Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-01-31
GREAT EXCITEMENT AT BENTON.
All About an 0vercoat Stolen From
Jas. w. Roy, of Mexico-The
Thieves Captured.
From the Benton CITY Enterprise

From the Benton City Enterprise.
Our peaceful little village wasthrown
into great excitement last Monday
night. About 7:30 O'Clock County
Collector j. W. Dowen received a.
message from Mexico, which ran as
follows:
Watch for tramps with brown mel
ton overcoat. Get coat.
(Siglled) j. S. Roy.
Agent w. 0. Powell had noticed a
couple of suspicious characters a few
moments before receiving the mes
sage. The detective force was call
ed out in full-Chief E. l.. Woodson,
Sergeant j. w. Dowell, Patrolmen
Thomas Hamilton and w. r. Sallee,
with the reporter bringing up the rear
at a safe distance.
No trace vas found Of them for
sometime, when Author King, of the
secret service, reported at headquar-
ters that they attended services at the
Baptist Church, but had become sus-
pieious that the authorities were on
their track and made a hasty depart
ure in the direction of the college. The
secret service was all called in for
consultation. 1t was surmised that
the game would likely take refuge in
the college building and Chief Wood
son detailed two OF his best men, j.
w. Dowell and w. r. Sallee, to inves-
tigate and be very careful not to be
seen or heard and brighten them away
If hidden in the college. Dowell and
Sallee came back and reported they
had located the outlaws in the build
ing. Arms were at once carefully ex-
amined to see that everything was in
good working order, should it be nee
essary to use them. Sergeant
Dowell was armed with a good
seasoned stick. Chief Woodson
then marched his men to the college,
and, after ~stationing a man at each
window, he and the Sergeant opened
Fthe door. To their establishment the
outlaws had built up a roaring hot fire,
donned their night robes and were
slumbering peacefully. Chief Wood
son nervously presented his gun and
ordered them to open their eyes and
throw up their hands. Sergeant
Dowell at this point seemed to be la
boring under great excitement. When
the outlaws arose to their feet and
opened their eyes he let his stick fall
near their feet. One of them seemed
very impudent and after taking in the
situation he was, from all appearances,
amused, as he said in a very cool and
collected way:
"Now, Rube, old boy, keep cool and
hold that gun more steady. We amt
going to hurt any of you" They were
taken to the Wabash depot and held
until a Mexico officer arrived and
identified the stolen coat. The tramps
claimed they had bought the coat from
a negro for fifty cents. The officers
concluded that if they were to hold
them it would only throw costs on the
county SO they turned them loose.
Tom Moore, the druggist, was very
cool and considerate during the ex-
element, but after the tramps had
been turned loose and had the tramps
been in reach he would likely have
given them a good humping. Oui
reporter was at q safe distance all the
time during the trouble and did not
propose to u any chances of being
shot by the Chief or any of his mel
had any trouble arose. We are truly
tgfad THAT the outlaws were SO cool ano
able to keep down trouble that might
have terminated seriously.