The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-14
USED A HUMAN SHIELD.
Kansas Safe-Blower Steals a Child
from lis Crib.
HE KEEPS MANY PEOPLE AT BAY.

Sherifrs Posse Arrives with Wine, esters
and shotguns, but Could Only Look
HopeIessly On-The Desperate and
Companion First Capture Three Farm
ers Who Had Attempted To Arrest Them
and Made Fort of Their Prisoners.
Corning, Kan. Dec 14.-After a des-
perate battle, in which mothers sto-
len babe in the arms Of a safeblower
kept at bay and helpless ain angry mob
of citizens, two men were arrested and
safely put behind the bars i'm the Sene-
ca Jail. They are held for safeblowing
at this place. One is an old man, said
TO resemble George Taylor, the Meeks
family escaped murderer, and the other
Is barely more than a youth. They
steadfastly refuse to disclose their iden-
tity.
The safe in the office of the Jackson
Grain company, at this place, was rifled
and the schoolhouse broken into, where
two muslin curtains were torn down
and carried away. The first clew to the
perpetrators was brought here by coun-
try schoolchildren who reported having
seen two tramps along the railroad west
of town.
stood or the Officers.
Deputy Sheriff Charles Andrews and
City Marshal Bensing at once took
buggy and went in pursuit, overtak-
ing the pair about five miles out. The
men were accosted. but made no reply.
Andrews again asked them to wait
moment, when both whipped out re-
volvers, covered their pursuers, and
hastily retreated to the timber. The
officers hurried to a nearby schoolhouse
and with the aid of the children soon
got the inhabitants up in arms.
Meanwhile two jealous corn huskers
espied the robbers in their corn field,
and with shotguns and rifle command
| ed them TO surrender. The pair meek
| ly submitted until the farmer lads, con-
fident of their game, approached, when
fusilade of shots from the revolvers
of the besieged made them the victors
and the farmers the prisoners The
owner of the farm drove up with his
wagon to carry off the outlaws only
to be himself made captive. AT the
| command of the robbers. enforced by
drawn revolvers, all mounted the wag-
on and were driven to the fafiner'f
house. Here they were confronted by
the officers.
Used Farmers Ebrts.
But the law had no terrors for two
desperate men, fortified behind three
husky farmers bodies. -A-ler consider
able parleying and shifting for advant'
age the younger robber became sepa'
rated from his companion and quickly
became the victim of Sheriff Andrews
The elder robber compelled his living
fort to retreat to the house and enter
There he marched the trio upstairs
and made them lie down on the floor
threatening death to the first wht
should try to see what was going on.
AS they were marching up the stair:
at the point of revolvers the robbe
stopped over the cradle in the room be-
low and snatched a 5-months' -old babe
telling the terrorized mother to hastei
him some supper and as she loved he
child to tell no one that he was in the
house. The officers brought their pris
oner to Corning and took back larg
posse.
Posse of 400 Took Him.
BY 7 o'clock the farmhouse was sur
rounded by 400 men, armed with win
chesters, shotguns and revolvers. Th
outlaw, in the face of all this demon
stration, ordered light to be put OF
the stairs so that he might see his GROVE
and eat his supper. With three citizen
and the baby in his clutches his order
were obeyed.
One Of the posse requested him t
surrender He replied that he woul'
if he be allowed to keep his guns. Afte
some consultation his proposition wa
agreed to, and the old robber lies SAT
in the Seneca Jail with his young con
federate. Several sets of burglar tools
| a camping outfit. and eight gold watch
es were some of the plunder recovered