Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-06-28
IRWIN'S DESPERATE
WAS SHOT TO DEATH.
With Four Dead and Two
Wounded to His Credit.
Albany Guards Claim
Credit For Killing of
Bostwick--Two Com
panies of Militia Rid
died His Home With
Bullets Thrilling Ac-
count of Last Scene.

|
let's to put an end to the life of w
II Bostwick, Hardshell Baptist
preacher of Irwin county, who sud
denly developed on Sunday into a des-
| perado of the most murderous type
and killed two and wounded four OF
the posse seeking his arrest before
retributive. justice reached him in the
shower of lead that fairly perforated
h S humble dwelling.
Thirty-one of the Fitzgerald Guards
commanded by Capt. Charles A. De,
lang, reached Bostwick's house early
yesterday morning. In the house were
his six little children. The posse ot
citizens who had sought Bostwick'a
capture on Sunday afternoon had re-
Trained from sending fusilades of bull
| let's into the house from fear that the
children might be the victims, instead
of their father. The same difficulty
confronted the Fitzgerald company 1t
| would never do to turn forty rifles
/
loose on a shell of a dwelling in
which were six children, innocent
of any offense whatever, n the hope
that the leaden missiles might find the
father and mercifully pass them By
On the arrival of the Fitzgerald
Guards Capt. Delang consulted with
the citizens posse which, had sur
rounded the house all night to pre-
vent the escape of Bostwick, who al
wounded men to h s credit. Whf,e
! deliberating as to what to do the
children of the murderer were seen
I'emerging from the dwelling. RealiZ-
ing that there was no escape for him
that his life must pay the penalty fol
5he crimes of Sunday, Bostwick had
kissed the children a last farewell
turned them out of doors and gr mly
returned to the corner where he had
made Lis lair, with his shotgun load
ed with buckshot, and his revolver at
hand ready for further execution when
the posse should resume hostilities.
Bostwick had demonstrated his abiI-
ity as a slbt. There had been no
Wild, indiscriminate shooting on his
part. There was every evidence that
he had in each instance taken careful
aim and shot to hit. Apparently he
| had picked his victims-at least that
was the impression among the posse
To charge the house meant more
deaths. There was no doubt of tha-
1t was felt that there was no need 20
expose any of the soldiers to the sure
a m of the murderer, evidently in a
state of maniacal frenzy and eager to
add more to the list of the dead OF
| wounded before he himself had paid
the death penalty. Capt. Delang ac-
cordingly scattered his men in skirmisn
line and at the word of command thir-
ty rifles opened ii"e at the Bostwck
fort 1t was not a one-sided engage
ment. Back from the dwelling came
an answering fire and civilian stand
ing near Capt. De'ang fell, probably
mortaliy wounded.
Volley after volley was poured into
the dwelling 1t seemed impossible
that any human being could be in the
house and be alive. Riot cartridges,
t is stated, were used by the Fitzger-
aid company. Their carrying power
was seemingly not adequate, and
many spent bullets were subsequently
gathered up in the house, where they
had fallen directly after piercing the
| planks. High and low the house was
apparently riddled. And yet, when the
firing ceased shot from the fort
| told that Bostwick, even though he
might be wounded unto death, was
still on the alert, defiant to the end
ready to fight until the last gasp
| There was no white flag of surrender
on his part, no matter how formi4-
able or how determined the army sur.
rounding him.
Probably a thousand shots were fir-
ed by the soldiers and civilians and the
capture of Bostw ok was no more as
sured than at the beginning when this
Albany Guards, AZ men, commanded
by Capt Saye, arrived. The DWELLING
in which Bostwck lay concealed was
surrounded by cotton and corn fields
1t was a small one-story structure d
frame, facing a public road probably
fifty yards away, with small wood!
beyond. Capt Saye threw his men il
a sldrmish Inc that would insure theil
bullets ruGdling the fort. With ammi,
milton of the highest effecE Eiveness
capable of penetrating wall two %
three times the thickness of the cot
tage before them, and with the bullets
pouring IN from the front and at an
giles that would seem to insure cover
ing every foot of the space within 'th
Bostwick fort, Capt. Saye gave tn
command to fire.
From forty rifles the big bullets speI
across the field. The thuds as the,
struck against the frame front an
sides of the dwelling could be heard
There was few minutes pause. N
sign came from the dwelling to indi
cate that Bastwick was living or deaf
If living there was no intention a
surrendering on his part. 1t was nc