The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-26
MASKED BANDITS.
Two Men Rob a Train
Near Chicago
AND MURDER A DETECTIVE.
"A Second Officer Shot During
the Pursuit.
FIERCE BATTLE IN THE WOODS.
Having Used All Their Ammunition
the Desperadoes Are Com
PEELED TO Surrender.

CHICAGO, Aug. 2j.-Desperadoes win
Lake and II. F. Gordon. who shot and
killed Patrick Owens of the Chicago, Mil
waukee and ST. Paul road at Deerield late
last night, and a few hours later shot and
probably mOrtally wounded Officer Nc
Grath at Mayfair, were surrounded and
captured by the police in Elk. Grove
woods near the DesDlafnes River al noon
to-day. Their capture was only effected
after a SIX hours chase and the exchange
OF fully 100 shots.
The desperadoes fought off the blue
coats and excited civilian participators in
the gamut until their ammunition was ex-
hausted and then, unable longer 10 reply
10 the fire that was pouring in upon their
retreat, the men sought safety in flight
Bullets from the officers revolyers brought
both men TO the earth and when the police
apprehended their game the men were
weak from loss of blood.
Officers Mullaney, Finnegan, Harris.
Maisley and Lawson, who had been among
the first posse to start out after the fleeing
. desperadoes, were the officers who forced
the surrender of the bandits. AS soon as
the wounded men were taken iG charge by
the police a new danger arose. The in
furiated citizens who had learned Of the
.wanton murder of one officer and the fatal
shooting of another by the desperadoes
- demanded that the wounded men be i'm
:. mediaiely deprived of their lives. The
. ffffcets were forced TO draw their revolvers
to save the very men into whom a few
. minutes before they had poured lead.
-. The citizens made desperate efforts to
etga III
time they were repulsed without blood
- sired. Police Inspector Shack took charge
Gf:tbs prisoners and started for the West
Chicago avenue station with them.
- The wanton murder of Owens and the
shooting of McGrath by the disciples of
. Jesse James stirred up the entire COM
munity from Deerfeld TO the City Hall,
: and: mot long after the report that Nc
= Gfath had been shot at Mayfair came in
=, ans;. agenuine man-huDT was seen. Special
officers In the employ of the railroads. city
police and central detail detectives, armed
. with revolvers and Winchester rifles, hur-
:. Fled by train to the place where the
bandits were supposed to have taken to
:; the: woods, and scouting parties followed
= every trail that promised TO lead to the
hiding place Of the murderOus tran-rOb.
berSs The citizens in the neghbOrhOod of
. "Higgins' Woods" near Desplaines, pilot
led bands Of armed men across the country
. and determined officers with coUntrymen
*f6r guides searched untiringlY until the
Capture was effected. The arrest was pre-
. ceded by veritable battle. The robbers
were well armed, and when a call from a
scouting party revealed their whereabouts,
they made determined stand.
Cooking their revolvers the two men
waited until their pursuers we're in view
and then opened fire. 1t was returned by
the officers and volley after volley was ex-
:. changed, apparently without effect. 1t is
probable that the men would never have
e" been taken alive had it not been that their
supply Of ammunition was short. AS their
> stock of cartridges dwinded away the
.desperadoes shot more carefully and less
frequently, but the officers kept them
selves well covered, until at last the mems
bullets were exhausted. The officers
called upon them to surrender, but with
out. noticing the command the fugitives
turned and began frantic race for safety.
The officers followed. firing as they ran.
The chase continued until Lake, who was
in the lead, was struck by a bullet.
Throwing up his hands he turned partially
around and fell, and moment later his
companion droDped. seriously wounded.
The pursuers quickly closed in on the
fallen men and handcuffed them. Within
a few moments the prisoners were carried
toward the railway station and were soon
brought into the city and locked in the
West Chicago avenue police station.
Lake. who is "a years old, was shot in
the neck and his recovery is doubtful. He
admitted shooting Owens and McGratb.
The conductors watch and other stolen val
uables were found upon the man. Gordon
is a years old and is not dangerously
wounded, although two bullets had struck
him. The men refuse to give any infor-
nation regarding their identity, but their
appearance indicates that both were tough
characters. The police were inclined to
the opinion that both had seen railroad
service, but they denied it.
The police this afternoon denied the
story that the robbers had fatally shot
Special Policemen PUNK and Yunt. These
officers were among those fired upon by
Lake and Gordon and dropped to the
ground TO escape the bullets, thus giving
rise to the rumOr that they were killed.
both escaped unnjured and the latter re-
lolned the chase.
FARMER johnson of Desplaines, an old
= soIu'ei, Is said by some to have been the
man VINO wounded the desperadoes.
rIeo marshall, night operator at May
fair. toid his version Of the bandits reign
ol terror at Mayfair and the shooting of
Special Officer McGrath.
we nad received Instructions" said
MarshaIl, from the chief train disnatcber
to look out for the men who murdered
Pat Owens, the C. NJ. and St. p. oficer az
Deerfield, a few miles north. II was
about 5 20 o'clock this morning when Cono
ductor Simmons jumped from The Chico0o
Milwaukee and st. Paul freight as it cana
TO stop at the Mayfair Crossing Sin,
mons told me that he thought he had the
men who killed Owens in car near tho
end of the train. told McGrath who
had his uniform on, to stay out of sight As
much as possible. %
"Wnen l reached the coalcar in which |
the men were hiding | thought | recoo
niZed them from the DESCRIPTIONS as tbo |
onesswanted for Owens murder. 7 calte6 |
out 20 McGrath, 'Al righf, come on
McGrath came and started to climb upon |