The San Francisco call., 1897-01-23
GANG Of THUGS
VISITS FRESNO
Five Citizens Halted and
Robbed On the City's
Streets.
Two Newspaper Men Pursue
and Fire Upon One of
the Strangers.
He ResistS With Bul cts, but Poor
Workmanship Prevents Loss
of Life.

FRESNO, CAL, Jan. 22.-This city was
in state of great excitement last night
over the operations of very bold band of
thugs which arrived during the day. Five
citizens were held up within a few blocks
of the business section. The result was
that every one who happened to be down.
town after the midnight hour waited for
daylight before going home, and to-day
the gunshops have received very liberal
patronage.
The thugs night before last visited the
town of MADEIRA and ran things with a
high hand, holding up no less than twelve
men. The Maderans yesterday formed
vigilance committee, but by that time the
strangers had come to Fresno.
The attention of the officers was first
called to the presence of the rascals in
this city by their robbery of a small cut
lery stand conducted by A. D. Michael,
in front of his barber-shop, at 1736 Mari
posa street. Michael caught one of the
men in the act of stealing knives, but the
thief took to his heels. Michael then
fired three shots at him without effect,
and the culprit escaped up an alley.
About 10 o'clock R. B. Johnson was
held up in front of his residence on South
j street. He was Just coming home and
about to open the gate when two men who
were approaching sprang toward him and
one leveled a revolver at him. Johnson
did not appreciate the situation and failed
to throw up his hands at the first COM
mand. Then the robber with the weapon
brought it down upon his head with
vicious force. Johnson then obeyed the
order and submitted to being relieved of
SIS 10 by one of the thugs, while the other
kept him covered
Soon after this Thomas Richter was held
mp at Tunzis hotel and robbed of gold
watch and chain and some change
Shortly after midnight Jacob Blooming
dale was attacked just as he was about TO
enter his home at the corner of K and
Kern streets. He fought the robbers, and
they beat him numerically over the head
with pistols. They were finally fright
! ened away by his cries.
A half hour later Antoine Diaz, who
conducts the Circle Bar saloon, was set
upon by two footpads on South J street,
almost on the identical spot where r. B.
Johnson had been stood up a few hours
before. The victim made determined re-
sistance, and the robbers beat him on the
! head with their revolvers, cutting the
scalp severely. They then ran toward the
business portion of the city and turned up
Kern street. Diaz followed them, shout.
ing ut the top OF his voice.
r. S. Mappes, CITY editor of the M orning
Republican, and Martin Madsen, re-
norter, heard the cries and, running to
D;aZ, were told that be had been robbed.
He said the thugs had gone up Kern
street, and the newspaper men took after
them. The two fugitives separated and
the reporters pursued one of them, follow
ing him for several blocks. They shot re-
peatedly over his head, but he deigned
not to stop until the corner of Mariposa
and n streets was reached.
The newspaper men had gained on their
man and there he halted. AS the pur-
suers ran toward him, comm anding him
to throw up his hands, the thug opened
fre on them. They Immediately re-
sponded with their pistols, and a brief but
! lively battle resulted. The thug and his
! pursuers were all poor marksmen, as the
interchange of shots was over a distance
of only about fifteen feet. The culprit
! turned and ran and the others followed,
| firing at him as long as their ammunition
lasted. The fugitive then escaped up an
| alley.
! The shooting aroused the city, and it is
| believed that this prevented any further
hold-ups during the night. Soon all the
officers were ont securing the country and
watching the trains. They have arrested
several suspects. 1t is believed, however,
that the footpads have gone south.