The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-07-30
A DARING ROBBERY.
THE PACIFIC EXPRESS WAGON
HELD UP LAST NIGHT
Within One Block of Douglas Ave-
nue. and Robbed of $1,000.
The Crime Committed by Three Men Who
Are Supposed to be Negroes.
a Well Llid Scheme-The Satchel Found
Near tn. Scene of the Robbery.
The Police on the Trail
of the Robbers.

One ofthe most daring robberies in the
history of Wichita was committed last
night in the alley in rear of the old
Nstitorum building between Williams and
Waterman streets and Topeka avenue and
Emporia avenue 1t was committed, too,
at a time when there were probably z. 600
pedestrians on Douglas avenue, one block
away, and while full moon WAS shedding
her cloudless light over the scene.
The victim Of the robbery is the Pacific
Express company and the amount of the
swag is $500. The agents Of the
express company are as silent
as clans over the matter and
are afraid of their bosses to say any,
thing about it to the newspapers. An
EAGLE reporter. however. got the story in
detail from source fully as reliable The
robbery shows very loose business methods,
to say the least, and it would seem that
any man Of average intelligence would be
able to see that the trap laid was too dan
gerous TO monkey with.
The robbery was committed about 9:45
p. N. A telephone message came TO the
office directing that when the company's
wagon was going to meet the Rock
Island north-bound passenger train
it should call at the creamery located
in the Old Natatorium building almost di-
rectly across the street from the Crawford
Grand opera house, to get some express
matter for the Rock Island train. Dan
w. Jones was the driver of the wagon and
a young man named Hancher was the
messenger in Charge OF tue iron box in
which the money is carried.
They started out for the depot and in
response to the telephone drove south on
Topeka avenue nearly as far as the opera
house when Mr.. Haucher found that he
had forgotten his bills of lading. They
returned back to the office, which
is located on the corner of First and Main
streets, and after procuring the bills of
ladlng agaiu started for the creamery.
When they got TO the corner OF Williams
street and Topeka avenue they turned
south to the opening Of the alley as they
were told i'll the telephone message to call
at the a end of the creamery When
they entered the alley they could see the
rear end of the creamery plainly and Jones
remarked that he could not see any pack
ages there. just then two men jumped
into the wagon and one man with drawn
pistol followed along side telling
the driver to continue on further into the
alley. One of the men who had jumped
into the wagon put the muZzle of revolv-
er to Jones' head, while the other one
covered Hancher. Hancher at this time
had his hand on the butt end of his re-
volver, which was in his hip pocket, and
was getting il out when the third man
jumped in the wagon and struck his bend
ed elbow terrific blow which loosened
his grasp of the revolver. Haucher was
then disarmed and ordered to open the
square iron box that contained the
money. He told them that he
didn't have the key. They told
him he was id liar, as they saw him
opening it at the Rock Island depot every
night. During all this controversy one
man was searching Jones pockets for the
key and being unable to find it he went
into the pockets of Hancher and found it
there. Hancher was then told to open the
safe, and by way of emphasis big re-
volver was stuck under his nose aud he
opened the safe. In the interior of the safe
there was leather satchel which con-
tanned the money. Having this secured
back to the Office and reported the
theft. The police were at once notified
and three or four officers were Immediately
detailed TO work the matter. Ike Dads |
found the satchel in the alley south of
where the robbsry was committed and il
was ripped open with a knife and emptied |
of its contents. The robbers looked like |
they might be colored men. but it is prob /
able they were white men with blackeped |
faces, as they did not talk like colored men. |
An EAGLE man went TO Jones' house ,
late last night to get the details, but he |
had not yet arrived home. Hancher was |
also hunted up but lie could not be
found either. Both OF them were out with |
the police detail aiding in the search As 1
they could more easily indentify the rob- /
bers. Tne fact that the robbery was COM /
mitted so close to Douglas avenue when |
the moon was shining brightly makes it /
still more daring.
At o'clock this morning no arrests had |
been made.
A LIVELY RUNAWAY,