The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-23
Four Passengers Shot and One of the
DesperadOes Believed to Have
Been Badly Wounded.
INSTRUCTIONS ON THE TRACK
MOTORMAN SAW THEM IN TINE TO
PREVENT WRECK.
Passenger Opened Fire on the Rob-
bers-General Exchange of Shots
FOlIOwed-Escape of Attackers.

Los ANGELES. Cal, March 22.--Three
masked robbers tried to hold up car on
the Los Angeles & Pacific Electric Railway
last night. and after pistol fight between
{. w. Henderson, a passenger, and one of
the robbers the other two highwaymen be-
gan shooting through the crowded car. HI.
A. Griswold, of Manson, Ia, was killed.
and three other persons were wounded. 1t
is believed one of the robbers was wounded,
but the three desperadoes escaped.
j. c. Cunningham, of Los Angeles, a
trunk manufacturer, was shot through the
left thigh. Ellis Pearson, of Sawtelle, was
shot through the left leg, and DR.. c. H.
Bowles, of Los Angeles, was shot through
the left hand Griswold was a wealthy
citizen of Manson. Ia. He came here sew
eral months ago with his mother.
The hold-up occurred at the head of
deep cut The robbers had placed a steel
rail. large bench and a cement barrel
on the track
Charles Curry. the motorman, saw the
obstruction when the car was several hun
dred yards from it and at once turned off
the current. When the car struck the OBJ
struction, three masked men sprang from
the weeds alongside the track. One boarded
the front end of the car and the other two
the rear end. The first man commanded the
passengers occupying the open seats to put
up their hands. One of them did not COM
ply and the thug fired a shot. Henderson
then opened fire on the robber shooting as
fast as he could pull the trigger. The rob-
Der turned his revolver on Henderson but
as he did so he was seen to bend over and
cry out. Then strengthening up he be-
gan shooting at the passengers in the front
seats. One OF his bullets struck Ellis Pear
son in the left leg. Henderson continued
firing and the robber was seen to fall.
In the meantime the two robbers who had
entered the rear door commanded the pas
sengers to raise their hands and most of
them did so. Before any attempt could be
made by the robbers to search the passen-
gers for their valuables the shooting began
on the front half of the car, which is open.
Then the other two robbers began shooting
right and left into the passengers in the
closed section of the car.
Griswold was seated about the middle Of
the car with his back turned toward the
robbers. At the command Hands up!" he
tried to secrete his watch under his legs
and one of the robbers, thinking he was
about to draw revolver, fired at him The
neck. He fell over on the lap Of his
mother.
DR.. c. H. Bowles was near the front door
and while he had his hands up one of the
bullets struck his left hand and shattered
| the bones. After emptying their revolvers
the robbers backed out of the door and
sprang off the car and disappeared.
The car proceeded with all possible speed
to Sawtelle. Griswold died before the car
had gone mile. He never spoke after he
was shot. and when his body was lifted
from the at Santa Monica his watch
was found under him on the seat. His
mother was covered with his blood and
was almost insane from fright and grief
The bullet which killed him grazed the
cheek of Miss Anna Funk, who was trav-
| cling with him. At Sawtelle Pearson was
| taken to his home. The other wounded
| persons were taken to Santa Monica and
| given surgical attention.
AS soon as the shooting was over Hender-
| son, who had fired at the robbers, sprang
| from the car and started to run. He ran
| into a wire fence and was knocked down.
| While lying on the ground he saw two Of
| the robbers run to a road, near by, climb
| into a buggy and drive toward Los Angeles.
| Every available officer was sent to the
| scene as soon as the news Of the robbery
| reached the city. but no trace of the rob-
| bers was found. The highwaymen Sc
| cured nothing whatever from the passen-