The Butler weekly times., 1896-02-20
TWO BOLD HIGHWAYMEN.
Foot Pads, Horse Thieves and
Would be Murderers.
William and Robert Orr, Brothers
Haiiing from Cass County, Cap
tured at Rich Hill.
TIE stolen Articles Recovered and til;
Two Locke In jan

The little village OF cortland, 10.
Gated on the banks Of the Marias
des Cygnes, between this city and
Rich Hill. was the scene Saturday
evening about I O'Clock, Of bold
and daring hold up and attempted
murder.
The robbery took place in the
public road a short distance on the
south side of the bridge, the victim
being Thos Vaughn, d young man
who was returning from Rich Hill
to his home near Cortland Not
satisfied with robbing Vaughn of
his watch and chain and IS
cents in money, 10c of which they
dropped and left on the ground,
one of the robbers who held the re-
volver, shot the young man as he
drove away for not obeYing orders
to go faster than a walk The bul
let struck Vaughn in the thigh just
below the hip Joint, and came within
an inch or so of passing tarough
both legs. The wound is quite pain
ful but will not prove to be fatal.
After holding up and shooting
young Vaughn the robbers proceed
ed On south, and when near the
Rand farm, a couple of miles north
west Of Rich Hill, about S o'clock in
the evening, they met in the road A.
E. Arbagast and John Heckadon,
two miners who work ia mine No. l9
near Shobe, returning home from
Rich Hill in a wagon. The team
was stopped, the pistol was again
leveled, the command to hands up
was obeyed, and while the Younger
of the two robbers stood guard the
other proceeded to relieve Mr.. Arba
gast of his silver watch and S7.35 in
cash. Mr.. Heckadon, with a months
wages III his pocket pleaded poverty,
and the magnanimous thieves took
his word for it, shook hands ell
round and told them to drive on.
which they lost no time in doing.
The robbers then stroled into
Rich Hill, and going to A. Gates
livery barn ordered their horse fed
but not to remove the saddle They
then started up the street aud
dropped in to take lunch at Henry
Crlssman 8 counter.
About this time H. ?. Tharp. H.
Il. Maggart, f. L. jackson and J.
G. Courtney, stalwart citizens Of
Cortland, rode into Rich Hill
In hot pursuit of the robbers and
notified chief of police Beatty of
what had happened to young
Vaughn, and gave a good descrip
tion OF the robbers and the white
horse which they rode turn about.
With this clue the officer went to
work ard was not long in locating
the horse in Mr.. Gates barn, A
policeman was put on guard while
the other officers searched the town.
About $50 a. N. the two robbers
called at the stable for their horse
and the manner of ''hands up" was
changed and the two were promptly
placed under arrest.
A search of their persons revealed
the stolen articles taken from ycune
Vaughn and Mr.. Arbagast, also the
revolver, 3S cal!bre including 81
rounds Of cartridges.
! When first arrested both denied
their guilt, but when Chief Beatty
produced the evidence taken from
their pockets. both broke down
wept and made full and complete
confession. Ia making statement
the eldest of the two also confessed
that the white mare which they hat
with them was stolen by himself th,
18th Of January from a Mrs. II. 4
Heukins, postmistress at Arthur
Vernon county, no., but said he in
tended to return the animal.
! The prisoners claim to be broth
ers aud give their names as Rober
and William Orr, and claim to re
side III Cass county, Robert, who
IS aooat - years of age. and single
states that he lived with bis Parent
45 miles west OF Harrisonville vii
liam says h lives in Harrisonvill,