The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-11-03
Desperate Attempt at Burgiary.-rroba-
Bile Murder.


morning last, by the announcement
that the building occupied by William
Carlin, as dry goods store, had been
broken into on the evening previous,
and that Mr.. F. G.. Larzelere, while at
tempting to arrest the burglars, had
been shot by one of them and was
either dead or in dying condition.
We Immediately repaired to the Amer
lean Hotel, where Mr. L. was lying at
tended by Drs. Prindle and Clarke,
and found that he was still alive, but
there appeared to be but very slight
hopes ofhis surviving through the day.
The ball had entered his right breast,
through two thicknesses of his over
coat, two of his under-coat, through
his vest and two shirts, and is supposed
to have entered the right lung and
lodged there, and where it still remains.
Mr.. L. was suffering great pain, and
he appeared to be sinking fast. But
we are happy to state that at this wri-
ting-Wednesday morning though
still very low, there is a prospect of
his recovering.
Below we give statement of the
affair. as far as we have been able to
gather them, both from the accounts
given by those attempting the capture
and from the confession of one of the
burglars.
From all that we can learn, it APP
pears that two Of the burglars-there
being four men engaged in the burgla
ry, two of whom are now in custody
came to the village on the Friday even
ing train going west, one of whom,
whose name is said to be Coles, imme-
diately inquired regarding the where
abouts OF man named Williams, who
he stated was friend of his. This
Williams, it appears, came to this vii
lage in company with man named
Jones, some two weeks since, from
Paw Paw, and took a job at plastering
in a new building now being erected
next door to the store broken Open
After considerable inquiry, it was as
certained that Williams and Jones
were stopping at the American, and
had already retired. Coles went to
their room and stayed some Is or 20
minutes, during which tins it is sup
posed they matured their plans.
After this we hear nothing of Coles
or his companion until about half past
IL o'clock, at which time Mrs. Shultz,
whose husband occupies the building
across the street from the back end
of Mr.. Carlin's store, upon going to
the front window of her house, thought
she heard some trying to get into Mr..
C.'s back door. She Immediately
awoke her husband and young man
living with Mr.. Shultz, named Johnson.
They Immediately got up, dressed them
selves and came down stairs. Think
ing it best to procure more assistance
before attempting to capture the bur-
glars, Mr.. Johnson started up street
after assistance. Meeting the bar
keeper of the Taylor House, who was
on his way to the 1920 train, he sent
him to awake Mr.. Taylor. While Mr..
Johnson was gone, Mr.. Shultz saw
man come out of the store and 60
around the corner of the building. The
bar-keeper awoke Mr.. Taylor and
started back; about this time Mr.. F.
g. Larzelere, who had been to the depot
with his wife and sister-in-law, who
were on their way east, and had started
to come across to his own store, was
met by the bar-keeper and informed
of the burglary. There now being four
of them, it was determined to enter
the store and arrest the burglars.
Upon coming up to the door, Mr..
Larzelere took the lantern carried by
the bar-keeper, and accompanied by
Mr.. johnson went into the building,
closely followed by Mr.. Shultz and the
bar-keeper. On getting into the Store,
Mr.. L. raised the lantern, and seeing
one of the Williams, asked him what
he was doing there At this moment
Coles jumped up from behind the coun-
ter, and snapped revolver three times.
Mr.. L. told him he could not frighten
him. The words wero scarcely uttered
when the pistol went off, the ball en-
tering Mr.. LIS breast, as above de-
scribed, and knocking him partially
down. After firing the pistol, the MUIR
derer ran through the store, and jumped
through the front window, taking sash
and all with him. Immediately on ris-
ing from the floor, Mr.. L. jumped
through the window at the rear end of
the Store, ran down the street to the