The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-11
A FOOTPAD'S FOLLY.
He Holds Up Three Plucky
Women at Tacoma.
AND is COMPELLED TO RUN.
A Duckhunter Accidentally Kills HIM
self ut Blaine-Another Case OF
Smallpox At Olympus.

TACOMA, Jan. 1o.-Tspecial. "A footpad
held up three women at the corner of
Eleventh and 4 streets at 8 o'clock this
evening. One woman, Mrs. Ben McHand-
ley. was choked and beaten in the face and
on the head. while another woman, Mrs.
Charles B. Nelson, coming to she rescue,
dealt the hlghwayman singing blow on
the back of the neck with her clinched
fist Maggie McHandley, aged Is, was
preparing 10 assist in overcoming their as
sallant, when he fed IS a result Of Mrs.
Nelson's loud calls of "Murderi Po-
lice! Help! Watch!" Policeman Ganish
rushed up about this time. and in doing
so injured his leg painfully by stumbling
over rise in the sidewalk IN the dark.
The highwayman ran down in the road
toward Thirteenth street and escaped.
The police began a search az once, and
have probably secured the man who as
sailed the women. Detective Flanagan
has arrested William Frazier and I. II.
Commit. aged 81 and % respectively, on
suspicion. They are classed among street
loaters and thieves, over fifteen of whom
were arraigned today in the police court,
and who have been numerous in this city
since the completion of WORK on the Great
Northern railroad.
In the fight with the highwarman Mrs.
McHandley's cloak was torn of. Detec-
tive Flanagan is sure he has the offender,
according to Mrs. McHandIey's descrip-
ton. She is sure she can recognize him.
Mrs. McHandley is aged 80 and weighs
only about 106 pounds, but she fought des-
perately with the highwayman. 1t would
seem that the rutfian knew she had
purse, because on accosting the women he
grabbed Mrs. MeHandley by the arm and
said: You give me that purse" She
at first thought it was some enc joking,
but on turning around until the glare of the
electric lights from Pacific avenue,
couple of hundred OF feet away, where
there were crowds of people. shone full IN
his face, she realized her mistake, and
told him 70 go away. In doing so she
pushed him aside, raising her hand until
her purse, containing $55, couid be seen.
The highwayman snatched { eagerly. and
Mrs. McHandiey fought to regain it,
which she did, although the highwayman
choked and beat her brutaly, enc blow on
the nose drawing blood.
Then it was that Mrs. Nelson landed her
fist on the highwayman's neck. This
and the loss of the coveted parse seemed
to enrage him, and he made vicious pass
at Mrs. McHandey, which, if the aim had
been true, would have knocked here sense
less. Mrs. Nelson is an actress, she and
her husband having just finished an en-
gagement at the Olympic theater. She
thought best to shout for help, and did
so. Her husband heard her calls from
their apartments in Mrs. McHandley's
house, half a block away, but thought the
sound came from the opposite direction,
and he went to an opposite window to in
vestigate. The women had been shopping
and looking into jewelry windows and
talking jokingly about buying diamonds.
and it is thought the highwayman over
heard the conversation and followed them.
There is an electric light at the corner of
and Eleventh streets. but the foliage of
the trees on the south side made it dark
corner.