The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-01
Another Highway Robbery in the
Heart Of Town Early This
Morning.
John j. Wall Held UP and Relieved
Of Sixty-nve Dollars In
Cash.
Tho Affair Occurred on Spencer Street,
Just or broadway, ana ths Foot
pad Had Gun.


"Charlie'' Miller, it was supposed by al
most everybody who gave the matter
any thought that footpads would give
Helena wide berth for awhile, or at least
cease TO enrich themselves at other peo-
ple's expense at the point of gun. This
idea has been rudely dispelled, and that
there is another bold highwayman in
these parts was demonstrated this morning
at 1:15 o'clock, when John J. Wall, an en-
ploye of tho American Express company,
WAS held up on Spencer street, small
thoroughfare running from Broadway, be-
tween Rodney and Davis streets, and re-
lieved OF $G5.
4 Mr.. Wall is young man very we'll known
especially in literary circles. he took part
in the benefit performance to Policeman
Grogan at the opera houSe Saturday night
week ago. Yesterday was pay day with
the express company, and Mr.. Wall had
| other money coming to him besides. W
the whole amount he put $65 in his vest
pocket and some loose change in his
trousers pocket and came down town last
night, After a sociable time with some
acquaintances he started up Broadway to
his room in the Woods block. Reaching
Spencer street he turned the corner and ad-
vanced few steps on that thorough
fare when man approached him
and and ordered him to hold up his hands.
Wall did as ordered. The hiRhwayman
placed revolver against the upper part OF
| Wallis head, resting it against his victims
engaged hand in Wallis vest pocket and at
Of money. He drew it out,
saw that it was pretty snug sum and was
apparently satisfied with his find, for he
made no further search. AS the robber
IA Mall tnV, tn Hxpn
and around to Rodney street in search OF a
4 policeman. The robber kept on up Spencer
street toward Miller street. Wall reported
the matter to the police who went to work
at once to try and catch the man who was
bold enough to engage in highway robbery
in Helena after the recent experience OF
others.
Owing to the suddenness with which the
man came across him, and the haste with
n which the robbery was effected. MIR. Wall
gan give no very clear description OF the
hiphwayman. So far as he remembers the
,, fellow was a man Of medium height, rather
stout, and wearing a slouch hat. He did
, not notice the man when he turned into
Spencer street and was not aware of the
presence of any one else in the place until
the fellow made ..f1 step 9a toward nna n'm
hands, While searching him., Wall
says the man stood in front of him and
III ade no attempt at concealment, though il
was too dark at that point to recognize
, faces. The position in which the revolver
was held, Wall thinks, was such that il i
had been fred off the ball would likely
: have ploughed its way through the top ot
. !. the head without killing. Still he says III
wanted to take no chances. When he heard
!, of the Richardson hold-up, MIR. Wall says
. he thought that if anyone ever tried it =, o1
: him he would give them tussel. "Bu
!. when you see the cold steel" he continued
. ''vou think better of it,
!. 1t will be remembered that at the tim
. Policeman Grogan was shot there was ,
. trail of blood found in the alley into which
= the officers assailant ran and toward whict
4 the wounded man fred several times
. . Neither Clark, whom Grogan says shot him
. . nor "Charlie'' Miller, who says she wa
y standing in the alley at the time, had AM
. wounds on them when captured next day
!, 3 This led to the theory that there was an an
: Clark-Miller outfit and that tn
girl had gotten Clark arrested to shield
another man in whom she had more inter
est This theory, however. found few be
& levers, from the fact that Clark and thu
9 girl roomed together. and that they hat
. no companions in the same house. /
: what the girl says herself can be relied on
: she and Clark were together in their high
r way work, and there was no one else asso
= ciated with them. The fact of anothe
robbery 50 soon aana after tns oaFts a1s tpa
!, makes it look as If some on
k else, in want OF money, and influenced b,
Q the fact that the citizens Of Helena wer'
Y moving about in fancied security. took ad-
r vantage of that fact to do little road agen
z business on his own account. 1t i
' not Mt all unlikely that tn
3 man who held Wall up had seen him dow
l town and in some way or other found on
. that he had the money on him. This be
z lief finds grounds from the fact that th
o fellow knew just where to go to get tn
y money and struck the right spot the frs
a time, besides knowing Wallis habits, layin
< for him Just where he was most likely to b
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