The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-01-09
"PUT UP YOUR GUNS!"
"The Rangers are Around and You Had
Better Surrender"
How an Unarmed Man Arrested the
Tennessee Treasurer

100000 of public money while State Treasurer
of Tennessee, and man who accompanied
him and represented himself TO he detective
named Cameron, were arrested yesterday near
Webb Station while trying 10 get to Mexico on
horseback. Polk says the money is in Mexico
Capt. Joe Shelly, U. s. Deputy Marshal, made
the arrest alone. Polk offered large amount
10 be turned loose. Both Polk and Cameron
were put i'm Jail here, but were subsequently
taken aboard train for San Antonio"
THE WAY 1T WAS DONE.
Treasurer Polk arrived here ON the Inter
| national train this morning. He was accom-
panied by private detective Haggerty a nIem-
| Der of the Texas Detective agency, of which
Captain John Price is the resident manager
| Haggerty is the man mentioned MS Cameron i'm
| the dispatch from Laredo, printed above Both
ne and Polk were i'll the custody of Captain
Shelly and ALT Cook, a Pullman palace car con-
| ductor. immediately after the arrival of the
| party Shelly hired close carriage and all four
| were driven rapidly away. Polk was taken to
| there by Captain Shelly. What disposition
was made of Haggerty was not known
| this morning. About noon to-day Cook
| went to Carter Mualys stables on Alamo
plaza and engaged Il two-horse wagon in which
| he and two friends went riding. He said he
would be absent till about 3 O'Clock in order to
| avoid interyiewers.
| Intellectual efforts were made by LIGHT re-
porters to find Capt. Shelly, Polk and Haggerty.
| Eventually man was found who knew some
| thing about the arrest. He told the story as
| follows:
ONE MANS STORY.
when Polk was released by Capt. Price last
| Sunday because of the alleged want of author
| ty for holding him, he purchased railroad
| tickets TO Eagle Pass for himself, u tall young
| man who claimed TO be A. Van Leer,
= New Orleans capitalist, and an
| Italian represented to he Van Leer'S servant.
| But neither he nor the others went to Eagle
Pass. The purchase of the tickets was merely
blind. The party tool; asleeping-coach at the
international depot for Laredo, They were
followed by Detective Haggerty, of Prices
| agency.
The conductor of the slecping-coach was All
| COOK, tall, slender cOnSumptNc-lOOkiug
| young man, whose tact makes up for his physi-
| cal diSqualiiicatiOns When he saw Polk enter
the coach he determined to arrest him, and
| during the whole journey from here down he
| did not once take his eyes OF his game He
| formed no plan OeactiOn but relied on his own
ability In strategy to accomplish the task he had
laid for himself. Just before tie train arrived
at Webb station, the fourth this side of Laredo
and only Il few miles distant from chat town,
Cook detected Polk making stealthy
PREPARATIONS For FIlGHT.
| As soon as the traiH stopped, Cook and the
man who called himself Cameron Quilted the
car aud mounted horses in waiting for them.
| "Send ON Joe Shelly to help me; I'm after this
man." yelled Cook 10 Morrill, the conductor OF
the train, and then haStened after the fuyitiyeS
Polk and Cameron rode through the cbapparai
toward Laredo, and on reaching tho outskirts of
the town made circuit ayQInd II and toward
the Rio Grande which they evidently intended
TO cross. Cook toned ON after them, some
times i'll SCAT Of them, sometimes far away
| from them. The bushes tore mis- flesh and hs;
clothes and his shoes were scratched agains;
lechuguila and cactus plants but his aetermi
nation was never shattered.
He overlook the men on the bank of the Rio
Grande just as they We're making arrange
ments TO cross, 10, hid in the bushes FOR
awhile and Watched them as he deliberated on
the best method TO pursue. He then rccol-
lecteu Tor the FIRST time since he left the train
that he was unarmed. Not more than one man
in thousand would have thought ps attacking
two armed men If they had been in Cook <
place, but Cook not only Thought of it, but
did it..
COOKS RusE.
/ Cook ipmped from behind a bush suddenly
ava sad, Gentlemen your my prisoners, In
stantly two revolyers were levelled at him. hlIl
he never tinched as he quietly added, you had
better surrender for know you, Mr.. Polk and
the rangers are all arou2a ytu." Put up your
guns or III have yal,r damned heads blown
over in Mexico Polk turned pale, and his
; the Impression he had made and quickly
followed up his advantage by jerk
give their weapons to him IN IA quarter of u
minute he would coInf4Aand the rangers to fire.
When the time was nearly expired he took his
cap III MS RItq as " 10 signal with il, but con-
tin8lpce oil his strategy was unnecessary for
. foik, trembling, handed his revolver to the
brave young man, and Cameron followed suit
With their own TeYolvers pointed ut theif
heads the men started TO Laredo. Officer
Shelly came up at this iunctuFe and assisted IN
guarding the prisoners. When Polk aud Cam
eron learned how they had been outwitted they
were very angry, Polk offered Shelly ana
Cook
| TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS 70 HE RELEASED.
, but ais offer was refused. Shelly said to him
I'm United States officer, sir and you can't
buy me Tor all the money in the country The
men were taken TO Laredo and put in Jail
Cameron was held for aiding an outlaw in
! attempting TO escape. ] think he is Haggerty,
Captain Prices partner. Polk is now under
I guard by Joe Shelly in private house. Ats
O'Clock this afternoon he will he Turned over
$ To Cook, who will guard him till Officers
! come rom Nashville To- take him there for
trial, who Will probably arrive this evening.
! | think the Hah Van Leer and the Italian said
10 W Als servant went on through
Ito laredo ON the train. 1t il
believed by persons interested in the case tina
). they were detectives who found Polk and wer<
hired by him TO assist him in his efforts % es-
!: cape.
I; "a reward of $1,000. offered, ior Polk by the
; tween Shelly and C.o6."
+ OTHERS IMPLICATED.
: Special TO the LIGHT
NASHVILLE, Tenn, January s.-94,e idea pre-,
/ walls among majority of the members of the
!; legislature that others besides Treasurer Poll
J. are Implicated III the Swindle, and every effOr
. will he aade 10 ferret out the parties interested
ana bring them to Justice. 1t is not know
who they are, and suspicion rests upon nc
particular one, but in a general way half
dozen or more are accused of having shared
\ the funds A prominent business man of thi,
| city said this morning that Mr. polk's crime