The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-17

| ne place would not nave OaIeo 10 move
4 foot. Half way to the trap / got down
ON hands and knees. end rs reached the
opening l settled down on my stomach.
There was a dim light down stairs.
That settled the fact that some one was
in the store. After minute ! heard
whispers, then the movement OF feet,
then a certain sound which located the
intruders- to foot. They were at the
safe in the front of tire store.
! drew myself forward and looked
down the opening. could sec lighted
candle and two or three dark figures at
the safe, and could hear the com bina-
ton being worked. My first thought
was to drop my hand down and open fire
in their direction, but remembered that
we had so many articles hanging up that
no bullet had a chance of hitting the
men. Twas wondering what to do, when
l heard one of the men whisper:
sits all id nonsense. We might
work here week and not hit it"
But told yon to bring the tools and
you wouldn't" prote. ted another.
''Oh, dry up" put in third voice.
|
bring that counter hopper down, and
make him open the box
'Pn give the cussed thing few more
trials" said the first man, and heard
him working away again. Ny eyes
could not have toll me the number of
robbers, but my ears had. There were
three of them, and they were no doubt
/ da,Dar,fa opd do4a,7oipad man Tbav
spoke Of bringing me down to open the
safe, as If no resistance was anticipated
or taken into account. Indeed, they
might well reason that they had me at
their mercy. The rain was now falling,
the night was very dark, and a pistol
shot in the store could not have been
heard in either of the dwellings.
If they had reflected that I might be
armed they would have offset it with
the fact that I was boy of 1s, with
girls face and probably girls nerve.
don't deny that was bit ratified, and
that my lip would culver in spite of me,
but l was at the same time fully de-
termined to protect the store if it cost
me my life. How to get at the fellows
was soon solved.
There" whispered the man at the
combination as ne let go of it, II won't
fool here another minute. That kid
knows the combination, and we can
make him work it. Come on"
They were coming up stairs. The best
place for me would be at the head of the
stairway. The stairs had half turn in
them, and l would fire upon the first
man who came within range. / heard
the men coming back to the stairway
and my nerve gave way. 1t wasn't from
cowardice, but the knowledge that was
to kill human being upset me. / de-
cided to retreat to my room, and if they
persisted in coming that far / would
shoot. The trio had rubbers on their
feet, bnt they came up stairs without
trying very hard to prevent making a
noise.
The one who came drst had the candle,
and as he got to the lead of the stairs
saw a knife in bis other hand. They
made no delay in approaching my room,
and with great effolt l braced myself
for what l saw must happen. They
could not see me untl within three or
four feet of the door, and their first init
nation that / was out of bed was when |
they heard mccall out:
stop, or I'll sheot!'
| had them covered with the weapon,
and for fifteen seconds there was a dead |
silence. Then they got a plan. The |
Il
floor, and suppose they meant to rush |
in on me in the dark, but 1 checlmated |
it by opening fire. They then either |
meant to retreat down stairs or toward
the rear of the floor, for l saw the three |
together moving off, and fired at their
dim figures. Three seconds later there |
was great shout of horror, followed by |
the tremendous report of the double bar
relied spring gun, and then there was alb
solute silence.
/ think / stood in tie door shaking like
a leaf for fully three minutes before the
silence was broken by a groan. Then it
came to me that the robbers had fallen
through the open door upon the cord
leading to the gun. / struck match,
lighted my own candle, and going to
the opening saw three bodies lying be-
low. Running back 10 the bedroom to
recharge my revolver, l then went down
stairs to investigate.
1t was as / suspected. The three had
pitched down together. The top of ones
head had been blown off by the shot,
second had hole in his chest as big as
your fist, while the third, who was TO
sponsible for the groans, was severely
wounded in both l,gs. 1t was three
months before he could be put on trial,
and he then got four years in prison.
The whole thing was put up job. The
"drover" was Chicago burglar called
"Clavhammer Dick" and he had hidden
himself in the store that night, and then
let his pals in by the back door. They
had a horse and wagon in the rear of
the building. and the plan was to rob
the store of goods as well as to get At the
money in the safe. A bit of carelessness
on my part not only sIved the store and
probably my life, bot wiped out a very
desperate gang. - Bueton Commercial
Bulletin
The Bell Player.