The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1898-01-21
TWO SIDES OF A HOLD UP
Citizen Turns the Tables on the
Highwayman.
THE SENSATIONS OF BOTH MEN.


Hold UP Man Badly Scared When Victim
Pulled His Pistol-Citizen a Hero Be-
cause He Couldn't Help It-Each Man
Tells His Story.
Chicagoans nro industrously engaged in
studying the philosophy of hold ups. This
Is u subject that has ever been intimately
connected with lifo in tho breezy lakeside
metropolis, but never before did it engage
such large share of tho Chicago citizens
attention, for crimes of highwaymen have
never been so numerous US during tho past
few months.
From printing news stories Of hold UPS,
robberies and assassinations the Chicago
papers have taken to analyzing tho scnsa-
tions of the hold up man and of the hold
upee. A notable achievement of this sort
was that of tho Chicago Tribune giving
two sides of hold up, rs described by tho
thug and his victim-or the citizen rath-
or, for it is questionable whether tho thug
was not tho real victim.
Tho highwayman in this case was
novice and made mess of it, This is his
story in part: ~ had planned to jump
out suddenly, take him unawaros and
L would command him TO give up his val
uablcs. This he would do at once Then
L would dash off, and before any help could
DO summoned would be in n place of
safety. That was tho extent of my plan
and L was wholly unpreparcd for any
change Ill tho programme. In fact, the
possibility OF any change never entered NV
mind until he was close upon me. Then a
sudden terror took possession of me lest no
would try to defend himself from my at
tack.
'Now he was only n few feet away, and
sprang before him. 1 presume he must
have been surprised and startled. but MS
sure you no more SO than was l. must
have revealed myself too soon, for l had
no sooner raised my pistol and demanded
of him to hold up his hands than 1 saw
one OF his hands at least go up with aston
fishing quickness from his outside overcoat
pocket, and from it cleaned pistol
81 was filled with consternation NV
ono thought was to get away. jumped
behind the tree, where l had waited for
him, and then began lodging away he
hind neighboring trees, preparing for u
rush to tho other side of the street While
l was doing this he stood stock still where
had stopped him, yelling Justify for help.
l give you my word was the only one of
us two who needed help.
We'll, you know the rest. His cries
brought policeman. l duckcd in despair
in the areaway of house, hoping they
would think l had got away, but it was
no use. My victim had never lost sight OF
me, and when the policeman arrived on
the scene l WAS dragged forth and cartcd
away to the station house.
Story of the Citizen.
g will be frank and admit at once that
|
oughly frightened before. was so scared
that didn't think to pull the trigger of
the revolver l had in my hand had
becn down town to the theatcr and was
just returning home. / got OF tho car
two blocks cast of my street in order to
| get some oysters before turning in Like
most other people probably have read u
good deal about hold ups in the ncwspa-
pers, but some way l never seriously
thought that should be n party To one
1t is curious that on this particular
night l WAS talking of hold ups with tho
proprietor of the restaurant just before |
LEFT. said if l WAS attacked 1 would run.
remember almost the very words used
Most Of these hold ups, said, are un
necessary. The fault is that people lose
their heads. Now il IL man confronted
me on the street with II revolver would
Just dodge and take to my legs. You
| know, | continued. most of these hold
up thugs are towards ut heart They
would be afraid really to shoot You. and if
you ran away they would not attempt 10
give chase lest they got themselves into
trouble. The would just let You go and
wait for anotlicrchancc.
After sonin further talk | left and
started honcwnrd. WAS totally uncon-
scious of any one either observing me Or
| ri a 7
the street on which 1.-Two there wasn't an
other person in sight. l had got about in
tho middle Of the block when was star.
tied by u mans voice commanding mo to
hold up my hands AMI then by the figure
of tho man himself. My right hand was
In my oycrcoat pocket. where carried my
revolver, and instinctivcly at tho sound or
tho voice l drew out the weapon but in
every other respect, / believe, my mind was
blank. was taken so unawares that it
seemed as If was paralyZcd. The only
Thought that remember to have had was
! that now l was about to be held up The
fact that had my pistol out was the result
Of sort of physical convulsion. had no
intention of using it, because had no in
tentions of any kind. 1 was simply strick-
on dumb and nervclcsS to tho sDot with n
species of physical terror never cxpcri-
enccd before. l remember thinking in u
flash whether he would shoot me or beat
mo with something. l rather expected to
DO struck down with q club or u sand bag.
Then he made sudden movement, and
supposed my time had come
THAT movement reused mo from nv
trance Of fright, and for the first time
was ablo to cry out for help. yelled and
half closed my eyes for tho blow. But
nothing happened. 1 looked and to my
surprise saw that my man was no longer
standing in front of me, but apparently
was gone. l turned to SEQ if he was be-