Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-08-30
Marks of Robbers Fingers on
tho Throat.

ASSA ~ VI ASSO0SA0 1xAGOx . VII
tho Throat.
For the first time since the
brutal attack upon him by rob-
bers on the North Western-Ch
cagc-Omaha sleeper last Wednes-
day night or Thursday morning,
Mr. II Il Balch, assistant cashier
OF the Omaha national bank, re-
turned to consciousness yesterday.
He was able to recognize his wife
and to smile at her a moment be-
fore relapsing into the comatose
state that has been the most alarm
ing feature of his condition. His
physician stated that MIR Ba!cA,
although still very i'll, is on the
sure road to recovery.
When seen yesterday by re-
porter for the World Herald, Mis-
Balch spoke freely OF the tragic
night aboard tue sleeper. In her
opinion the robbery was the work
of two men, who entered the
sleeper from the day coach.
"These men, she said, clad
probably been through the sleeper
during the day and had formed
their own idea as to what passen
gers had money and vnluables.
Our berths We're nearest the day
coach. The berth of Mr. Amoretti
was separated from that of Mr.
Balch by sections s and 9. In these
sections were several Young
women, plainly dressed, who dis
played little or no jewellery. Mrs
Amoretti, however, had on her
fingers several beautiful diamonds,
which she concealed between the
mattresses when she went to bed
The robbers had doubtless decided
during the day to rob Mr. Balch
and secure the diamonds of Mrs
Amoretti. They succeeded in the
first design, but failed to get the
diamonds, and obtained only
small amount of money from Mr.
Amoretti.
r cit is my theory" Mrs Ba|cl
added, g. that one man took ON
side of the car and the second
highwnyman the opposite ii 7e
The man who attacked Mr. Palch
certainly met with stout resist
snce. He clutched Mr. Balch 10y
the throat and the finger marks
are still to be seen. The thumb
mark on the left side of the neck
is now as large and de6nate as at
first Mr. Balch's arms are black
and blue and the muscles are
swollen and knotted, showing that
he struggled desperately with his
: assailant. Finding that he could
not secure the pockethook he was
seeking the robber probably urged
his companion to come to his as.
sistance. | think il was the sec.
ond man who struck the blows in
. flicting the wounds in the head,
for in his delirium MIR Balch has
kept repeating:
ooh! that other fellow, tina,
: other fellow"
I CATER striking the blows the
robbers took not only the pocket
!, book, but the coat, which is of blue
: flannel striped with white. MI
Balch usually places his money
n in his vest and puts the vest un-
der the pillow. That night, how
' ever, he was only wearing the coat,
9 his vest being packed in his grip.
When he went to bed he thrusi
the pocketbook into the outside
breast pocket of the coat, which
fastens with q button. The rob.
j bers seem to have known this. A
t description of the coat has been
sent to many points and is tho
only clue to the robbers"
d Mrs Balch heard a slight sound
l. at about the time the robbery
was committed. LIT WAS like sOmt
one breathing with difficulty o,
/ struggling restlessly in night
: mare, but she paid no attention tc
it then and did not recall the cir
cumstance until afterwards.
y Mrs Balch thinks that the rob.
bers, after having secured the
' pocketbook, found that they ha6
spent great deal of time in get
ting ii and were afraid to continue
h their raid through the sleeper
: World Herald.
John Coe, who has recently re
8 turned from Chicago, where h,
e has been WORKING for the mast two