McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-03-12
DIED WITH HIS BOOTS ON

DIED WITH HIS BOOTS ON
an attempt to Rob the State Treasury of No.
oTdsha IN Broad Daylight One Mas
Killed and another Captured.
Lincoln tNeb.) special of the 2Sth gives
the following account OF an attempt to rob the
Nebraska state treasury: Legislative and
State officers were thrown into a state Of ex-
element about 2 oclock this afternoon by an
attempt to rob the state treasury, which re-
suited in the death of one OF the robbers and
the capture Of another, while third escaped.
The men came In at the front door Of the
treasurers office, and presenting their guns at
Equity Treasurer Bartlett told him to throw
up his hands. He asked them II they were in
earnest, and being assured that they wanted
no fooling he complied with their demand to
mani out bag containing about $500, which
one OF the men took, and two of them walked
out OF the office face first and the other backed
toward the door, covering the retreat by hold
ing his pistol down on Bartlett.
Ii seems that two detectives of Lincoln,
round and Davis, had in some way learned OF
the scheme and were on watch at the state
mouse. When the two first men came out Of
the door they were commanded to halt and one
OF them halted. The other ran and was shot
by Pound with charge of buckshot from a
navy revolver. He fell upon the stone steps
mortally wounded and died in a short time.
The third man, when the shot was heard,
had just reached the door going out Of the
auditors office. He slammed the door shut,
ran back through the auditors office. Jumped
out OF a window and escaped.
The man who was killed was carried inside,
and proved to be Jim Griffin, a notorious
character who has been around Lincoln for
several years, and three years ago killed Jesse'
Campin In an alteration, a crime for which
he was acquitted on the ground of self-de-
tense. His back was filled with fifteen or
twenty buckshot, one or two of which passed
through the body.
The captured man is Alvin Mcguire. He
has been before the courts frequently and has
served term in the penitentiary.
Jim Griffin died at o'clock this afternoon.
a week ago man who escaped gave away the
plan of the robbers to the detectives. They
saw the governor, who told them to let the
plan be matured and capture the robbers in
the attempt. The day originally fixed for the
attempt was Thursday. just as they were
coming in Thursday, Deputy Bartlett stepped
to the door and looked out. Mcguire weakened
and the attempt was given up for that day.
The missing man, whose name is said to be
Walker, then informed Pound that another at
tempt would be made to-day. Detective Pound
concealed himself in . back room, from " hich
door opened into the hall. Thompson, an
o
office. When he heard the robbers hold up
Bartlett, Thompson signalled Pound, VIII
stepped out of the door and covered the rob-
bers with his shotgun. Pound says he
halted both. Mcguire stepped aside and
threw up his hands. Pound thought he had
gun and pulled the trigger of his own gun,
but when he saw Mcguire had no weapon he
threw up his own gun, firing over Maguire's
head. Pound then halted Griffin again when
Griffin turned and snapped revolver at him.
Pound then shot him.
Many citizens severely citicise the detec-
dves for not making complete arrangements
FOR the capture of all concerned alive instead
of laying in wait ten days to kill man, Some
go so far as to intimate that the job was put
up by the detectives simply to make reputa-
tlon.
LATER.-The coroner's inquest upon the
body of Jim Griffin, killed by Detective Pound
Saturday afternoon in the attempt to rob tho
state treasury, was held on the I'd at Heaton's
undertaking rooms. Testimony was given by
j. Milton Hoffman, the governors private
secretary, J. L. Caldwell, Willard and Mcguire.
The latter testified that Jim Griffin worked
The scheme up. He came to Mcguire several
times and told him they had a soft thing, and
persuaded him finally to go into it. He testi-
fed that when they were in the office Griffin
wanted to gag Bartlett, but Mcguire said they
had not time and they gave it up.
The examination of the body of Griffin
showed seyenty-nine shot in his arms and,
back. As these shot were double BIS, of which
about fifty make load, 1t seems evident that
he must have been hit by both charges which
Pound fired Pounds testimony was that he
was going to fire at Mcguire, but when the
latter threw up his hands he (Pound) elevated
his gun and fired over Maguire's head; that
then Griffin came out, and that after he had
hailed Griffin and the latter had attempted to
shoot him, he fired at him. If it is fact,
however, as the number of shot indicates,
that Griffin was struck by both charges, Pound
must have shot him before he drew his pistol
on Pound at all.
THE CoRoNER's VERDICT.
On the 2Sth day of February. A. d. 1885, at
the hour of $3.50 p. M, in the county Of Lam
caster and state of Nebraska, the deceased,
James Griffin, came to his death by means Of
gunshot wounds inflicted by one A. L. Pound,
whose first name to the jurors is unknown;
and the weapon used in the infection of the
wounds which caused the death of the de-
ceased was a double barreled shotgun, loaded
with powder and leaden balls, and then aud
there by the said A. L. Pound held and dis
charged at and against and into the body OF
deceased, and We further find that the killing
was felonious.
In witness whereof we hereunto set our
hands this 1st day of March, A. d. 1885,
CHARLES o. WELDON,
AUSTIN HUMPHREY.
We, the undersigned, believe the killing was
unlawful n RIrPp