The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-05-21
FARMER, CALLED
HORSETHIEF, IS
SOUGHT in CAPE
Escapes from StOddard Sher.
if After Being Shot
Through Arm.
SAID TO HAVE TAKEN
SCOTT COUNTY HORSE
William Bass Believed to Have
Fled to Cape to See
Relatives.

The police of Cape Girardeau have
been notified by the officials of Stod-
dard to be on the lookout for William
Bass, farmer, who was wounded last
night after breaking away from Sher-
IF Barham, who was escorting the
agrieulturist to Jail on a charge of
horse stealing.
The bullet according to the sheriff
and spectators, who. saw the sheriff
make target of the farmer, struck
Bass in the right arm just below the
shoulder. The limb hung limp, but the
farmer continued his dash for liberty,
and after chasing him for quite a dis
tance, the sheriff abandoned the race.
After learning that the parents of
Bass wife lived in the Cape, Sheriff
Barham notified Chief Hutson to
watch for the farmer, who was expect
ed 20 have reached this city on an
early morning train. Although the
mans arm is supposed to have been
shattered, no physician in Bloomfield
was called upon to administer to the
wounded farmer last night.
Deputy Sheriff George Wood of
Stoddard County last night notified
The Tribune of the shooting. He said
that Bass was accused of stealing a
horse from a farmer in Scott County
last March. He took to his farm, which
is located about three miles from
Bloomfield, said Mr. Wood. A short
time later he advertised the animal
as stray horse, but no one called for
it.
According to Mr.. Wood, Bass made
a confident of 4 woman who lives near
his farm and she notified Sheriff Bar
ham. The sheriff Investigated the case
and discovered that the Scott County
farmer had lost horse in March.
Sheriff Barham went to the Bass
home early last evening and placed
the farmer under arrest. He was ia
ken to Bloomfield to be placed in jail,
but after reaching that city he asked
the sheriff if he would not permit him
to be liberated on bail. The sheriff
escorted the prisoner over the city in
search of bondsman, and while they
were in a hardware store, the sheriff
stepped to one Side to talk to the mer
chant in behalf of the prisoner, and
Bass rushed to the door and started
down the street.
Sheriff Barham pursued him and
when he ignored a command to halt,
the sheriff opened fire. One bullet
struck him in the right arm. He ut
terea a scream and seized his arm, but
continued running. A moment later
his injured arm was noticed swinging
helplessly by his side. He was too
speedy for his pursuers and soon dis
appeared into a woodland on the out
skirts of the city.
The sheriff notified the various
physicians in the city to report to him
if a man suffering from a bullet
wound called upon them to have an
injury dressed. But as he failed to visit
one of the Bloomfield physicians, the
sheriff believes he boarded train for
Cape Girardeau. A close watch was
kept for him at his home, but he never
returned.
While in Cape Girardeau year ago,
he was accused of stealing a load of
lumber and was arrested for the
charge, but the matter was adjusted
and Bass was never prosecuted, Depu-
ty. Sheriff Wood announced last night.