Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-09
Revolver B attle Between
Paton Posse and Yeggmen
Who Blew Postoffice Kills
Two and Injuries Two.
MAY BE MEN WHO
DID OTHER JOBS
Des Moines Detective Leaves
To Attempt To Identify
Dead Bandit and Pal
Dead Man Suicided.

marshal Of Patton, and robber, SAID
to bear the name of Valentine OF Chl-
cago, were shot to death and another
robber whose identity is unknown, ana
e. G.. Bemble of Patton were seriously
wounded in revolver battle following
the robbery of the Patton postoftice OF
s26 in money Sunday morning. me
fight occurred In schoolhouse Two
miles south of Patton. The wounded
yegg was captured.
For three hours yesterday morning
three hundred residents of Patton be-
sieged the bandits and continuous re-
volver firing marked the siege. Inc
wounded man, who refuses to dlvulge
the identity of either his dead compan-
ion or himself, surrendered only aIter
his companion had been killed and ne
had been seriously shot in the leg.
e. G.. Elmore and ]. C. Hoye. mer-
chants living over their stores, saw
two yeggmen preparing to blow the
postoffice safe at o'clock In the morn
ing. citizens were notified by telephone
and by the time the robbers had fin
ished their work, considerable party
of armed men was on the way to the
scene. &s.
Following the blowing OF the safe,
the robbers ran to the edge OF tOWn.
followed by fusillade of shots. The
posse Of citizens, headed by Marshal
J. w. Busby, pursued SO closely that
the bandits were forced to abandon an
attempt to steal horse and buggy
near the town, and turn to the school
house nearby.
Three Hours Battle:
Marshal Busby and Lee G. Hinkle
rushed to the door Of the schoolhouse,
opened it and ran inside. AS Busby
opened the door of an adjoining coal
shed he was shot through the body and
instantly killed. Hinkle rushed from
the building uninjured.
Three hours Of continuous firing, fol-
lowing the killing OF Busby, riddled the
schoolhouse. The robbers barricaded
themselves in the coal house and spirit
edly answered the posses fire. At 10
O'Clock one man limped from the build
ing and gave himself into the hands OF
the officers. His companion inside was
dead.
Marshal's Body in Window.
When the marshal fell dead, one OF
the robbers dragged the body into the
school house. Then fusillade of shots
was exchanged between the robbers
and the members Of the posse.
The lifeless body of Busby soon was
propped up in the window as cover
ing. and from behind it the robbers
fred on the posse The dead body hung
in the window throughout the fight un-
til the surrender of the yeggman after
his companion had been shot.
The wounded robber refused to give
his name. His leg is shattered and will
have to be amputated "A hotel key was
found in his pocket which came from
Royal hotel in Des Moines, and certain
papers bearing the postmarks OF Sing
Sing and Chicago.
I. is believed these men are the ones
who blew the safe in the Bayard, Ia.
postoffice few weeks ago. They are
about 25 years old. The injured bandit
was brought here and lodged in the
county Jail.
J. w. Busby was prominent citizen
of Patton and a well known Odd Fet
low. He represented Greene county
Odd Fellows at the last grand lodge
meeting.
Des Moines officer investigates.
Des Moines. May S.-Chief Of De-
tectives E. E. Johnston left today for
jefferson where he hopes to identify
the safe blowers who yesterday shot
and killed Marshal j. w. Busby Of
Patton while barricaded in school
house following the robbery OF the
Patton postoffice. Chief Johnston
hopes to identify also the pal Of the
captured safe blower who was shot
dead by Sheriff Wilson during the bat
tie. It is the opinion Of local officers
that the postoffice robbers are not as
sociated with Tom Hatch and the
band which has been pulling off num-
erous bank robberies in Iowa and
which Is supposed to have attempted
to loot the Polk county treasury some
weeks ago.
Dead Robber Killed Self.
Ft. Dodge, May 8.-The coroner's in
quest over the body of the postoffice
robber killed at Patton yesterday dur
ing battle between two safe blowers
and posse developed today that the
man shot himself and was not shot
by Sheriff Wilson as had been sup
posed. The man fired the bullet
his own head as he lay on the
floor when he saw that capture was
according to his wounded