The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-20
HELD UP THE NIGHT CLERK.
Masked MEN RAID THE NEW
WESTERN HOTEL.
Employe In Charge Forced to Hand
Over His watch and Money While
Two Revolvers Were Pointed nj
His Headline Robbers Escape.

The ONCE OF the New Western hotel. ST.
Third avnue, was raided by two masked
men few minutes after o'clock yester-
day morning
P. J. Sullivan. the night clerk. who was
alone at the time, was reduced to SUBJ
mission by several strong threats and the
unpleasant proximity of two loaded re-
volvers in the hands OF the intruders. He
was marched out from behind the desk
with his hands elevated toward the cell
ing. While in this unpleasant position
his pockets were searched, one of the In
truders operating on each side and he was
relieved of gold watch and chain worth
$40 and about 81 in cash. the latter tho
property of the hotel management. being
the receipts for the evening.
The robbers then led the clerk back to
room in the rear of the main lobby and
made their escape down a back stairway
into the alley. The police secured fairly
accurate descriptions OF the men from the
clerk. but have as yet been unable to find
to trace of them.
The Office where the holdup took place
Is a long narrow room. At one side Of the
end toward the street is the main en-
trance, while directly opposite and only
few feet distant is the clerks counter.
Night Clerk Sullivan was behind this
counter engaged attending to some mat
tiers connected with his books when the
first of the robbers entered.
This man was several feet ahead OF his
companion" said the clerk last night.
when asked for his story Of the robbery.
1T looked up and saw him standing Just
across the counter from me. covering me
with his bright. nickel-plated revolver.
every chamber OF which seemed to be
loaded He told me 10 keep quiet. had
no desire to do otherwise and stood still
with my hands on the counter. In the
meantime his companion had entered. sim
ilarly armed. The frs- man stepped
around behind the counter and tried to
open the TIM He could not do so. as 1t Is
a key AFFAIR and he did not know the
combination. He then commanded me TO
open II for him. did so and he pulled 1t
out and examined it's contents. He found
no money there. ms II Is the custom for
the clerk during the late hours of the
night to carry the money on his person.
The safe. which stands at one end OF the
counter, attracted his attention, and he
asked me n could open It. told him
could not and that seemed to satisfy him.
"Thsy then turned their attention to me.
commanding me 10 hold up my hands
ana to march out In front of the counter.
They got me out In the center OF the OF
nee and went through my pockets, one Of
tfAein working each side keeping me COW
cred with the guns and my hands IN the
ar ell the time. They took my gold watch
ana chain and the money belonging to the
hotel about SIT.
"The search completed they walked me
to the back Of the once and out into the
small room In the rear. It was dark In
there, but they todd me to keep quiet. ana
hoard them running down the back
stairs that lead into the alley.
.'No one entered the ONCE while they
were IN there, but had no more than got
TX to the desk and was preparing TO
- sphone the police than ono OF the guests
came in and asked him 10 give the
alarm.
'.rhe robbers were both short men. one
about Ave feet Ave inches and the other
perhaps an inch or so less. For masks
they wore blue bandana handkcrchiefs
over the lower part Of their faces and
their soft black hats were pulled down
we'll over their eyes. They were very
poorly dressed and to me looked like ho-
hos. l had noticed neither OF them around
here, although the way in which they
proceeded showed their familiarity with
the premises" $50