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Beck and
Bussey, who ride for the
Muskogee Court, with headquarters at
Claremore, had
been planning for some time to capture the gang of outlaws, of which
one Bill Miller is reported to be the leader. Last night there was a
big dance at Inola, at which it was known the desperadoes would be
present. "Hez"
Bussey and Beck were on the scene, but the fact that
the outlaws became apprised of the plan and succeeded in capturing and
disarming
Bussey, delayed the scheme to close in on the bandits. The
latter would have killed
Bussey but the intervention of Miller. When
released last night Miller started out for reinforcements and secured
them. This morning he and Beck at the head of a posse, closed in
around the house of Bill Critten, at Inola, where the outlaws were
quartered. Firing was opened by the deputies and returned by the
outlaws with telling effect. Beck and
Bussey both tumbled to the
ground, on which they were half reclining before the battle opened.
Both men were badly wounded, and it is possible that one or both are
dead at this writing. In the meantime the outlaws are at large,
although Marshal Bennett at Muskogee has been apprised and
reinforcements are already on the way.
The shooting occurred first as the
Valley train, bound for Fort Smith, in charge of Conductor P. J.
McNamara, was at the depot -- the deputies, in fact, having come down
from Claremore
on his train. As the firing was going on McNamara’s tawny whiskers
quivered with the excitement of the occasion. I reminded him of the
days of Cook and Cherokee Bill gangs, when, with a six-shooter in each
boot and two bowie-knives under his coattails, he used to pull his
train through the Indian Territory, dodging bullets at every station. McNamara told the engineer to hurry up, and the train pulled out. Mac
is a great believer in running on schedule time Passengers were badly
scared.
Bud Weldon got on at Fort Gibson
and it is rumored, promptly tendered a box of his Elevator cigars with
which to exterminate the bandits.
It is suggested that if the outlaws
can be trapped into smoking them, their death will speedily follow. Beck
was an appointee of Marshal Rutherford and a brave man. At one time he
rode for ex Marshal McAlester. Bussey is also a fearless deputy and was
with George Lawson when “Dynamite Dick” was killed. |
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