DESPERADO'S END

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23339, 6 May 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

DESPERADO'S END

HUNDREDS of Wyoming police and militiamen, who for ten days and nights had the desperado, Earl Durand, 26-year-old "Tarzan" of Wyoming, went home to rest the other day. Durant was shot dead when he tried to rob a bank at Powell, Wyoming. As he fell his gun blazed and claimed its fifth victim—a bank official.

• Marching boldly into the bank, Durand covered the cashier with his gun, grnbbed a handful of money, and turned to go.

Bob Nelson, a bank official, crept round the counter and opened fire. Swinging round like lightning, Durand shot Nelson's assistant, John Gawthorp. Nelson fired again. This time

HUNT FOR GHOSTS ENGLAND'S OLDEST INN St. Anne's Castle, standing in the Essex village of Great Leighs, near Chelmsford, and claimed to be England's oldest inn—it dates from the time of Thomas a Becket—is to be the scene of a ghost hunt this month.

It is said that one of the rooms, slept in by Queen Anne on her way to London, is haunted. Joyce Svkes, the landlord's 14-year-old daughter, says she awoke in the night some time ago and was terrified at seeing a tall, white figure standiug before her with waving arms. The ghost-hunters are to [jay special attention to an ancient wine cellar under the inn from which runs a pas-sage-way to the ruins of a 12th centurv priory. . '

"Tarzan" Shot Dead in Bank

the bullet struck the bandit in head, and he dropped. ' ; Durand, "Wild Man of the West, vanished from the mountain lair where he had been besieged when a party of men, including Buffalo Bill's grandson, William Ganlow, set out to get him. _ ~ Contemptuous of their fire, he slid down the sheer side of the cliff, calm It snatched the rifles, ammunition, ana a pair of boots-from two sheriff's men he had shot dead, and disappeared among the boulders. Making his way to the main roa< \k® held up a rancher in his car and forced him to drive him into the town of Powell. Spectacular Exit The authorities believe that Durand'i attempted hold-up at the bank was deliberately suicidal —that, after two crimes, iie wished to make a spectacular exit from life. r T = It was ten days of mental torture for the {residents of Powell. The hue and cry started when Durand, 6ft. 2m. in height, escaped from gaol. Ha killed two policemen who surprised him m his parents' home; then he shot dead two of the sheriff's, men. Accustomed to going away for weeM into the woods and living on the raff meat of animals he killed, Durana was so wiry that he could swing from bough to bough like a wild animal.. Once he rode a horse from Wyoming to Mexico. On another occasion crossed the Mojave Desert wearing opv trousers and shoes, nnd eating nothing but the raw flesh of bobcats to test hH endurance. He could hit a sixpence at 100 with an arrow. He turned to archeiTi as he once explained to friends, Because I am so good with a rifle I alwtf 5 hit anything I shoot at."