Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-29
Hot Chase Of Posse Shots Exchanged
--Andover Booty ReCovered--The
Other Still Missing.
At AHooveR.

Andover. Ne, May 2s.-Two men
who entered the post office here. early
this morning. wrecked the safe and
building and carried away money and
postage stamps to the amount of
$1,000, were arrested in the woods at
lioXbury Notch, this afternoon. after
they had been surrounded by i posse
of citizens headed by two deputy shcr-
it's and the plumber recovered.
When the robbers found themselves
surrounded in the woods, they refused
TO surrender and several shots were
! fired before they gave themselves up.
| Finally, however. they saw it would
| be useiess to resist and consented to
go quietly TO the lookup at Rumford.
| after turning over to All officer Il grip
containing the stolen money and
stamps. They will be arraigned, to-
morrow morning.
The burglars gained entrance to the
post Office building by forcing a Win
| dow with tools stolen from Keith :
blacksmith shop. In blowing the safe
| either nitro glycerine or dynamite was
| used and the job was done in very
| thorough manner. The safe was liter
| ally blown to pieces and the interior of
| the post office building was almost
| completely wrecked. Everything of
value that the safe contained was TAX
| en-, but the letters in the office We're
| not disturbed.
Although the robbers made good
| their escape before anybody arrived on
| tho there little 1p1rhf that
! they were two in number as indicated
| by tracks which were found leading
| in the direction of RoXbury Notch.
! The building in which the post Office
| is located is small one-story struc
! ture, situated within l. feet of the
| residence of Postmaster Henry NJ.
| Thomas. Ill connection with the post
| office, Mr.. Thomas conducts fruit
and confectionery business.
Although the sound of the explosion
| was heard by residents of other sec
lions of the town. Mr.. Thomas and his
| family were not awakened and knew
nothing OF the occurrance until
aroused by the excited voices of their
| neighbors.
A hasty examination OF the post Of
| flee was then made and posse num-
bering so men Immediately organized
and started in pursuit of the robbers
whose tracks leading in the direction
of Rumford, could be easily followed.
The robbers kept to the road and the
citizens had no trouble in following
them until Roxbury Notch was reach
cd. but at this point the tracks led into
the woods and there the trail was lost
securing about the country for
several hours the posse broke up and
all, with the exception of Frank =.
Thomas and Ferdinando NJ. Thomas,
returned to their homes. These men
continued the search alone and about
noon were successful in locating the
men for whom they were looking. AS
they were unarmed. and the fugitives
appeared to be rather dangerous indi-
viduals they decided to go for assist
ancc and the officers at Rumford Falls
were notified. Deputy Shcriffs Fl. L.
Elliot and Fred A. Porter at once
started for the scene.
On the way number OF recruits
were gathered and when they arrived
in Roxbury the woods was surrounded.
Then the line was drawn in gradually
and when they reached the center of
the woods the men were found. They
resisted strongly and several shots
were fired before they surrendered.
Both men were armed and one OF them
also had a razor.
The grip containing the plundor,
about $500 in stamps and $f00 in cash.
was found with them and taken by the
officers.
The men were Immediately taken to
Rumford Falls and placed in the lock-
up. They will be arraigned in the po-
lice court. tomorrow morning.
They gave their names as Robert
McLain and John Jenkins of Detroit,
Mich.