The morning call., 1894-04-15
ROBBERS CAUGHT.
Two Men Who Held Up
the BObtail Car.
SPEEDY AND CLEVER ARREST
They Are Positively Identified by
James Pierce, One of the Pas
sengers in the Car.

Justice in the shape of Sergeant Burke
and Policeman Young of the Seventeenth
street station, speedily overlook the two
bold f0Otpads who stopped car 20 on the
San Bruno road on Friday night. and at
the point of pistol compelled the driver,
Aomer Overacker. and two passengers. TO
hand over their money and valuables.
AS soon as the sergeant got description
of the two men from the driver, he hired a
buggy, and with Policeman Young started
out in search of them. Between II and l
O'Clock yesterday morning. they reached a
saloon kept by an Italian on the Mission
road. between the Five and Six-mile
Houses, and saw two young men standing
at the bar. Both we're known to the SER
geant, one Of them being Edward Gilligan.
80 years of age. son of farmer living off
the San Bruno road, between the Six and
Seven-mile Houses, and the other Thomas
Townes, 20 years of age, whose mother, a
widow, keeps milk-ranch off the Mission
road, between the Five and Slx-mlle
Houses.
No sooner had Gilligan seen the SER
geant and Young than he trembled vlslbly
and could not answer question put 10
him by the sergeant, who then turned TO
the saloon-kee eper and asked: How long
have these TWO men been here?'
About two hours" replied the saloon
keeper.
Ginigan then found his voice and blurted
out: 'Wby, we've been here all evening"
Don't you remember, we came when you
were at supper?"
"Tna's So" said the saloon keeper. as a
hasty glance was exchanged between him
| and Gllgau. You have been here be-
tween three and tour hours"
Have either of you got any weapon
about you?" asked the sergeant.
Both promptly replied in the negative,
but the sergeant was not satisfied and pro-
ceeded to search them. He found in
Townes' pocket silver-mOunted pistol
and a red bandanna handkerchief. Tied
round GiIligan's neck was another red
bandanna handkerchief. and two holes
had been cut in 1t for the eyes, m aklng 1t
in the form of a MASK. Nothing else was
found upon them except 50 cents on one
and few cents on the other.
From their false denials as to the pistol
and the fact that Overacker had said that
each of the fo0tpads had the lower portion
of his face covered by a red handkerchief
the sergeant deemed it advisable to place
Gilligan and Townes under arrest He
took them 10 the Seventeenth-streets sta
ton, and some hours afterWard they were
removed to the City Prison.
Overacker. the driver of the car, called
at the City Prison and after carefully sur
veyng them for few minutes ne said
they answered the description OF the two
men, but as they were on the front plat
form, where it was comparatively dark,
he could not swear positively they were
the two robbers who relieved him OF So
In coin and his watch and chain.
The two passengers in the car were
James Pierce OF 2012 Geary street and his
daughter. Mr.. Pierce also called at the
City Prison and positively identified the
two men as the robbers. Gilligan being the
one VINO held the pistol.
"Gilligan, the man with the pistol in
his hand" said Mr.. Pierce, 'came into
the car and ordered my daughter to hand
over her purse. In doing so it fell on the
floor of the car and Gilligan ordered
Townes to pick it up and some of the small
change which had fallen out. There were
81 or SIS in the purse. Gillgan then
started to give it 10 him l said to her not
to give it up and be did not insist upon it.
''Glligan then turned his attention to
me and asked for my money. l told him
[ had none He then asked me II bad
watch, and [ said no, but only a chain
with charm attached to it, and. as l had
private reasons for not parting with the
charm, l asked him not to take it. By
this time he had the chain in his hand and
then handed it back to me.
"We had been visiting friends and were
on our way back to the city when the rob-
bers stopped the cal"
No one would imagine for a moment that
the two young men were footpads. Ser
geant Burke says he has known Townes
since he was boy and be has always
borne a good character. He has also
known Gilligan for some years and never
heard anything against him. What
prompted two such guileless youths to
turn highwaymen is mystery.
The police have not yet been able to find
out what become of the drivers watch and
chain and the money taken from him and
Miss Pierce.
Sergeant Burke was congratulated yes
terday upon his speedy and clever capture.