Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-04-12
Saved By a Bell Button.

Some years age" said a. Howard, '.my
life and 500, 900 belonging 10 mg partner
Jim Bigney. and N, self, were saved, and 8
gang of robbers broken up by meara of an
electric bell jim and I had been telegraph
operators, but had abandoned the business
for mining. We had luck in prospecting,
and after few years had sold our claims for
S27 ,300 of which we took 81 800 In promi-
sorry notes and started East with the bal
ance, chiefly in bank notes. 1t appears that
three outlaws learned the real value of our
old trunks and coutents. | had left Jim at
the clerks desk OF new tangled hotel in a
Western town and followed the parties as
they carried the baggage TO the front END Of
our room. on the fourth floor. After dis.
miseing them had shut the door, neglect
ing TO lock it, however, and had turned to
the washstand, behind, when ! heard the
door swing slowly open behind me,
thinking it was Jim, rinsed the lather
from my eyes and turned, only to find 8
man holding Elk shooter in my face, an.
other locking the door, and third making
break for the trunk. I wanted at first TO
argue the matter from standpoint of mo.
rsIity, and go inquired what right they had
to disturb me in dressing Rut the man
with the gun remarked, automatically,
Might makes all things right, stranger, and
this is might" tapping his weapon with the
disengaged hand. felt that the silent in
strument in his band was deeper, more
potent argument than any l could advance
under existing circumstances
i Back him up TO the wall and keep him
covered until we get The stuff, and then
we'll slit his throat and lope,' resumed the
leader.
Though the programme did not just suit
me, acquesced, as far as the wall. Put
your hands behind you,' commanded my
jailer. did, when happy thought struck
me. My right hand had come in contact
with knob, which recognized as the
electric bell which communicated with the
clerk. This was feature of civilization
the robbers were not posted about Unob-
served by them, began sending the follow
ing message;
"'Jim-Three robbers have the door lock-
ed, and are just waiting to get our dust to
murder me. Get man and tep1adder,
and don't make sign of noise, put q gun
through the traGsom ard shoot. Be quick
and CAREFUL
"My only hope mas that Jim might be
still lounging where left him, in which
case his ear would quickly catch on There
was chance in a hundred, and / began
to sweat very freely But 1 started
repeating the message, and was near
ly through, when bang. bang, two shots
were fired from over the door, and the
man, who had not been hit, turned just
enough to let me bit him back of the ear
with my right hand-the force of despair
and the knowledge of being on the right
side at last. 1t would be painting it shade
light to say we had sprung surprise party
on the visitors. had o gun in a moment.
and kept the thieves at bay until the two
men outside got in and tied them up, ex
cept the leader, who was as dead as man
ever gets to be. The other wounded one
died in hospital three months afterwards,
and my jailer was killed in an attempt to
escape jail about the same time.
"As 1 had expected, when the bell began
ringing the message in the Office, Jim was
there and commenced taking it. The clerk
gszed in such astonishment that he forgot
to start q boy up to answer it for minute,
when Jim pulled his gun and remarked !:
The first man that leaves this room gets all
I've got here in the neck When he had
got the 'ringogram,' as he afterwsrd termed
it, he rapidly explained, cautioned every
body else not to follow, took drummer he
had met on the train, snatched ladder,
and as soon as he could climb around the
Job was done "-iSt. Louis Globe Democrat.