The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-02-26
FOOT-PADS' PLAY.
Hold up Your Hands !"
A Citizen AceOsted by Highwaymen
on His Way Home at . O'Clock
Last Evening.

Rock Island is becoming real citified,
and 1t went so far last evening as to in
dulgc in genuine metropolitan highway
robbery right in the residence portion of
the city, the first intance of the kind that
has ever occurred since the town was first
laid ont. 1t was bold affair, and while
the foot.pads were successful as to the
object of the assault upon their victim
the mode of perpetratlng the deed re-
flected ipexperience in the business so
the police say.
After ticketiug the St. Louis train
which leaves Rock island at $50, George
p Lyman, chief clerk in the c., B. & Q.
Office, started for his home, 701, Twenty>
third street. He boarded car on the
Rock Island 4 Moline street car line, and
rode as far as Twenty street, and
started up that th0rOughfare in
the direction of home. As he
approached the northeast corner of the
intersection of Twenty>third street and
Sixth avenue, two men suddenly sprang
from behind the trees, and both
of them ieveling revolvers in his
face, demanded; Hold up your
hands" Mr. Lyman was so com
pletely taken by storm that he hestated
an instant, when a repetition nj LIE com
mand came: Cup with yolr arms, and
the muzzlt of the deadly weapons came
nearer to his face Up went his hands.
and the scoundrels made u rapid search
of his pockets, one relieving him of his
gold watch and chain, while the other
inspected his pockets for money, and
found about 81 in bills and coin. The
ruffians said Now go on, and made a
rapid retreat, disappearing as suddenly as
they came. Mr. Lyman's first thought
now was to notify the police, and gong
to Mr. Mixers house, he telephoned the
facts to the police station.
1t was not later than o'clock when
the robbery took place. and the high,
waymen had chosen about as dark place
as there is in the city. The nearest cleo
trio tower is four blocks away, and that
section of the city is so thickly populated
that the houses with the trees shut out the
rays of the light for a considerable space
thereabouts The nearest houses to the
scene of the robbery are vacant, so it is
probable the highwaymen were acquaint-
ed with the location, and Mr. Lyman be.
ing the first to pass that way, fell their
victim Another theory is that the rob>
bers were tramps who had seen Mr. Ly-
man selling tickets at the depot and sup
posing he had considerable money in his
possession, had either followed him or
previously learned the route he would
pursue in going home. aud acted accord,
ingly. The police have not the slight>
est clew, but believe the robbers were
new in the art" and that they don't
live very far from Rock Island 1t looks,
however, as if the deed was committed by
members of the "profesh," and it is not
likely that the stolen property will ever be
heard Of
The watch was of solid gold, hunting
case with Elgin movement, highly
mounted and valued at from S75 to 800.
Mr.. Lyman does not remember the nnm>
Der, and there were no marks upon it by
which 1t could be readily distinguished
The chain was also of gold, and to it was
attached handsome charm. The money
belonged to Mr.. Lyman personally, The
men were not masked, and would not be
recognized by Mr.. L. should he see them.
He says they were of medium height, and
that is all he knows about them.