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VOL. XV.BAKERSFIELD. KERN COUNTY, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 14 1903NO. 215SECONDAiTTLEWITHOUTLAW LOST HIS HORSESSEC0N0 BATTLE OH MONDAYStill on Foot in the Rocky Greenhorn With the Officers Closely in Pursuit-Details of TripThrough South Fork Valley.Authentic information was received bv Sheriff Kelly today through Oliver Thaeher, Jr., of South Fork, thtft therewas a second running fight at the base of them ountains above Keysville on Monday morning about 9 o’clock. A posse of several men headed by War* ren Rankin and Constable McCracken took McKinney's trail early Monday and ran him to cover in the rough country along the base of the Green horn . Shots were fired on either side, the outlaw keeping headed towards the mountains. Being bardpressed he abandoned his two horses and, dodging from rock to rock, was finally lost to view.Some doubt had been raised as to whether McKinney was really in the Kernville country but all doubt of this is dispelled. Mr. Thaeher knows, theoutlaw by sight and on Sunday at 2 o’clock the hunted man rode up to Thacher’s store, two miles above ^Onyx, and purchased a bottle of beer. He was silent and apparently avoided conversation with those present. After drinking the beer, he remounted his horse and kept on the main road down the river.1Below Scodie he was seen by Warren Rankin and Mr. Rankin, who alsoknows McKinney, hastened back to.Scodies, got a saddle horse and followed the outlaw down the valley. At Patterson’s lane McKinney took the road towards the South Fork school house and Rankin hastened by a short cut through Supervisor Peterson’s ranch t6 head him off. At Fugitfc's Rankin met McCracken and as McKinney came In sight and spied tne officers he at once opend fire with nis rifle. The officers returned the fire and a running fight ensued, the outlaw making towards Isabella. It was growing dark by this time and the pursuers did not follow the desperate man into the timber of the river bottom.At Isabella McKinney met Johnny Shomate and E. L. Allison and had | some conversation with them. Shomate Is acquainted with McKinney.The outlaw must have camped in the vicinity of Isabella on Sunday night to rest his tired horses, as he was not many miles distant when the posse discovered him on Monday when the second battle took place. When McKinney reached the SouthFork he was riding the same bay horse which he brought from Arizona, and had the gray packed with his blankets,food and an arsenal. He had a shot gun, a rifle and two pistols with plenty of ammunition. At the battle at Fugitts he fired twentyeight shots at his pursuers. Whether he has another mount now can only be conjectured.Rankin Knows Him.Rankin has faced McKinney’s rifle once before. About five months since, when the outlaw was hastening out of the country, ho encountered Rankin at the upper end of thev alley and taking him for an officer, at once brought his rifle into position. Rankin looked the other way unconcernedly and the outlaw seeing his mistake adopted a more peaceful attitude. The two men walked along side by side forVsome distance and conversed.From Randsburg.V(Special to the Californian.) RANDSBURG, April 13.—JThe posse which followed McKinney from Arizona under Sheriff Lovin of Mojave county arrived here at noon. It reports having found traces of the fugitive at Garden station, twelve mileseast of here. The officers could not»continue the pursuit on account of no provisions for the men or teams. They have had scarcely any* food for three days.McKinney’s two brothers are here and have been seen laughing and seemingly much pleased over somenews received last night.Covin is Coming Hero.Sheriff Kelly received a telephonemessage last night from Sheriff Lovinof Mojave county, Arizona, stating hewould Icavo Randsburg today by trainfor Bakersfield and from here strikeout overland to take up the pursuit ofoutlaw McKinney in the mountainsaround Isabella. The posse failed toarrive on this morning's Santa Fe butthere is another train due here at 2o’clock, but reported some three hourslate, and will not bo here until s o’clock, tl is thought that probably the officers are on that and will be ready to leave tonight or tomorrow morning for the front.The Arizona trailers reached Randsburg last night as reported in the Californian’s special from the desert me tropolis and were in no condition to continue overland on tho journey. Moreover that would hardly have been advisable, owing to the distance the murderer has gained on them.AWill Strengthen Posse.At this point Sheriff Kelly will have others join them to strengthen tho party and guide it through the mountain fastnesses where a knowledge ofthe country is essential u* effective work, the more so as the outlaw knows every foot of territory, even to the most Isolated unused mountain trails• jand footpaths.‘ Sheylff Lovin is evidently a nervy and determined man from the reports that have reached here of his doings. At San Bernardino he declared his determination to get the murderer deador alive or perish himself in tho attempt, His posso is no doubt made of similar men. who will not fail In their i duty whenever they meet the fugitive murderer.Man Hunters Not Heard From. Meanwhile no word comes from the man hunters or their quarry in tho mountains around Kernvili© and Isabella, The murderer is unhorsed, as reported yesterday, and the two animals on whicn he made the ride from Arizona have been captured, but of tho much-wanted man himself there is nothing new. Notwithstanding the loss of his mounts he may be able to get away. There are ranches scattered through the, country and there are many camps of gold miners, where there are animals to which the outlaw will not hesitate to help himself. It Ih indeed very probable that owing to their jaded condition the outlaw had little use for tho horses he rode from Arizona.Nothing Known at Callente.(Special to the Californian.)CALIENTE, April 14—Nothing has reached here since yesterday regard lng the whereabouts or doings of Murderer McKinney, Sinco tho capture of the fugitive’s horses there has been absolutely nothing coming over the telephone from the scene of the pur-Ft IIII1IfiIitt1Ict1Etlt;M’MNNEV
Newspaper Details
Daily Californian
Bakersfield, California, US
Tue, Apr 14, 1903
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Kern C.
CA, USA 20 Oct 2020
Other Publications Near Bakersfield, California
The Berkshire County Eagle
Southern Californian and Kern Weekly Courier
The Weekly Californian
Kern County Californian
Daily Californian
