The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-29
Shot BY A ROBBER.
A GrOceryman's Experience
With Thieves.
Unusually Bold Deed Of Two Unknown
Thieves, Who Took Desperate Chances
for a Small Sun.

Henry Hillebrand, an aged German. who
keeps a groeery-st0Te and bar at 17l2 Eddy
street was shot and possibly fatally
wounded by an unknown man at 80
O'Clock last night. in his store.
Hinebrand was taken TO the Receiving
Hospital, where lie now lies in a critical
condition,
The accounts given of the shooting vary
greatly, but robbery is supposed to have
been the motive Of the crime.
At about 30 o'clock Policemen Connors
and Colman were patrollihG their beats in
the vicinity when they heard the loud re-
| port OF q pistol shot and ran toward the
scene OF the shooting.
They found Hlllebrand lying on the side
walk al the corner Of Farren avenue and
Eddy street, in pool Of his own blood. ap-
parently diving.
The officers at once summoned the patrol
wagon and the injured man was taken TO
the Receiving Hospital
Drs. Somers AMI Cotfman found that he
was suffering from bullet wound in the
body.
Tie deadly messenger had entered the
chest, aud striking the eighth rib passed
around to the back. and from there out Of
the body.
The larger cut in the back of the head
fell after being shut. by striking his head
against projection On the counter.
Hillebrand was revived by the liberal use
Of stimulants, and although very weak from
The effects of his wound managed to tell his
story
RiIebrand failed about year ago, but
managed 10 effect a settlement with his
creditors, and with the assistance of his
brotheT-Iu-law, Gustave Guy, ran the store.
Shortly after half past o'clock last night
Hlllebrand relieved the clerk, Gustav Guy,
and told him to 90 10 bed.
When Guy left lie store he noticed two
men drive I'D FarTen avenue. and when
they reached the ampDOst in front Of No.
1917 jump out Of their buggy and tie the
horse to the lampp0st
He thought nothing more Of the occur
renee but went up to his room and retired.
A few minutes after Guy left theI store
Hillebrand states that he commenced to
put up tie shutters, as he is in the habit Of
closing the place at 10 o'clock.
While he was thus engaged he was APP
preached by two young men, who nodded
to him ana entered the store.
Hillebrand entered Immediately after
them, and going behind the counter asked
the taller of the two what be wished.
'Oh, just let me have cents worth OF
'kniek- kDacks, replied the stranger.
Hiilebrand says lie went to the end OF the
counter toward the rear OF the store to get
at the erseker-box when the taller man
said, Throw up your hands"
The gr0ceryman thought he was joking
and laughed, when the Tobber repeated bis
demand and said. I'll haveyour money or
your life" and leyeng pistol at him fired.
They then ran from the place without Sc
curing any booty. and toward the buggy, a
hundred feet distant
The smaller of the two men jumped into
the buggy and grasned the lines and whip,
while the taller man cut the rope with
which the horse was tied to the lamp post
and followed his companion.
The report Of the pistol-snot in the mean
time attracted large crowd, who arrived
In time 10 see The smaller man lash the
horse futionsly and drive up Farren avenue,
toward Ellis street, at rapid gai.
They turned the corner and drove down
Ellis 10 Steiner, and up the latter street
A crowd OF nearly forty people followed
the rig I'D to that point, but 1t disappeared
IN the darkness.
The smaller man was about feet in
height, while his companion was slightly
taller. Both were dressed in black clothes
aud wore black English yachting caps with
cloth laps on each side.
He claims never to have seen the men be-
fore and thinks that their object was TO rob
the cash-dTawer, In which there was about
$40 at the time.
Detectives Lees. SiIvey and Eagan, who
investigated the case, called at the Receiv-
ing Hospital soon after and Hillebrand told
them similar story of the shooting.
Detective Lees states that it is one of the
ooldeSt cases OF attempted robbery that has
ever come under his observation.
number Of Hillebrand's neighbors do
not credit the story told by him aud think
that revenge was the motive for the crime,
They say that Hillebrand failed a wear
ago for S4500 and that his brother-in-iaw.
Gustaye Guy. bought the business back for
$500.
A number of witnesses who saw the man
have been found by the police, however.
who believe in the robbery theory.
No trace Of the pistol with which HilIa-
brand was shot could be found, but the hos
pItal physicians who examined the wound
declare il was a5-caliber.
At a late hour last night Hillebrand was
resting easily, but the physicians consider
his condition precarious.