Birmingham state herald., 1896-08-22
IS THIS THRASHER'S WORK Has All the Ear Marks of It,
 Truly BOLD DEEDS AT BELLE ELLEN Young Men Occupying "Shack" Twice Wis., ited-The Last Time It Was Regu-
 lar i.old Up.

MT. George P. Jackson, son of Alder men Jackson, reached the city last night from the Belle Ellen mines, near Bloeton, where he has been at work as timekeeper, and gives a graphic description of the robbery of himself and four other em- ployes of the company by masked men Thursday night.
 Mir Jackson says that Charles DeBar deleben Arthur DeBardeleben, pr. Hen drlcks and himself roomsd in a small shack a few yards from the company's store. They had been informed that an attempt al robbery would be made Fri day and had prepared in advance for tha attack. However, they gave but little credit to the report
 Wednesday night between 9 and 10 o'clock they heard a noise near the win dow in the room where they were sleep ing and immediately they all dumped up, seized their guns and ran out to inVestl- gate. Two men were running away and they opened fire on them.
 Dr. Hendricks was the first to return to the room and discovered that one of the burglars had broken in through win dow in another room and was ranSacking the house. He grappled with him, and before assistance could arrive they had a rough and tumble fight, the burglar es- caping through the window which he en- tered. Dr. Hendricks ran out at the door and fired on the burglar as he re- treated.
 Mr. Jackson exhibited a. handkerchief saturated with blood, which was picked up the next morning a short distance from where the shooting occurred,
 Thursday night following MT. Jackson says, they had again retired, but the light was burning and Dr. Hendricks was reading. Without the slightest warning the door was knocked open and three men carrying breech-loading rifles en- tered and ordered them to throw up their hands, which order was obeyed. Two of the men covered them with their guns, while the third went through their pock- cts, telling them as he did so to be quiet, that they did not want to hurt anybody and all they wanted was money. They only obtained $7
 After finishing their work the leader walked out the door and the remaining two backed out, holding their guns on the occupants of the shack until they reached the outside, when they ran off.
 As soon as released by the robbers the young men jumped into their clothes, and Dr. Hendricks and Charles DeBar- deleben, the only ones who had weapons al hand followed, and after short pur- suit a general firing took place.
 Mir Arthur DeBardeleben and MT Jackson remained at the house, and with in few minutes they were covered with guns by two comrades of the robbers, who had secreted themselves near the house, and were told to git" which they did in short order
 On returning to the house it was found that it had been ransacked in every de- partment and another small amount of money secured. Also valuable cornet, the property of MT. Jackson. The cornet, however, was found the next day in the woods near by.
 Mir. Jackson says the robbers of Thurs day night wore masks made out of red cloth carried WnchesterS and had pis- tols buckled around them. The leader was about feet 10 inches tall and filled the description exactly as given of Bart Thrasher. The other two who entered the house were somewhat smaller. The leader was the only one who said any thing, and he disguised his voice.
 It was reported in the city yesterday that Thrasher sent an order to cousin in Calera the first of the week for a gal lon of whisky stating that he wanted something good as he expected to need it to satisfy his nerves.
 It is common rumor around Blocton and Belle Ellen that Thrasher and his pals are preparing to make raid on the mining camps about Blocton on pay day and would open first on Belle Ellen, which was expected to pay off Friday or Saturday.
 Conductor Burton, who runs a freight on the Georgia Pacific division of the Southern, says that he saw Thrasher at Taylor's switch Wednesday. He was alone. He knows Thrasher we'll; went