BATTLE WITH OUTLAWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 288, 30 November 1908, Page 4

BATTLE WITH OUTLAWS.

> New York, September 21. I A remarkable battle took plate in the Ozark Mountains, Arkansas, yesterday, between a sheriff's posse and a i local outlaw named John Koberts and bis wife, who were barricaded in their home. After a few hours' seige. during which Mrs. Koberts killed the sheriff and wounded two of the deputies, she was herself killed and her husband f.itr ally wounded. Koberts and a neighbor named Kessengcr had a long-standing feud, which culminated two days ago in Kesseliger being murdered. Koberts then hastened home and prepared for a siege. When • Sheriff Leo Mooncy arrived 'yesterday afternoon with a well-armed posse anil demanded Roberts' surrender, .Mrs. Koberts appeared in the doorway, with a repeating rillc in her hands, and warircl the posse away. As they approached closer she opened lire, her first shut iiiltiiig the shcrill', who fell from his horse mortally wounded. The other six members of the poss.carried the dying man into some woods near u y, ami Koberts and his wife meanwhile barricaded their, dwelling. Then they took up positions at the windows. -Airs. Koberts commanded Ills rear of the house, where the posse lirst attacked, and her husband fired from a side window, preventing a* Hank movement

on the part of the posse. For three hours the besiegers trice without avail to capture the house. Two were wounded as they appeared from behind trees to take aim. [ Then reinforcements arrived from a neighboring town, and Hie nltncking party tried to make a concerted assault on the house troin all sides. Thev were . unable to do so. however, so deadly and rapid was the lire of Koberts aiid bis I wife. Frequently they saw Mrs. l!ob:'i'ls' head at the windows, as she look hasty aim and fired at a tree or a stump which sheltered a deputy. It was impossible to follow her 'movements, so rapidly (lid she fire from the dill'erc-it opening's in the cabin walls. The posse were loth t'o shoot at the woman, and although she was hit 14 times each wound was made bv a strav bullet or one that had lirst penetrated the wall. After ~very assault bad failed, the posse decided to make one more ell'ort to surround the cabin, making a wide detour. While one detachment mounted I and rode awav. the other a"a in opened fire to deceive the hc-ie-rcd. Their lire drew no re 5,,,,,,-,., and s„nie „f the holder deputies crept „,, („ „ window and peered in. . Roberts had fallen near a window. His wife lay dving across him. ns Himi'di she had attempted to go („ him when be fell. Her right hand wa, clenched around the slock of her ride, which was empty. She died a few minutes later.