all
the cowboys on our side, and they
were not long in finishing up the three
outlaws who had killed two of their
number.
That night Jack Campbell, who had
gone down the river to the ranch before
mentioned not knowing of the killing OF
the cowboys and thinking that he had q
friend among them, wrote a note to his
supposed friend asking him to bring him
down a horse, as he was afoot and wound
ed and wanted to get away. The note
was given to me, and after reading 1t I
proposed we get our horses and go after
Campbell take an extra horse along,
which could be tied to the corral in sight
of the house where Campbell was hid, the
receiver of the note then to go into the
house and tell Campbell that his horse
was ready. The night was moonlight, and