CAVALRY RAID BY RAILROAD.
As soon as possible a special train consisting of an engine and two box-cars was dispatched to Lake Crystal and placed at the disposal of Gen. Pope, by the active and accommodating manager of the Sioux City railroad. Two squads of eight carefully chosen men each were [pg 43] detailed to proceed under command of Sheriff Barton, of Rice county, and Detective Hoy, of Minneapolis. Barton's detachment transported eight horses, but Hoy decided to rely upon the farmers for his stock. The former went directly to Windom, and the latter to Mountain Lake, from which points they started north, hoping to intercept the robbers. However, their efforts were futile, as it was subsequently learned that the desperadoes had passed, and were headed in a northwesterly direction.
ON THE BOUNDLESS PRAIRIE.
On the evening of Friday, the railroad was again resorted to and a squad was dispatched to a point certainly in advance of the bandits, hoping to arouse the inhabitants away from the railroad and telegraph. On the train was Sheriff McDonald, of Woodbury county, Dakota territory, and it was arranged between him and Sheriff Dill, who led the squad, that he should proceed immediately to Sioux City, organize two squads, and make for Sioux Falls by two routes. An account of the last days of the hunt for these two fugitives in this State will be found in the following special telegram forwarded by the writer to the St. Paul Pioneer-Press.
THREE DAYS' HUNT.
“I took the train for Heron Like, with Sheriff Dill and ten men, including Brissette, Clark, Harrison, Brosseau, Gail, Avery, Richardson and Church. Arrived there at 11:30, roused the inhabitants, and were soon under way in teams for Lake Shetek. The citizens were eager to assist and ready to go to the front. At sunrise took a farmer's family by surprise, but got a good breakfast, our tired squad tumbling into warm beds. We were left by the inmates of the house to sleep an hour and a half, and then started, feeling better for a chicken stew. Reached the town of Currie, Lake Shetek township, at noon. Traveled in heavy farm wagons over bad roads. Here found the little community ready to assist in any way. Our theory was that the robbers would take”
ONE OF THREE TRAILS PASSING BETWEEN
Shetek and Luverne, and on the way out left six pickets to guard the lower trails—Brissette, Clark and Brosseau, one squad; three Winona men another; Erwin and Harrison were mounted well and served as scouts. It was thought that the most likely course for the robbers was by the upper trail, hence the scouts accompanied the commander, in order to communicate with the pickets eight and five miles below. Dill quickly found men at his disposal, and soon had twenty pickets posted north and south. Just at night Erwin and Harrison dashed in and reported that the robbers had called at the house of Mr. Swan, at the crossing of the Des Moines river, Lime Creek township, five miles south of Shetek, at two. This was on Saturday. There was only a [pg 44] woman at the house. The description of the outlaws was accurate. They were still on the gray horses, stolen near Lake Crystal. They did not get off their horses, and asked for bread. The woman asked them to come in, but they declined, and after they got bread and milk, they asked for meat. They said they were after horse-thieves, and started southwest. Later they were seen at the Lutheran church, in the town of Center, Murray township, from which point they went southwest, striking the
LAST HOUSE ON THE FRONTIER
at section twenty-two, town one hundred and six, range forty-one, at 4:30. They were tracked here by Avery, Gail and Richardson, of Winona, and a courier brought the news to the scouts. This news caused Dill to decide that they were making for the “Lost Timber,” a natural hiding place. Recruits were called for and couriers dispatched to call in the pickets in other directions, to concentrate on that point. A squad consisting of thirty was raised, ten being mounted. No time was lost, and through the cold, dismal night,