Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-03-17

BOLD Robbery Committed at the
Windy City
Al MONDAY IN TIE COURT HOUSE

Bank Collector GarrOted and Two Pack
ages of Money Taken. the Robber Is
Gaping Without Lowing Clus-Nurder
and Suicide Committed by a Lover, the
Victims Both Being from Milwaukee
Emigrant Thrown or Train and
Robbed % 800.
CHICAGO. March fT-Chicago has the
prize robbery 70 report. which is right in
line. for she tries 10 have everything first
class The peculiarly Of this robbery IS
that il took plate az high noon hight in the
court house. right under the noses of the
judges and right over the noses of the po-
lice department. II. q. Fox. First Ma
tional hank collector. was the victim and
the place was ore or the staircases Of the
court house. He hal just received $50
from the city treasurer and 500 from the
county treasurer and was descending the
dark stairway 20 tie main floor of the
building when az the turn OF the staircase
some man, whom he had not seen, threw
his arms abOuJ his neck and choked him
almost to iusensib!l:ry. The man then
grabbed the two packages Of money, and
rushing down the stairs escaped through
the Washington street entrance into the
street.
The Robber Easily Gets Away.
When Fox recovered from the choking
which he had received. and while still in a
dazed condition, he wandered down the
staircase to toe lower floor and notified one
of the police OF the building OF his loss.
The two men rushed into the street in
hopes the man Nigh; be still in sight. for it
was thought he would he running rapidly
from the scene OF the holdup. They saw
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guilty OF the crime and went at once to the
city police headquarters were they reported
the case. Officers were at once sent out %
scoUr the central part OF the city for the
robber. They had very little TO work upon.
Fox was unable 70 give any description
of his assailant- The man came upon him 50
suddenly and the stairway at that turn is
50 dark, the only light reaching il being
from the floor above and below, he had ~
opportunity whatever of getting any kind
of description of the man.
Desirable Field for Merry CrooSs
The messenger makes frequent visits 10
both the city and county treasurers, but
can scarcely recall single instance where
he has walked down the stairs instead of
taking the elevator. Scarcely a building
in the city affords such desirable spot
for a robber to get to work in the busy
time of the day. The county building cor
by massive metal ratings, are situated as
far from the light as the architect found it
possible to put them On the brightest
days one can scarcely descend these stair
ways without feeling each step before tax
ing it, and on day as cloudy as yesterday
the stairways are literally as dark as 4
pocket.
Hardly a Possibility of Capture.
Fox says he was utterly unable TO catch
Wis nf faar la-
wildered and dizzy from the sudden attack
he was unable to pursue the robber until
the latter had had sufficient time to make
his escape and thoroughly lose his identity
amid the crowds in the corridor. Some OF
the officers even admit that there is scarce
ly possibility of his apprehension, and
one said that it was not at all unlike
that if the robber is what is known in IT,
lice parlance as "a good man" he was
one of the foremost in the group to sur
round the unfortunate messenger and com
miserate with MIN over his loss