South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-13
Posses Engage in Pistol Battle
With Mexican LaborerS and
Sheriff SuStainS Severe
Wounds in Conflict.
ONE R0BBER SHOT IN
ASSAULT ON BARRICADE
Three DeSperadOeS Leave a
Wounded Companion in Box
Car and Escape Across
Open Fields.

DIXON. III. March I3.-Four Alex
lean laborers held up freight train
on the Chicago and Northwestern
railroad. Peoria division. near Man
Illus. H., Friday and killed Engineer
Arthur Fisher. Later one of the Mex
leans shot and seriously wounded the
sheriff of Bureau county, who was
leading a posse In pursuit OF the four
One OF the MeNicans was shot
through the abdomen in "A running
battle with the posse. A report from
the scene of the trouble said that the
wounded Mexican would die.
Several posses were formed ira sur
rounding towns and it was said thar
they are closing in upon the des-
peradOes. 4 battle was anticipated
by the officers leading the posses.
The conduct of the MeXicans when
they held up and killed Engineer
Fisher indicated that they were des-
perate men, and that they would put
up "A stiff resistance against arrest
Attack Engineer.
According TO the report forwarded
10 the Northwestern general offices In
Chicago the freight had pulled in on
a siding near Manlius. Engineer
Fisher, whose home was in South
Pekin III, was suddenly confronted
in his cab by the four men. who
evidently had been stealing ride iu
one of the gondola cars of the freigh
train.
Members Of the train crew said ..
the four bandits had tried To loot Cd
car Of dynamite and that when thes
were driven away from IL. went for
ward and shot Engineer Fisher
Throw up your hands" command
ed one of the MeXicans. All four of
the men were threatening the en-
gineer when the command was given.
Fisher did not comply with the or
der. and one Of the desperadoes fired
The bullet went through Fishers head
and he fell TO the floor OF the engine
cab dead
The four men jumped from the
train and ran south along the tracks.
The train crew. attracted by the noise
OF the shooting. ran forward and
found the dead engineer.
Driven Back BY Bullets.
Starting in pursuit Of the four men.
members of the crew started down
the tracks until they were driven back
by bullets from the Mexicans' re-
volvers. Word OF the mold up and
shooting was telegraphed 90 Dixon
and a posse was hurriedly formed
BY the time the Bureau county
sheriff and his posse had reached the
scene the four members had returned
To the train and barricaded them
selves in a box car The sheriff dis
tributed his small force of armed
deputies and citizens SO as 10 sur
round the box car and called upon
the MeXicans 10 surrender.
Give yourselves up or well fire or
the car" shouted TIE sheriff The
men iD the box car replied with shots
The sheriff fell wounded. Shots were
exchanged for several minutes before
one of the Mexicans inside the car
was seen TO fall wounded i'm the
stomach. An examination showed thar
one of the bullets hal struck Jue sher-
in "A glaucing blow ON the face and
the other had shatt cd the bones OF
his hand. 4 doctor said the wounds
We're serious but not likely 20 prove
fatal.
Desert Box Car.
Leaving the wounded dceperado
the MeXicans deserted the box car and
fed across the open fields. The po-s
was attending the wounded sherin
and the mOrtally wounded bandit and
2 of har