Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-01-20
BOLD BANDITS.
They wiring 81 600 From a Man at
the Point Of q Revolver. .''
He isfhst SIugged and Then ChIorofo, med
and Carried to the Robbers Den
Forced to Write to His Wife
to Send the Requir-
ed Ramon.


perience Of y gentleman just arrived in
Denver, 80 published 10y the News,
reads more like the annals of the Cam
pagna, in Italy, fifty years ago, than an
occurrence in the city in the nineteenth
century, with its electric lights, we'll
organized police and spirit of law and
order second 10 none in the United
States. This gentleman, whose name
is Charles +. Willis, states that be came
to Colorado last June from his home
| near Adrian, Mich, with u view to en-
gsging in mining If he could find suit
able investments for a few thousand
dollars, which he had accumulated by
a life ofthrift and economy. He visited
| Georgetown, Leadville and other min
ing camps, and acquired interests In
property near these places, which had
occupied his attention ever since, until
| the figor of the winter in the high atti-
| tude proved to severe for his ConStitu-
ton, already impaired by the toll OF
nearly
| and lie determined to come to Denver
for the winter. With view to this
| end he wrote to his wife to sell the
property and join him with her young
| daughter in Denver. She realized about
&c, 900 from the sale OF their effects, and
| arrived in Denver Sunday morning,
the 10th uit, bringing the money with
her. Mr.. Willis had renewed his acIuaint-
auce with several gentlemen who had
| formerly resided IN and near Adrian,
| among whom was A. III. Russell, well
known in this city, and Mr.. Russell in
| vited him to bring his family to his
| house until he could make satisfactory
| arrangements for permanent residence.
| Sunday, the day of his wife's arrival,
was spent quietly at the house, No. l6l
Washington avenue, and after supper
| Mr.. Willis came down TO the st. James
Hotel, where he expected to meet a
| gentleman who is Interested with him
IN a mining enterprise. The gentle
man failed to keep the appointment,
| and after waiting an hour or so, Mr..
| Willis started for home a few minutes
before 8 o'clock. The night was dark
and cold, and he walked as briskly as
The slippery condition OF the pave
|
usual number OF pedestrians along Six
irenth street, aud, crossing Broadway,
| re walked rather more slowly up the
| bill on East Sixteenth until lie reached
| he vacant lot just beyond the residence
| vf Mr.. Charles h, KouDtz. There the
lrees grew close and tall along the side
walk on the ore side and high fence
ucloses the lot on the other. Mr. Willis
-tates that he was Walking along in u
| rather distracted frame OF mind,
thoughts of the evenings business
pleasantly cOmminged with the tender
cares which his wife's arrival had
awakened, when about the middle OF
the block he received
A Crushing Blow on the Back Of the
| Heao,
| knocking him completely senseless.
| When he recovered consciousness he
| found himself in rude shanty with
bare floor, unplaned board walls and u
| canvas roof like tent. A small stove
| furnished heat for the room, around
which were seated four men wearing
masks which completely concealed
their features. The light, furnished by
candle sec OIL table ut one end OF the
room, was insufficient to enable him to
get good view of their clothing, but It
was such as ~ generally worn by miners
and the labOriug Class. Mr.. Willis was
Tie d hand and foot, and weight was
attached to his neck 50 he could not
raise his head. He detected the oder of
chlOrofOrm on his beard and clothes and
relt q nausea that told the STORY Of his
unconscious moments. He lag quiet
for a few moments, and then TO his
awakening consciousness the pains in
his head, caused by the blow he had re-
ceived, became 80 great that he mOaned
with pain. This brought one of the men
10 his feet, and he united Willis hands,
gave him cup of water and made his
position little more comfortable. In
return for these little attentions he
placed paper and pencil before Mr..
Willis and demanded that he should
write note to his wife, bidding her
send him $1,000 at once.
The unfortunate man pleaded and
protested, but without avail, and tiualIy,
under the threat Of death, backed by q
cooked revolver, he wrote note to his
wife at the dictation of one of his men,
of which the following is copy:
DENVER, Coll, Dec. 10, 'S3.
Ny DEAR WIFE-Please send by
bearer, who is a trustworthy party,
$1,000, which | need to complete a
,ransaction. Don't be uneasy If do
rot return until tomorrow morning.
Your afItctionate husband,
CHARLES +. WILLIS.
Mr.. Willis states that one OF the men
disappeared with the note, and, after
an interval of about two hours, as near
y as he could guess, returned with the
money. The money was counted out in
silence on the table, and then divided
into two piles. At this juncture they
seemed to recall to mind his presence,
and one of the men whispered few
moments to the others, and then
Mr.. Willis WIS Gagged and BIindfoIded
and lifted, all bound, into a vehicle,
he judged to be spring wagon. The
horse was driven rapidly for an hour or
more, and then stopped, and, his bonds
and gag being first removed, Mr.. Willis
was placed on bis feet IN the middle OF
the road, and told he might go. Before
leaving, however, the leader OF the
party told Willis that il he made his loss
public or informed the police he must
he prepared to take the consequences.
Then they drove of, and Willis at ran.
dom took the opposite direction, and
with much difficulty reached al out
skiIt of town, which, by his description,
must have been the Highlands. He
finally arrived at Mr.. Russell's residence
ON Washington Avenue, and inlmedi.
ately took to Lis bed, where he has re-
manned ever since. He does not appear
10 have been seriously injured by the
blow, but Is suffering from nervous pros.
tration and anxiety Of mind, caused by
the loss of his money. Mr.. Willis In.
experience with the ways Of city aud
the bewildering strangeness OF his ad.
venture, added to the natural timidity
of his age, restrained him from taking
any steps toward the recovery Of bis
money until Thursday, when he put the
matter In the hands Of a private detec.
tive, in whose ability and di-creetness
he has much confidence. He says he
has read 20 much about the incompe-
tency and stupidity OF the police 10
large cities that be was afraid they
| IL 81 a q