The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-03-21
NEBRASKA POSSE
STAYS THREE men
Two Escaped Convicts and Cap
tive Victims of Bullets.
THIRD FELON is CAPTURED
Gang Forces Farmer to Accompany
Them as Hostage and He Meets
His Death In Running
FIuht,

Omaha. Neb., March 19-John Dowd
and John Taylor, two OF the convicts
who escaped last Thursday from the
state penitentiary at Lincoln, and Roy
Blunt, an innocent victim of their
murderous attempt to gain liberty,
are dead as the result OF a battle be-
tween the bandits and law officers.
Taylor was slain by posse 1t is
believed Dowd also was killed by the
posse, but his surviving companion
says he committed suicide.
Charles Morley. the third of the
trio of convicts saved his life by sur
rendering to the officers. with whom
he had fought a running battle for
two and a half miles over country
roads with horses on the gallop.
Armed with shotguns and revol
vers, while their pursuers had repeat
ing rifles, the convicts were within
few miles Of Omaha, where they ex
pected to find friends who would
shield them, when the fatal battle
took place.
Troops and Police in Posses.
The telephone operator at Gretna,
fifteen miles south Of this city. gave
the alarm of the presence in that vi
cinity OF the desperate men. Six
posses soon were ready to attempt the
capture. These included a band OF
Omaha detectives and patrolmen,
Sheriff McShane of this county and
his deputies, Sheriff Hyers and his
deputies from Lincoln, and Sheriff
Case of Sarpy county, with his depu-
ties. South Omaha sent two posses
under Chief of Police Briggs and the
Gretna company of the National
Guard was on the scene.
Chief Briggs of South Omaha and
his deputy, John c. Trouton were
leaders In the party which overlook
and vanquished the three convicts
and shot Blount, the innocent victim,
Convicts Found In Wagon.
The fugitives had broken into
store at Murdoch and stolen guns, am
munition and clothing.
Chief Briggs got fast livery team
at Springfield. Sheriff Case also had
a good team.
Three miles out of Springfield the
posses learned the convicts had forced
James Blunt and his wife, parents OF
the Blunt who was slain later, to give
them breakfast and furnish them with
a team and wagon. The convicts COM
PEELED Roy Blunt to accompany them
as hostage and to drive the team.
Running Battle Begins.
Eight miles from Omaha the officers
caught up with the vehicle carrying
the convicts, Young Blunt was
forced to lash his horses into a run,
but the officers kept up the chase.
When they we're within hundred
yards OF the pursued men Briggs ard
The convicts replied; their shot came
rafting into the faces of the pursuers
and their horses, but their revolver
bullets were spent in snowdritts.
Three Die, One Surrenders.
There was halt when young Blunt
toppled back into the wagon. John
Dowd was the next to fall. Taylor
fell the next instant.
Chief Briggs shouted to Morley:
Drop that gun or III blow your
head off"
Morley who held a big revolver,
dropped the weapon and Briggs Or
dered him tc come forward with
hands up. This Morley did.
The bodies of the convicts were
turned over to Sheriff Flyers of Lin
coin, and that of young Blunt to his
family. Hyers took Morley back to
London on train
Briggs and Trouton received slight
flesh wounds as a result OF the shoot
ing.
Blunt was twenty-five years old. He
had been married two months. His
vouup widow 10 prOstrated