Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-16
BOLD ROBBERS.

Thirteen Hundred Dollars
and Other Doodle Captured.
A GROCERY STORE-KEEPER SHOT,
Three Masked Men TerrOrize the
Inhabitants of the Four-Mile
House.
Yesterday evening two robberies and
a bold attempt to rob took place within a
short time OF one another, lust outside
of the city limits. The two robberies
were evidently done by the same gang
but the attempt was an affair bv itself.
and a very entertaining one, too,
1t took place at the corner of Denver
avenue and Washington street, where
the combination meat market and grocery
store of Albert Luer and T. Nelson is
situated. At little after 8 O'Clock the
two partners were busy about the store.
Luer on high stool at the books in the
large room, and Nelson toward the front
some distance away. Suddenly Luer
heard the loud barking of his dog out
side. Then the door burst open and
three men entered. Their hats we're
drawn down over their foreheads and
around their faces some kind of black
cloth was wrapped, concealipg the lower
part. Tney were not dressed like tramps,
and the bold, systematic way in which
they advanced to the Job in hand
showed that they were not amateurs
at the business they had undertaken.
Before either of the partners could under
stand what was taking place each was
covered by revolver. One of the three
men, the shortest one, stood in front Of
Nelson aiming revolver at his head,
Another stepped around to where Luer
was sitting and leveled his gun go close
that it almost touched his face. The
third stood behind Luer, covering hin
in that direction.
Glands up!" cried the man who faced
Luer. Put up your hands auick!,
1t took the partners an instant to take
in the situation, and then Luer, startled
into profanity, cried aut in a loud voice:
"Well, not by id sight," and Jumped
down from the stool.
At the same instant Nelson sprang at
the man in front of him. He fred and
the bullet passed through Nelson's up-
lifted arm, inflicting serious but not
dangerous flesh wound. 1t coursed on
up and cut the scalp. The man facing
Luer hearing the report turned with q
swift motion and fred ut Nelson and
then like flash presented his gun again
in Luer's face.
Nobody spoke word, but neither of
the two partners finched. The second
bullet had grazed Nelson's shoulder.
and like the first had cut his scalp.
Then with a shout they sprang
Luer's antagonists gave
way and ran for the door.
The man who was confronting the
wounded man Nelson stopped long
enough to strike blow at his face with
the butt of his revolver, inflicting a slight
cut. Then he fed precipitateiy, all three
of them being outside the door and down
the street before Luer and Nelson had
quite come to understand what had been
taking place.
Seeing that his partner was wounded
Luer ran to his assistance. "and that is
the reason" said he coolly to the re-
porter as the story was told to this point,
why we didn't catch the fellows, We
ought to have done it to keep them from
trying the same scheme on somebody
else."
1t would seem to the man of average
that two unarmed men who
had fought off three determined robbers,
ready to kill if need be to carry out their
purpose, had done quite all that could be
under the circumstances. Luer
and Nelson are both young men and
they and their families-each is married
and has children-live directly behind
the store building. At midnight last
night the wounded man was resting
easily and he will probably recover with
out difficulty.
The other two affairs have some points
of resemb blance to this, but as they took
place about the same time several miles
away, it is not possible that they were
executed by the same persons, although
they all may belong to the same gang.
At about o'clock three men entered
the stotian at Sepulveda, which is about
five miles from the city limits, wearing
blue gauze masks on their faces and
armed with reviewers. No resistance
was offered by any of the inmates, and in
q few minutes the bandits were back on
their horses, having captured 81 300 in
specie and bank notes which were in the
possession of the ticket agent.
Their next stop was made at the Four
Mile House, station and inn kept by a
man by the name of Hunter. 1t is about
three quarters of a mile outside of the
city limits. The three burst into the
room, their revolvers in their hands.
Within were four men, one of them the
proprietor and the others guests at the
inn.
Hold up your hands," said the
leader of the gang, and the men obeyed,
the revolvers leveled in their faces leav-
ing not much choice in the matter.
They were then searched one by one
and their money and valuables taken
from them. The till was emptied and
about 5000 altogether became the booty
of the robbers. The men were then led
into an adjoining room, where their
trunks were, and each one was compelled
to hand over his keys. Each robber
supplied himself with a new suit OF
clothes and revolver. Among the
other plunder they secured a gold watch
and two gold watch chains.
When the job was done they left the
men locked in the inner room, mounted
their horses and started off toward town.
Word was Immediately sent to the city
by telephone, and in short time posse