Shetek and Luverne, and on the way out left six pickets to guard the lower
trails—Brissette, Clark and Brosseau, one squad; three Winona men another;
Erwin and Harrison were mounted well and served as scouts. It was thought
that the most likely course for the robbers was by the upper trail, hence
the scouts accompanied the commander, in order to communicate with the
pickets eight and five miles below. Dill quickly found men at his
disposal, and soon had twenty pickets posted north and south. Just at
night Erwin and Harrison dashed in and reported that the robbers had
called at the house of Mr. Swan, at the crossing of the Des Moines river,
Lime Creek township, five miles south of Shetek, at two. This was on
Saturday. There was only a woman at the house. The description of the
outlaws was accurate. They were still on the gray horses, stolen near Lake
Crystal. They did not get off their horses, and asked for bread. The woman
asked them to come in, but they declined, and after they got bread and
milk, they asked for meat. They said they were after horse-thieves, and
started southwest. Later they were seen at the Lutheran church, in the
town of Center, Murray township, from which point they went southwest,
striking the