Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-08-20
BATTLE WITH MUUDERERS
Butchers Slsyers, Surrounded on
Island Near Mondamin, Escape.
BLooDHOUNDs TAKE UP CHASE
Council bluffs aud Omaha Police
keep close watch OF All Trains
Eye witnesses Describe
the shooting.

DesperAdoes who murdered Night Mar
shall George Butcher at Missouri Valley the
night OF August l6 we're tracked to an
island In the Missouri river west OF
Mondamln, fourteen miles north OF Mis-
souii valley By a posse Friday AFTER
noon The outlaws stood at bay and held
of their pursu..s with teyolvers and
rifles until binding rain storm gave them
cover for escape.
Many shots were exchanged. one Of the
posse found a bloody handkerchief, in
dicating one OF the murderers was wounded.
The entire Cot neil Bluffs police force was
called out last night again TO watch all
incoming trains from the north on the
Northwestern railroad in the hope OF cap
turing the desperadoes.
IL was feared they might be able to board
a passing freight train after the fight and
reach Council Bluffs.
At o'clock yesterday morning $. F.
Matthews, n farmer residing two miles
west of AIodele and eight miles north of
Missouri Valley, was aroused by a noise
near his barn aud upon investigation dis
covered a team OF horses had been stolen.
Telephones were used to arouse the neigh
bors. a general alarm was sent out from
Missouri Valley, and more than 100 armed
men took up the trail Eight miles north
west Of Modale the team was found where
Il had had been abandoned and the tracks
Of two men were discovered leading from
the point In the direction OF the river.
The Fremont bloodhounds were put on
the trail and at 3 o'clock yesterday after
noon the outlaws were located in a corn
field.
According to the telephone message sent
by Sheriff Rock at o'clock last night the
men were found to have taken refuge on an
island or large sandbar in the river, and
shots were exchanged with them. Accord
ing to the sheriff's report the posse was
deemed too small properly TO surround the
bar which was densely covered with
willows, and the rush Tor the capture of the
men was deferred for reinforcements.. Dur
ing this wait the heavy storm that pre-
vailed yesterday afternoon came up, ac-
companied by binding clouds of dust. The
men took advantage of the semi-darkness
and the dense screen of dust to break
through tho thin line Of guards and escape
unseen. When the storm abated and the
sandbar was rushed only the tracks OF
the men were found.
Sheriff Rock and his men have no doubt
that the men sought, are the murderers.
The storm demoralized the wires In that
portion OF the country, making it difficult
to get information.
Sheriff Rock went to Mondamin to hold
himself ready TO resume the hunt this
morning.
Last night the Omaha police department
was watching all incoming trains and all
bridges and arresting all suspicious charac-
ters who by any possibility might be the
murderers.
Inquest at Missouri valley.
! MISSOURI VALLEY, Ia, Aug 1S.-tSpe-
cial Telegram Eight or ten tramps, In
whose camp Night Marshal George Butcher
was murdered by two desperados, told the
story of the coldsbloodedi killing to :. the
| conorens jury Friday The jury found
Butcher died OF gunshot wounds inflicted
| by the two outlaws
| According TO the tramps' stories Marshal
Butcher walked, into their camp about 4
o'clock in the afternoon and looked them
over. He commanded the two bandits TO
stand and be searched. After he had fin
ished searching the larger he started to-
ward the other. The first made q dash for
his coat, which was lying near. Butcher,
seeing the move, jumped for the coat. A
struggle ensued.
The smaller man shot Butcher through
the left arm. Butchers gun was discharged
once, apparently by accident. The larger
man, with whom Butcher was scufflIng
wronohsd the marshals gun from him and
shot him through the stomach. Then he
took a gun from his coat pocket and shot
Butcher straight through the heart. The
powder burned his shirt.
After examining Butcher to make sure he
was dead the bandits struck off to the
| southwark.