The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-15
Tho Prairie Turpins.

There has been some increase of PERM
cious activity among the eccentric high
waymen Of Chicago during the past
week. On Thursday night. shortly before
IL o'clock, a trolley car was "held up" at
West Forty-eighth street, and three
masked men with dirks and revolvers
took a gold watch and chain from the
conductor, a silver watch and chain from
the motorman, and $40 in fares from the
former" Some of the Chicago papers pub
lished pictures Of the ~"hold-up," and a
man has been arrested on suspicion of be-
ing concerned in the occurrence. He gave
his business as that of solicitor, and when
put under arrest had the usual Chicago
highwayman equipment of a dagger, a
revolver, a dark lantern, a slungshot, and
an X-ray apparatus. Following his arrest
there was sent from the Cicero station a
squad of police under an admonition to
make a thorough search of the haunts of
the Archer avenue gang and the Deering
street gang.
On the same night that the trolley car
was "held up" on West Forty-eighth
street, though one hour later, five men the
robber band was evidently reinforced by
two), all of them masked, boarded an
Archer avenue car at Kedzie avenue and
Eighty-eighth street and secured a gold
watch and 1888 from Conductor c. S. FREHE.
The motorman had, 1t appears, nothing on
his person worth taking. On Saturday
night, at half-past nine. "ive masked men.
armed with revolvers," held up an least
bound trolley car" on the "viaduct, lust
west Of the river" 1.-TWO silver watches,
Rh0ut $40 in caah n car ti6co tn ~ d.na.;. -
300, and a note for 1857" constituted
the booty, the hooters escaping "south."
On Friday night the Mayor of Minonk.
ILL, came to Chicago. Finding the art gal
leries closed and few of the literary So
cieties in session. he betook himself to
q saloon on State street, one OF the great
Chicago thoroughfares, and placed his
coat and ~"vest," the latter having
affixed to 1t his badge of office, upon a
table near an iron.barred window, the Gus
tomary %precaution against highwaymen in
Chicago. Two minutes later "a stick came
through the window and the clothes, coat
INT vest, badge, a gold watch and chain,
and $50 in money were fished out into the
street I" and the Mayor of Minonk, bereft
Of his official insignia, was in his shirt
sleeves for good.
In another part of town, on the same
night, a desperate Chicago highwayman
stole from a grocery wagon on the North
Side a ten-pound package Of red pepper.
He was chased through Chicago avenue,
and finally arrested by a constable from
Pekin, ILL.,, who happened to be in the Windy
City on a visit. Arraigned at the Armory
before Justice FOSTER, the accused Chica-
80 highwayman insisted. with devilish
shrewdness, that the package of pepper
should be put in evidence. It was but when
opened TO establish judiciaily the value of
the contents all those present in court, the
Judge, the highwayman, the lawyers, the
witnesses, and the audience, began sneez-
Ing, and they continued sneezing for n con
siderable time until 1.-THE pepper was ten.
derby removed, the court reconyencd, and
MPsE fined $40"
One WALLACE, u resident of West Con.
gress street, was on his way to worI; ON
Saturday night when u local officer,
HALTY, shooting at an alleged thief, had
occasion to direct his bullets across the
street and ono OF the pieces of lead struck
WALLACE in the leg, causing a serious