Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-07-08
Bound, Gagged and Robbed.

W. F. Markell, bookkeeper for ]. Kas-
per, proprietor of the Chicago Dry Goods
Store situated on Fast Main street, had
an exciting tussle with two robbers in the
store this morning about I2:3o. The
story is best told in Mr.. Markell's own
words
after the store closed for the evening,
about 9:3o, Mr.. Kasper and myself made
up the cash and went down town, as l
do not retire very early during the warm
weather. did not return to the store,
where l sleep, until about midnight.
sat down at the desk to do some CORES
pondence, and a rap came to the front
door Of the store. Thinking that it was
probably friend of mine, Ray, who is
employed at the Bee Hive, l went for
ward and found two men, both we'll
dressed, standing at the entrance. The
larger Of the two spoke up and said, We
have made the rounds of all the stores
trying to get pair Of Shoes whereupon
! said, Cannot you wait until morning p
He replied that they were going out to
Grangeville before any Of the stores
would be open, and it would be quite an
accommodation il l would make them
the sale. l admitted the men, and the
smaller man of the two started to try ON
q shoe, when his confederate asked if
did not have something in heavier stock.
turned to get the kind desired, when
the larger man Of the pair pounced upon
me from behind and the other one pro-
ceeded to the front of the store-whethcr
it was to watch the door, or possibly there
might have been confederate outside
whom he wished to signal, don't know.
At any rate was getting the best Of my
man in the tussie, notwithstanding he
had hit me stunning blow on the cheek
and was endeavoring to tie me with tarred
rope. He was not able to accomplish this.
SO called for his pal, and Of course I was
overpowered, my hands tied behind me,
and my feet and legs tightly bound.
"The larger one Of the bandits then
demanded the money sack. at the time
producing a revolver. l replied, We
have no sack when he said Won are q
c. d liar, and if you do not pro-
duce it forthwith you will be murdered,
as we saw two Of you making up the cash
and take the sack to the back part of the
store
~ saw it was useless to further demur,
SO gave the sack which contained about
5000 in gold, silver and currency.
"They took bath towel from the coun-
ter, twisted the same, put it across my
Fuouth, securely fastened it, and began to
tpilfer me for my jewelry. They first took
my watch. unsnapping it from the chain
and throwing the chain on the floor on
account, l suppose, of its being worth
little or nothing, being cheap affair
had two diamond rings and an opal
on my fingers, and they fitted rather
snugly, and the robbers experienced some
trouble in removing them. However
they slipped knife between the fingel
and rings, and extricated them, cutting
the finger some.
"The jewelry lost is worth over f2o'
and ahsr they secured it, they mad,
their exit without molesting any of the
goods. was in peculiar position, OF
my Blended knees, bound hand and foot
besides being gagged, but by superhu
man efforts | crawled to the front door
and about 3 O'Clock passerby, Mr.
Alexander, after several minutes released
me-"
Mr.. Markell, after giving the robber
the money, stated to them that if he hat
had a weapon he would not have giver
up SO easily, when the larger would-b'
murderer of the two said, 81 have no
tion to plug you one anyway" Mr.
Markell, being very angry, replied
"Plug away, you dirty coward"
| Neither one Of the robbers was masked
both were we'll dressed. and are described
by Markell as follows: The larger on,
is aged about 40, weight about 200 pounds
light mustache, about a two weeks crol
Of beard, and wore mixed gray suit
The smaller one is between the age of 8
and 40, weight about $50 or 100, darl
mustache, and wore a checkered gra,
suit
In commenting upon the tussle MI
Markell stated that he always carried
revolver in his waistband. but it was il
the way while writing at the desk and h
had just placed it upon shelf and ha'
it been in its usual place he could hav
. pumped the larger robber full of hole
and would have never stopped until h
emptied its contents. The reporter sug
gested that in that case the confederat
might have retalisted by numbering him
to which Markell quickly replied, "Wel
you would know who one Of the robber
was. at any rate"
, He continued the interview by saying
81 don't care for my own loss, but it
the cash my employer loses that worrie
me. can easily know either one of tn
robbers, and if can get glimpse @
either of them his life will not be wortl
much to him.
At the time of going to press the rob
bers have not been apprehended.
| IL Il