KinSource - Tale of the Week - Go Armed To Church

KinSource

Minnesota Tales

The Minneapolis Tribune, December 18, 1893, p. 3

GO ARMED TO CHURCH

RESIDENTS OF THE CITY NOT SAFE AT EVENTIDE.

Jacob Miller Held Up by Highwaymen on His Way to Worship - Desparate Struggle With the Robbers and the Innocent Victim Shot Through the Hand - The Streets Filled With People at the Time and Danger From Assault Seemed Very Remote - Suspected Culprits Under Arrest.

Special Telegram to the Tribune.

ST. PAUL, Dec. 17. - At 7:15 o'clock this evening Jacob Miller, a highly respected citizen of 763 Cedar street, while on his way to Central Park Congregational Church with his wife, was held up by two masked highwaymen on Summit avenue, near Central park. Mr. Miller gave battle to the desperadoes, and in the struggle that followed was shot through the hand. Half an hour later the police raided a notorious thieves' den on Fourth street, near Market street, and in the number of thugs taken therefrom found two men whom they believe to be the guilty parties.

It was one of the most audacious attempts at highway robbery that has a occurred in a long time, happening, as it did, on a street that was fairly alive with people going to church. The desparate actions of the robbers showed them to be men well accustomed to such deeds of deviltry, for an instant after accosting their intended victim they struck him a blow over the head with the butt end of a revolver. It failed to stun him, as they doubtless intended it should, and Miller made a warm fight for his life and personal effects.

Miller and his wife left their home in Central park at 7:05 and walked slowly towards Summit avenue, conversing together and oblivious of danger, inasmuch as the thoroughfares thereabouts were crowded with people also going to church. They had just passed the Virginia flats and stepped out onto Summit avenue when two masked men stepped up in front of Miller and commanded him to throw up his hands.

One of the men was very close to Miller, while the other stood some paces in the rear, acting as a sort of guard, or "stall." The spot where they stood was rather dark and at first Miller thought the men a couple of his friends who were trying to play a joke on him. He did not like any such, however, and exclaimed impatiently,

"O, stop your fooling!"

He stepped back a few paces, and the dim glare of a street lamp fell on his two supposed friends, disclosing them to be strangers of very tough aspect. Mrs. Miller screamed with fright, and at the same instant the foremost robber stepped up softly to Miller's side and stuck him a heavy blow on the left temple with the butt end of a revolver. Miller was much frightened, but he reached forward, intending to grasp the robber by the throat. Instead of that his hand closed around the barrel of a revolver, and he attempted to wrest it from the robber's hand. There was a flash and a report, and a leaden pellet went crashing through Miller's left hand. Why he did it, Miller was unable to explain, but as the pain darted through his hand and arm he threw himself to the ground, the robber in the meantime striking at him again with his gun. Mrs. Miller had not been idle during the struggle. She had used her lungs to good advantage, and aroused the entire neighborhood by her piercing cries for help. Four men came rushing across the park to her assistance, but when they arrived the robbers had disappeared in the darkness. People kept coming so rapidly in response to Mrs. Miller's cries that in a short time the spot numbered upward of 100 people. They hastily made a search of the neighborhood, but failing to find the highwaymen, telephoned word of the occurence to the police.

Miller and his wife were escorted to a drug store, where Dr. Gravel dressed the wound in Mr. Miller's hand. Miller was still excited, but expressed the wish that he had been able to give the robbers a better battle than he had. Being a man somewhat advanced in years he was not able to cope with two tough, hardy looking specimens of manhood as the robbers appeared to be. Miller described them both as young men, [toughly] dressed, wearing heavy overcoats, slouch hats and white masks. The masks were silk handkerchiefs drawn over the lower portion of the face, partially disguising the features, though Miller said he would undoubtedly be able to identify the men if he saw them again. Miller's left temple bore the mark of the robber's gun in an abrasion of the skin from which the blood slowly trickled down the side of his face. The cut looked like a little star and was doubtless left by some ornament on the butt of the revolver. Mrs. Miller had never experienced such a fright, and said she was so scared that she took little notice of the robbers and might not be able to identify them. As soon as the blow was struck she turned towards the row of houses and began shrieking for help. When the report of the revolver sounded in her ear she was so frightened that she was unable to continue her cries for an instant, fearing that her husband had been shot.

In response to the message to the Central Police Station Lieut. Murphy quickly responded in company with Officer Frasier. They hastily secured a description of the robbers and called the detective department into service. The neighborhood of the attempted robbery was thoroughly scoured by the police but no trace of the robbers could be found except their footprints in the snow, which showed that they had started directly towards the main portion of the city. Half an hour afterwards the police determined to raid the notorious thieves' den on Fourth street, which they had raided three times within a month. Here for several months several of the hardest young toughs in the city have made their headquarters. Lieut. Murphy had an idea that the two highwaymen would be found in here and he headed a party composed of Detectives Meyerding, McFetridge, Ryan, Werrick and Frasier. They surrounded the house and rapped for admission. Frasier was selected to seek admittance, for the reason that he knows the members of the gang well and they know he is a man who will stand no fooling.

There was no response to his demands for admittance. The house was dark and silent. Apparently it was deserted, but the police were not to be fooled by any such dodge. Frasier again rapped long and loud, and still there was no answer.

"Break in the door!" commanded Lieut. Murphy, and Frasier's boots were brought into requisition. The door did not give way on the first onslaught, nor did it give any signs of giving way. It was evident that it was securely barred, and as it afterwards proved, was braced by four heavy beams of wood and iron. Another officer came to Frasier's assistance, and with their combined efforts succeeded in breaking in the door. Lieut. Murphy and Frasier crowded in through the splinters, while the other officers guarded the outside. With the aid of lanterns the police found five young toughs hidden away in the old furniture and secret hiding places the house affords. They dragged five sheepish and desperate looking young men into view. The prisoners were taken to the Central police station and searched. On two of the toughest looking of the lot were found two large white silk handkerchiefs corresponding to the ones which Miller said were worn by the men who attacked him. The police were certain that they had the men who held up Miller and his wife. The names given by the five men dragged from the thieves' nest are: John Stewart, John Ryan, William Halley, James Taylor and George Lewis. They were locked up on a charge of disorderly conduct, to hold them for identification and investigation. Tomorrow the long, low house will undergo a thorough investigation, and something of interest may be revealed.