The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-10
THREE DARING HOLD.UPS
Two Occurred Saturday Night, the Other
Last Night
ALL TOOK PLACE IN THE THIRD WARD
That Portion of the City in Inky
Darkncss-One of the Victims
Chloroformed.

Three daring hold-ups. two OF which
were entirely successful, have occurred
In Houston during the past two nights.
All three took place in the Third ward,
which, from the fact that not single
electric light has been burning in that
section of the city for the past week, al
fords an ideal field for operations by foot
pads and thugs.
The most recent OF the outrages oc-
Cured at $3.50 last night, at the corner
Of Crawford street and Polk avenue, the
victim being Mr.. Otto S. Knobelsdorfr,
an attache of the German Gazette ana
| Advertiser of this city. Mr. Knobesdorn
was walking past the corner named when
| he was suddenly accosted by two white
men, who, first making sure that he was
| not in a condition to defend himself went
| through his pockets and secured $40 in
| cash and lottery ticket. After satisfying
themselves that their victim had nothing
more of value on his person, the thugs
released Mr.. Knobelsdorff and disappeared
! In the inky darkness which prevails
| throughout that section of the city. The
matter was reported at the police station,
but Mr.. Knobelsdorff was able TO give no
| information which would lead to the de-
lection of his assailants further than to
say that they were white men and that
one was larger than the other.
~
Mr.. william j. Taylor travelling sales
man for the Washburn- Moen Manufacture
ing company. had quite narrow escape
from the thieves who seem to abound in
that vicinity between Q and 10 o'clock
/ Sat ioht IJa bn re
OF lis pockets and perhaps some rough
usage by a quick dodge and the use of
the extremely strong lungs with which
the people who were in the neighborhood
at the time of the attempted hold-up
claim he is blessed.
Mr.. Taylor resides at No. 712 La Branch
street and was on his way thither at the
time already mentioned He had reached
| point on Capitol avenue between Caroline
and San Jacinto streets when he noticed
two men approaching him When they
met the two strangers separated. allow
ing Mr.. Taylor to pass between them, and
as he did so one of the thugs aimed a
vicious blow at Mr.. Taylors head with a
weapon the nature of which he did not
stop to investigate. Mr. Taylor saw the
movement of the fellows arm and lodged
the result being that the blow which was
intended to fell him landed in an indirect
manner, much OF its force being lost there
by. Mr.. Taylor then began TO demon
strate his vocal powers, and several people
who were in the neighborhood at the time
hurried to his assistance. One Of these a
gentleman who was only very short dis
lance away, saw the would-he robbers es-
Gaping in the darkness when Mr.. Taylor
began to shout. The st. Andrews cadets,
who were drilling a block or so distant,
were soon on the scene.
49,
BY far the most serious Of the three
hold-ups was that which occurred shortly
after 1890 Saturday night at the corner
of Walker avenue and Fannin streets. The
unfortunate victim of this affair was q
young man named Camp, son of Con-
tractor w. T. Camp, and the assault made
upon him was murderous one.
Young Camp left the Capitol hotel where
he had been with party of friends, aud
started for home about 1925 On arriving
at the corner mentioned above he was as
saulted by two men who, he says, were
either negroes or white men wearing black
masks. One of the thugs struck Camp q
crashing blow on the head with a sand
bag. The other man caught him as he
fell, and the two then went through his
pockets, securing some IS or 50 In cash
for their trouble. They then passed q
cloth, probably saturated with chloroform
over the victims face and disappeared in
the darkness.
Camp immediately became unconscious
and lay in that condition until 1915. when
he recovered and began to shout for as
sistance. His cries were first heard ny
Messrs. Arthur Chase and A. y. Meals
who, having attended the rehearsal of an
opera at Turner hail. had Just retired IN
their rooms at the boarding house on the
corner of Rusk and Fannin streets. Hast
lily dressing, they proceeded in the drec-
frOt ba nria fnr hal r.
ed, and finally discovered the victim OF
the hold-up lying on the sidewalk at the
northeast corner of Walker and Fa"nlr
streets. He was unable to rise and was
still crying vigorously for help. Mr..
Charles T. Palmer who lives in the neigh
hood, and others who had been extracted
by the cries soon arrived on the scene and
Camp was carried into nearby residence
where he was given medical attention
He complained of a severe pain in his
head, but in an hour recovered from the
more serious effects of his experience and
was conveyed to his home in carriage.
Neither Of the two affairs which oc-
Cured Saturday night were reported TO
the police, according to statement made
to reporter for The Post at tho station
Yesterday Mr.. Meals, who was the first
TO reach the injured man. states that
among others present before Camp was
taken home We're two officers of the 20.
! lice force. one of whom was a sergeant
and the other a patrolman.
The lack OF lights In the Third ward
was brough; about by The fire in the Carl
tol hotel auroA week ago this morning
The electric plant connected with the hotel
has furnished the power for some Of the
city lights ever since the boiler cXpiosion
at the plant of the Citizens Electric Light
company in tie Second ward, and lis The
hotel machinery was damaged somewhat
by the hames il was found necessary to
cut of some Of the connections. MIR. Guam
man of the light company told Post re-
rorteF last Monday evening lha. he hoped
10 be able TO make the necessary arrange
ments that night, but the Third ward ana
some other portions of the city have been
IN Egyptian darkness ali week.
The situation Is more than ssriou,