Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-06-12
FIERCE BATTLE
WITH THIEVES
Officers Capture Cattle Rustlers.
One Dead, One Wounded

'hANE, Wash, June 12.-In q
terrific revolver battle between Den.
uty sheriffs ]. T. Logan and George
sweet and two cattle thieves near
seven Mile bridge about dusk last
evening. Bascom Wallace, one or the
thieves about 80 years old, who
lived on a homestead near Berry.
Douglas county, was shot and killed
almost at the same moment that n
bullet buzzed past Deputy Sheriff
Sweets head. Which one of the dem
uty sheriffs fred the fatal shot mel.
ther is able to tell. Tom Greenman.
Wallace's companion, who was ON
horseback, escaped. He is believed 10
nave been shot as he shouted with
pain as he rode away. Wallace's
body is at TurnbulIs undertaking
rooms.
About 16 shots were exchanged be-
fore Greenman, seeing his companion
fall, wheeled on his horse and rode
away in cloud of dust, bullets whis-
Ting about him ON all sides.
Wallace was just in the act OF lev
cling his revolver at the officers when
well-directed bullet laid him low.
He threw his hand containing the
weapon in the air and fell in a heap.
blood squirting from a fatal wound
in the left shoulder. Stunned and
weakened, he regained a sitting pos
ture and was reaching out for the
weapon lying on the ground when he
threw up his hands and fell back
dead.
The officers had been lying on the
ground on the edge of blur in wait
for the thieves just before the en-
counter. Thirty-two fat cattle were
grazing in a cove below. Wallace
and Greenman appeared in the dis
lance, their forms barely discernible
in the gathering dusk. They were
approaching the blum.
Hands up, boys!" commanded
Sweet and Logan, jumping to their
feet and covering the thieves.
I'VE had hardly commanded them
to surrender when the man on horse
back whipped his gun out of his hol-
ster and opened fire." said one of the
deputies. He had fired about three
times when we realized that IL was
a case of life or death, so we too.
commenced to shoot. Bullets sped
thick and fast for a few seconds. We
had hardly got into action when Wal
lace drew his gun and was Just lev
cling it when he fell
Deputies Empty ReVOlvers.
II emptied the, six chambers of
my revolver before the smoke OF bat
tie cleared away" said Logan. Il
had two guns with me and / emptied
both of Them" said Sweet.
Chief Deputy Clarence E. Long
and Deputy Sheriff S. d. Doak, who
were accommodating below the blum.
hearing the shots, came running up
to the assistance of the other officers
when the cattle. alarmed by the fray.
stampeded. and Long and Doak mar
rowly escaped being trampled under
foot. They finally reached the scene
Of battle and Wallace was lifted into
an automobile and the party re-
turned to the city.
PershaH Brothers i'm Jail.
Ewing Pershall and Dwight l.. Per-
shall, brothers, the other two mem
bers of the gang. are locked up in
the county jail. having been arrested
yesterday by Deputy Sheriffs s. d.
Doak and Matt Ryan.
Quick work by the sherif's once
broke up the gang and brought about
the arrests. Deputy Sheriffs Logan,
Doak and Sweet went to Seven Nile
early yesterday morning. having re-
ceIved a tip that cattle thief sus-
poets were in the vicinity with
band of cattle.
DOak arrested Ewing Pershall as
the latter was walking into Spokane.
He was locked up in the county jail
and Matt Ryan. a short time after
wards arrested. Dwight L. Pershan.
Prosecuting Attorney Fred c.
Pugh and his chief deputy. Don ?.
Kizer, then each took one Of the bro
theirs and subjected them 10 rigid
questioning. with the result that each
made a confession.