The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-10-03
Captured by the Police Detect.
ives Yesterday
HELD UP A STAGE LAST JULY
Eighteen Passengers Lined Up and Re-.
lieved Of Their ValuabIes
Ed Robertson, a Mere Youth, the Man
Now in Jail-Will Be Held Pending
the Arrival Of q Colorado Off
cer-A Clever Capture.

A beardless youth of 20, whose face
would indicate anything except the
characteristics Of the desperate, now
lies a prisoner in one of the steel tanks
on the second floor of the city Jail.
robber, awaiting the arrival of an off,
Ger, who is now on his way to take the
prisoner back to the scene of his crime
to answer. Ed Robertson. also known
under the aliases Of Martin and Smith,
was arrested yesterday morning on
Main street by Detectives Goodman
and Bradish for highway robbery, and
before nightfall had concluded to make
the most of a bad job and tell all he
knew, in the hope of tightening his pun
ishment, and also to bring his two COM
panions in crime to justice.
On July 8 last the Colorado Springs
and Cripple Creek stage was held up
and robbed by three masked highway
men, about eight miles from Cripple
Creek. There were eighteen passen-
gers aboard at the time tn. stage was
halted and the command, Hands up!"
given, each and every one of whom
peaceably climbed out of the vehicle and
lined up alongside the road, under the
persuasive influence of the robbers
guns.
There were three of the road agents,
one Of whom stood at the horses heads
and kept the driver covered the second
stood at the rear of the coach, while the
third bossed the job of lining up the
passengers and later relieved them of all
their valuables. There was no express
box aboard and the mail pouches were
undisturbed, but the passengers We're
stripped of all valuables. 1t was figured
out that the robbers secured about 500
in cash, besides a quantity of watches,
jewelry, several diamonds etc.
After completing the hold-up, the
highwaymen backed off and command
ed the passengers to take their seats
and the drivers to start up. AS the stage
disappeared, they FASTENED to where
their horses were hitched and maze
good their escape without firing shot.
News of the robbery quickly spread, and
posses were sent out in search of the
daring road agents, but they had sep
arated, and the trail was finally lost.
One of the men was eventually tracked
to Denver, but before the police could
lay hands on him he had cleared out.
In his confession made to the detec-
| tives yesterday, Robertson said that he
was the man who stood at the rear of
the stage and covered the passengers,
while one Of his companions robbed
them. Immediately after the affair,
and before a division of the booty was
| made. the trio separated, but met later
| on iii Denver. The one who had the
plumber in his possession here failed
| to make "divvy." Robertson and the
| third man were given only IS in cash and
| a watch apiece. Failing to get his proper
share, and being Disguised with the
whole proceedings, Robertson wrote an
| anonymous letter to the sheriff, telling
who was concerned in it, then left the
( country.
country. The truth of the state
ments made in the letter were
verified by the officials and de-
scriptions of the men wanted sent far
and wide. A letter was also sent to
Chief Glass about September LIST ask
| ing him to be on the lookout for one or
more of the men. as they were sup
posed to have come to Southern Califor-
| MIA. The detectives Eat once placed
| on the lookout, and the capture yester-
day morning was the result A trap
| was laid for any of che men who should
| happen to come, to town, and Robert
| son, having arrived from Hartford, Cal
| only a few hours previously. walked
straight into 1t and was caught.
The prisoner stated that after he lief,
| Colorado he came direct to California
and few weeks ago was in Los Angeles
/ where he worked for seven days in the
kitchen Of the Hollenbeck hotel. Hav-
ing earned a little money. he pulled out