The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-12-03
OFFICE OF DALLAS COUNTY
TREASURER LOOTED BY UN-
KNOWN DESPERADoEs.
TREASURER COE IS BADLY WOUNDED
Not the Slightest Clew to the Robbers.
Over $4,000 Was Taken-The Treas
urer Was Preparing Affairs for
His Successor.

Office of county treasurer by two un-
known men and the shooting bee which
followed, participated in by Mr.. w. N.
Coe and the two unknown desperadoes,
was secured from Mr.. Coe himself and
was taken down just as the words fell
from his lips.
1t was asserted that Chief of Police
Arnold and Chief Deputy Sheriff Sloan
Lewis had the case in hand, and taking
the hounds hoped to run down the guilty
parties. Messrs. Arnold and Lewis in
vestigated the case until 5 O'Clock in the
morning, when they returned to their
homes to seek needed sleep. The hounds
refused to take the trail of the robbers
and were returned to their kennel.
Treasurer Coe was placed in a closed
Cliff about o'clock this morning. Chief
Arnold made very searching investiga-
ton of the Office after the departure of
Mr.. Coe Two bullet holes were found
in the ceiling and another on the window
casing. Five shots had been fired, it
was stated, but the officers were unable
to discover where the two bullets had
found home.
At 9:30 o'clock this morning a meet
ing of the commissioners court was held,
Judge Fore presiding. Chas. Flint, judge
of the criminal court, appointed COM
mittee of three to inquire into the con-
4: nf ntu Ero M
noon these gentlemen began the work Of
going over the books. Tonight they had
not completed their work and declined
| to discuss the condition Of affairs for
publication.
Fred Barry, bookkeeper of the county
treasurer's Office, gave the following
story Of the affair:
I'VE had greater rush this month
and transacted more business than the
combined business for the months of Oc-
tober, September and August. This
forced me to work nights and Sundays.
Mr.. Prather was to take charge the first
day of December and l was anxious to
have my part of the business of the Of
fee in frst-class shape. At 4:30 o'clock
Sunday evening put the finishing
touches on my books and told Mr. Coe
that was tired and wanted to go home
and then 90 to church. He had consid-
cradle business to attend to in the office,
but he walked out with me and accom-
panied me as far as Lamar street, on
Main. We had lunch and separated.
He returned to his Office and l attended
services at the First Baptist church.
After church was over 1 walked home
and went to bed. This morning at Z
or 8 o'clock, just as / was sitting down
to the breakfast table, Mr.. Goes mother
came to my house and notified
me that he had been assaulted
and the safe robbed at late hour on Sat
urday night. | hastened to the court
house and found everything upside down
in the vault. In the upper section of the
inner safe / kept my papers, vouchers,
etc. The lower section contained the
money, bonds and private papers OF the
county treasurer. He kept the combina-
ton himself. He had several hours work
ahead of him when we separated on Sun
day evening. He told me several times
that he was very anxious to put every
thing in shape for the transfer to Mr..
Prather on Tuesday morning"
"Have you figured out the amount
stolen by the assailants of Mr.. Coe"
"Yes; it will not fall short Of $65OO."
"Are the certified checks mentioned by
Mr. Coe, in his interview with report
er on the night of the robbery, included
in this sum?'
"No sir; in rearranging the papers and
vouchers thrown OH the floor Of the vault
by the robbers I found the packages OF
checks this morning. The robbers Sc
cured, as near as I can figure out, $4,000
in currency and specie. A roll contain
ing $1,000 in currency was overlooked by
the robbers as well az some checks. in
the lower drawer of the safe, Mr.. Goes
private section, containing money, life
insurance policies and other valuables
entrusted to Mr.. Coe by friends"
These also were overlooked and were
discovered under the debris. Seven thou
sand dollars was large sum of money
to have on hand, but, as l before re-
marked, the November business was very