The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-06-29
he PLAYED A LONE HAND
And Died With His Boots On-BOst-
wick, the Georgia DesperadO,
Was Bad Hut Brave

Specidi W lHe SdSdL-
nah News tells the story Of the grim
and hopeless battle of one man
against hundreds.
Irwinville, Ga, June 2s.-Fanatical-
~ defiant even while the shadows OF
death closed around him and volley
after volley from the new Springfield
rifles of the two state militia compa
| nies made a sieve of the walls of his
humble home, W. Fl. Bostwick, the
desperate who observed his last Sab
bath day by the murder of two Off
| GERS of the law and the serious
wounding Of three others, paid the
penalty of death at 10 o'clock yester
day morning.
He succumbed to many wounds re-
ceived from the rolleys fired into the
| building early in the night by a mob
| of infuriated citizens or from those
of the military which began an attack
after o'clock yesterday morning.
! Yesterday afternoon at 3:15 o'clock
| Sheriff ]. =. McInnis, of Irwin county,
who was wounded yesterday while
making a desperate attempt to remove
a wounded fellow officer from the
range OF Bostwck's deadly fire, ex-
pired.
| James Gill. a farmer, was added 20
the list of wounded during the early
| morning fusilade, and it is believed
| that he will not recover.
Surrounded by his six children
whom he held prisoners almost to the
| end Of range. Bostwick, who had de-
| clared his intention of dying rather
| than submit to arrest on the charge Of
attempting TO murder his brother-in-
ditch.
knowing that death was near. the
desperate man finally allowed the
/ fear-stricken children to leave the
house. However. after they We're un-
GERS. they refused to talk of the events
| of the night.
| Capt. Charles \. Delang. command
ing the Fitzgerald Guards, described
| the uneven battle of one desperate man
| against an equally determined host in
a vivid manner.
| Capt. Delang'S original instructions
from Adjt. Gen. Scott were to await
the arrival of the Albany Guards be-
fore taking any steps to capture Bost-
wick
| Upon arriving at Bostwick's home,
| however. he found the mob in such a
| temper that he deemed Immediate ac
| tiOn absolutely necessary. He first
called upon BoStwick to surrender. Of
| fering him protection from the mob.
| but the demand was stoutly refused.
| even though accompanied by a threat
| to take the besieged man dead or alive
| The officer then demanded that the
| children be allowed to leave the house.
| but Bostwick also refused this de-
! mand. The little ones had spent the
| entire night huddled close 10 the floor.
fearing at any moment that they
would be victims of bullets from the
guns Of the enraged people.
! Capt. Delang ordered his men to fire
a volley into the roof of the house.
following which another demand for
surrender and release of the children
was made upon Bostwick, who replied
| with a shot from one Of three weapons
| with which he was armed.
| Then came another volley from the
soldery, which caused Bostwfck to
ask that the lives Of the children be
not endangered The six children then
| We're permitted to leave the house and
! We're taken in charg by the soldiers.
| They would answer no questions. The
| oldest daughter. Jennie, who had spent
the long night attempting to shield
the younger children. cried because
one of the boys had been forced to
| leave the house without his trousers.
and the oldest boy was i'll.
The children having been taken to a
place of safety, Capt. Delang again de-
manded that Bostwick surrender. but
the only reply was shot from the be-
sieged man. Then the soldiers fired a
volley into the lower portion Of the
house. A moment later officers OBJ
serving that a shingle had been remov-
ed from the roof. this probably being
done by Bostwick in order to fire to
better advantage. a hail Of lead was
thrown into the roof. followed by a
thud. which indicated that Bostwick
had fallen to the floor. Observers
then called attention to the fact tina,
an object was seen moving through a
hole in the floor and volley was fired
in that direction. A rush OF the troops
was then ordered. the belief being that
Bostwick had been injured. but this
was stopped by a shot from the build
ing. which struck James Gill. who was
cared for by physician.
Delang's men then fired into the
building several times. Several men
then attempted to enter the building
but We're greeted by final shot from
. BOstwick. The Albany company then
appeared on the scene and a rush upon
! the building was made from all direc-
| tionS.
| The doors were broken open and
Bostwick was found upon the floor
and although he had passed the point
of resistance and could not even give
utterance TO his thoughts the express
sion on his features was one OF death
defying determination. He had fought
the battle of life and death and lost
but If his superhuman nerve failed him
once there was no Indication OF the
fact. Death claimed the desperate
shortly after the final rush OF the
troops.
| The Sabbath day tragedies and the
final battle scene occurred four miles
west of this village.
In the crowd that gathered around
1.-THE besieged home were the most
prominent women of the community
These did not remain at the scene for
the purpose of Witnessing bloodshed
but their hearts went out to those
children who were forcibly confined in
, the home There were stern. deter
mined faces in that crowd of fully 500
! he t1,