The Anaconda standard., 1898-01-17
ANACONDA NEWS.
BAD MAN At A CASH TILL
Unsuccessful Attempt to Rob the
City Hall Saloon Register.
"SLIM" COFFEE HELD BACK
Bartender Corcoran Faces Big Al Gun
and Grapples With the Burglar.
Who Is Now in Jail-A
Desperado's Efforts.
"SLIM" COFFEE HELD BACK

For downright nerve, bravado and
combination of gall and daring, ID. Cof-
fee, known as Slim Coffee, takes the
cooky-but he didn't take the cash. Why
he failed to take the money out of the
City Hall saloon is due to the splendid
work of Night Bartender William Cor
coran of that resort.
Early yesterday morning, when few
People were on the Streets, Coffee
walked into the City Hall saloon, corner
of Commercial and Cedar. He carried
tin pail in one hand Ii was evident
that he was rushing the groWier, and
The bartender, who was just stepping
into a rear room TO respond to a call
from a card table. paid no more than
passing notice to the supposed customer.
When the bartender returned to the
bar and just before he reached the end
Of it, he saw facing him with a Al in
his right hand and his left in the cash
register drawer, the man who had so
ordinarily walked into the saloon carry
ing the tin bucket He stood there.
didn't run away. while the robber held
the gun and continued to gorge his pock-
ct with silver and bills 1t was either
the look of determination on Mr.. Corco-
rams face or fear that a few seconds
more would bring recruits that caused
the robber to cease operations. How
ever, he seemed to wilt and soon began
still held the gun on the bartender. Be-
ing behind the bar, it was his intention
10 back out until the screen stood be-
tween him and the bartender There
was no other person in the barroom.
When he reached the cigar case just at
the left of the entrance to the saloon
and between the street door and the
glass partition screen doors. Coffee
jumped over the cigar case and, as he
no doubt thought, was safely headed
toward the street and liberty.
But 1t was right here that Mr.. Corco-
rams bravery asserted itself. No sooner
was the big thief over the cigar case than
Corcoran was right on top of him. He
rushed through those screen doors with
the agility of a bloodhound and grabbed
the thief by both hands, one of which
still held the big A. Then followed a
life or death struggle. Corcoran while
dealing with a powerful desperado, was
no slim Jim himself, standing about six
feet and weighing nearer 200 pounds
than $50. He soon had his man back
into the main room again. but in the
seuifie his wrist was rather badly cut
by coming in contact with the broken
glass of the screen. The robber fought
desperately but Corcoran was on top.
Finally the gun was wrenched from his
hand and thrown across the roopa-. Still
he struggled to kill the bartender. He
reached for q pocket to pull a razor, but
he didn't pull.
All of this occurred in the space of
few minutes and before the men in the
rear room knew what was really going
on in the front room. Just as the strug-
gle was at its height men from the rear
room rushed in and at a glance, noting
the nature of the combat one of them
ran to the sidewalk and vigorously blew
police whistle. Con OConnor, who
was standing across the street ran to
the City Hall saloon and from there he
n
Under Sheriff Joe DAILY responded and
soon had Coffee under arrest and in a
cell During the search of the prisoner
at the jail Coffee showed that he was.
or wanted to be, "A bad man. He warned
the officer tn have care or he would.
do him. But Mr.. Daily was not dis
posed to be done, and invited the man
to carry out his threats. The prisoner
said that he would hurt the officer, but
he was poked through cell door. and
all the harm that was done during the
whole proceeding was the cut on Mr..
corcoran's wrist, as stated.
few minutes after the occurrence in
the saloon one of the propretors, Pat
Sugrue, dropped in and took an inven-
tory of the assets of the register. There
was about $50 in the drawer when the
robber began his work. He had taken
about half of this and in the rough-and-
tumble all but $3.50 of ii had rolled out
of his pocket and onto the floor. One
silver dollar had rolled out near the
main door, and it was picked up by
Sheriff DAILY and returned to its owners
On the sidewalk near the door was
found the bartenders oyercoat in which
was concealed box of cigars This goes
to prove that the robber had already
began his work before entering the bar
room with the "growler." He saw the
coat, and thinking it was good thing
took it. also box of cigars to give to the
boys" for whom he evidently was after
beer.
Slim Coffee is notorious character
in Butte and Anaconda, where his
career is part of the criminal history of
the west side. Only recently he was
punished for fighting in this city. He
is said to be a cook or a cooks helper.
or a .dishwasher, or a dishwasher's as
sistant. He is undeniably hard nut
against whom a sure case is pending in
the court.
William Corcofan proved himself
man in every sense. 1t was by his BRAY
cry that the thief was caught and put
behind iron bars. He rushed onto des-
perate man, who held a big gun, and he
did it under circumstances that would
have in many instances set men to
thinking more about their own lives.
Yesterday Corcoran's friends congratu-
lated him and expressed the wish that
every man in town were like him. Cof.
fee is not a member of the Cooks and
Walters union.
A Serious gishap