The San Francisco call., 1895-10-08

the moment he noticed the men, two of
them stepped out in front of the car and
slgnaled to stop.
AS the car came to a standstlll two of the
robbers stepped upon the front platform
and three assembled the steps of the rear
platform. Then it was noticed that the
men were masks and their purpose was
suspected. The suspicion was not formed
in the minds of the passengers when one
of the robbers opened the front door and
said: IF you people behave yourselves
and make no noise, you won't get hurt.
But you've got to keep quiet and give up
what you've got." His remarks were re-
| enforced with huge revolver and the pas
sengers were thinking about giving re-
sistance when the lights in the car went
out, the thieves having taken off the troll
ley pole and removed the generator wrench
from the motor so the power could not be
governed. The darkness compelled the
passengers to submit and then the search
ing process was inaugurated.
Among the male passengers was n.
A. Johnson of Galesburg, ILL.,, who
was relieved of watch worth $125. o. E.
Westman was relieved of Sc; Charles Fen
| bach lost 81; f. V. Voitman lost $50
| watch and $45 In cash. When the robbers
came to T. P. Nisbitt of Evanston he re-
sisted. Drawing a revolver from his
| pocket he attempted to use it, but one of
the thieves struck his arm with the barrel
of revolver and the arm fell. AS it did
so the pistol was discharged and the bullet
entered Mr. Nisbitt's left leg, making a
painful but not dangerous wound.
| This ended all attempt at resistance on
the part of the passengers. The conductor
saved his money by dropping it down be-
tween the walls of the car at the window
openings. Half an hour after it was all
over police officer saw four men driving
south on Evanston avenue, about mile
from the scene of the robbery. 1t is sup
posed these four took part in the hold-up.
Policemen are out in every direction
searching for the robbers.
Nesbitt suffered but little from his
wound and told most graphic story of
the affair. He said:
| "The first intimation I had of anything
unusual was when two masked men threw
| open the car door and reached for the con-
ductor, who was making dash for the
| front platform. I could see a struggle
| going on there between three men, but
| supposed at the outset that the two pas
sengers who had boarded the front plat
form were drunk and the motorman was
trying to subdue them.
az was sitting about in the center of the
car, and directly opposite was a well.
dressed man with a German cast of fea-
| lures. He held a cane in his left hand
and this the foremost highwayman who
came in the car snatched up. The stick
was heavy affair, and when the bandit
dealt the astonished passenger terrific
blow on the left temple with the weapon
my blood fairly boiled.
| "I had no clear idea of the trouble, but
| jumped up and snatched away the cane, at
the same time striking the robper full in
the face. He staggered back to the rear
door, colliding with his pal who was be-
hind him, and almost hurting that indi-
vidual over the dashboard. By this time
the other passengers had realized that
they were at the mercy of the thieves
and were frantically stuffing their
money and other valuables behind
the seats. Before 1 had q chance
to make move, the fellow I had struck
rallied, and leveling his revolver be fired.
He was not six feet away from me, but at
first did not know I was wounded. 1
started back to pick up the German, who
lay on the floor with blood pouring from
an ugly cash in the head, and as 1 stopped
over him his watch was snatched away.
I Strengthened to recover the property and
was caught from behind and relieved of
my own watch and money.
cat the same time I saw the fellow who
struck me turn upon a panic stricken
young woman who was crouched on the
seat. He caught her first by the throat
long enough to compel her to stand up,
then, disengaging his hands, he de-
| liberately snatched her diamond ear
rings. The woman screamed in fright
and pain, and blood spurted from her
ears. That made me almost crazy and 1
started after the ruffian. My progress was
interrupted by pains in the injured leg and
I fell to the floor. AT that moment one of
the gang snatched the tr olley rope and
pulled the pole from the wire, shutting off
the current and shrouding the car in
| dorkness -