posse departed. Another
report came that the men were hiding in the "Robbers Cave." These
caves are located about two miles from the prison, and are a mecca for
sightseers. A squad of men under command of Captain Kesterson
went into these sandstone caves and searched every nook and crevice
in them. They also went to the ruins of an old deserted paper
mill, made a thorough search of the premises, but no trace was
found. Still another message came that the bandits had been seen
approaching a straw stack close to the residence of the Bishop
Tihen. Colonel Melick, Sheriff Hyers and Detective Schmitt went
to the stacks and instituted a thorough search, but again no
trace as found. Finally came a telephone message that the men
were seen walking the Burlington tracks ten miles out of Havelock,
heading for Omaha. They were reported to be under the influence
of liquor and were terrorizing the farmers whose homes they passed,
securing food and clothes.
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The police of Omaha
and South Omaha were notified, and Chief Briggs put out sentinels to intercept
them in case they left the railroad tracks when nearing South Omaha. Early
Monday morning came a message that a store in Murdock had been
broken into and some duck coats, artics, shotguns and ammunition
stolen. This was soon followed by another message that the murderers
were seen walking the railroad tracks towards South Bend. Immediately
a posse of twenty-five civilians and a squad of militia under
command of Lieutenant Harry Gelhaar, one of the bravest and most
daring officers, started out in pursuit of the fugitives in a
special train. They went to North Bend where the posse was divided.
Twelve men under Sheriff Hyers crossed the river on hand cars.
From here they traced the fugitives by tracks in the snow, apparently
headed for the Blunt place about four miles to the north. The
posse arrived at the Blunt. farm and surrounded the house. The
blinds
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