Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-04
HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
TWO MEN HELD UP NEAR THE CITY
IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.
Tom Davis and John Cownie's Expert
ence-Sherif McMullin Makes an
Important Arrest.

About noon yesterday Thomas Davis, q
foreman of the Curtis ranch, near Arcade,
was about starting for home with some
groceries, etc., when he met a gentleman
named John Cownie, a recent arrival from
Iowa, whom he invited to ride out with
him and see for himself how California
/ farming is done. The gentleman accepted
the invitation, and they started for the
ranch. They had gone about forty rods
beyond the saloon on the north side of the
American river, and had just entered the
narrow roadway between the long bridge
mot at present in use), and the heavy tim
Der and underground of the river bottom.
when man stepped suddenly out of the
brush, and leveling pistol at Davis or
dered him to halt, which he did
The robber had colored handkerchief
over his face, with holes cut for the ewes.
and wore loose overshirt that came down
below his thighs. He told the men in the
buggy to fork over their money, and to be
quick about it, that he meant business
Davis and Cownie each threw his silver out
upon the ground at the fellows feet and
the former was so excited that he also
threw out his pocketknife, postoffice key
and tobacco. They were then told to
throw down their watches, and Davis
promptly complied. Cownie not showing
a disposition to part with his ticker" the
pistol was leyeled at him and the man be-
hind it began to monkey" with the trig-
ger, at the same time telling Cownie that
if the latter didn't drop his watch he would
blow his brains out. Cownie parted with
the article.
After the robber had got all the money
and valuables the men had he ordered
them to go ahead, which was all that was
left for them to dc, although there was
probably dozen men at the saloon a few
rods to the rear. They drove toward the
Haggin residence, couple of miles beyond,
while their despoiler disappeared in the
thicket. As they drove along, Davis re-
marked to his friend that he must have
known the robber somewhere-he was
sure he knew that voice 1t could belong
to no other person than George Nelson, a
painter, who had worked at the Curtis
ranch, on the lower Stockton road, near
Sacramento. He Davis had occupied
there the same room and the same bed
with him, and he would take his oath on a
stack OF Bibles that it was George Nelson
that had robbed him. He did not know in
what part of the State Nelson was, but if
anywhere in this locality he was the man.
Davis was SO positive of this that he re-
peated 1t TO persons at the Haggin ranch,
on reaching which place he telephoned to
Sheriff McMullin the facts of the robbery.
Securing the services of a Constable Fred.
Gotobed, Davis and Cownie returned to
the saloon at the bridge, and the former
asked the proprietor if there was man
anywhere IN that vicinity, or known to
him, by the nsme of George Nelson.
why, yes" was the reply, II know
him. He was here an hour or so ago, and
wanted something to drink, but had no
m ney. He must have gone over to the
dairy, few hundred yards away"
This news convinced Davis that Nelson
was the rObber, and as soon as Sheriff Nc.
Mullin and Deputies Beckley and Coggs-
well arrived the officers went to the dairy,
and there found the man they wanted.
he was IN the act of pumping some water
TO take to the house when arrested. He
said he had cooked the dinner there for
the men that day, but the latter denied it
and said that he was not there at dinner
time, but was preparing when arrested
(aboGt $50 P. Nj. J, TO cook the evening meal.
AT the saloon it was learned that Nelson
reached there on his way from the CITY
about l o'clock and LETT his coat and vest
there when he went to the dairy. Both
Davis and Cownie were confident that he
was the man who robbed them, and he was
brought to the city and jailed. If the guilty
party, he has concealed his plumber as
none of it was found on him. Still, the
fact that Davis was satisfied he knew the
voice of the man who held him up; that
Nelson was found in the vicinity, and that
his whereabouts at the hour the robbery
occurred have not been accounted for,
makes it look very suspicious for him.
The officers, however, have not relin-
auished their vigilance. There is at least
one other person under suspicion of having
been implicated in the robbery, and he is
being Swallowed. He was at the saloon on
this side of the river shortly before the
robbery, on his way out TO the country,
and had to borrow five cents 10 complete
the price of bottle of beer. But an hour
or so after the robbery he emerged from
the brush, came TO the saloon, paid the
party from whom he borrowed the money,
and treated all those present. Whoever
did the business, it was cleverly accom-
plished, and that, too, almost within speak
ing distance of a squad of farmers and
others resting at the wayside inn.