Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/489



and in casting lots to determine who should apply the slow match it fell to Mr. Chichester. Fortunately a gap had been left in strewing the powder and thus the can was not reached by the fire, and a terrible tragedy was narrowly averted.

The citizens now became thoroughly aroused and began to organize for mutual protection and the arrest and conviction of the members of the gang. A consultation was held in Dubuque, at which there were present Sheriff W. A. Warren of Jackson County, James Crawford, the prosecuting attorney, and Judge Thomas S. Wilson. A warrant was issued, charging W. W. Brown, William Fox and Aaron Long and twenty others as confederates, with theft, robbery, passing counterfeit money and other crimes. As soon as it became known to Brown’s gang that warrants were out for their arrest they armed themselves and swore that they would resist to the last extremity.

Captain Warren called to his assistance a posse of about forty determined men, and all, well armed, marched to Brown’s hotel, where the gang had decided to give battle to the sheriff and his party. The squad moved in double file and as it arrived within thirty paces of the hotel Captain Warren gave the order “charge,” and the men sprang forward, quickly surrounding the house. Brown was seen standing at the head of his men with a rifle raised to his shoulder. Warren demanded instant surrender, and as Brown’s rifle was lowered it was discharged and his men opened fire generally, wounding several citizens, one fatally. The sheriff’s men returned the fire and Brown fell dead. His gang fought desperately for fifteen minutes as the posse forced an entrance and drove them up the stairs where a hand to hand struggle with gun barrels, pitchforks and bowie knives continued. Finding it impossible to force a barricade on the stairs, Captain Warran gave the command to fire the house. Before the fire reached the second story the gang began to escape by jumping from a window to a shed in the rear.