The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-12
SAM ROWLAND HAD
DESPERATE BATTLE
Attempt to Hold Up and Rob
Texas Youth
WHO BEAT THEM OFF
Ben WoIkoW and Charles Ash
craft Are Arrested.

Samuel Rowland Of Hillsboro, Tex,
had desperate fight for his life with
two men who attempted to hold up and
rob him last night about 10 O'Clock at the
alley interesting Main and Water streets
on Second. Ben Wolkow. who keeps a
second hand store at 604 East Douglas
avenue. and Charles Ashcraft, a barber
employed at the shop at 500 East Douglas
avenue, were arrested and occupy cells
at the city jail, charged with the hold
up and assault
AS soon after the hoId-up and assault
as was possible. Rowland reported the
| matter to the police. Policemen Sutton
and Peniweil were detailed on the case
and within two hours they had Wolkow
and Ashcraft installed in jail charged
with the crime.
When seen after the affair was over and
the two men named in the foregoing had
been lodged in jail, Rowland gave the
following story of the attempted hold-up
and assault to a reporter for the Eagle:
Il arrived in Wichita yesterday morn
ing from Pratt, and am on my way to
L
have been at Pratt, working at the car
penter trade for some time. / met the
man. whose name l have since learned
is Wolkow, last evening about O'Clock.
We walked about town some and later
met the man Ashcraft. Wicklow intro
duced Ashcraft to me as a friend. We
visited several places after becoming ac-
uuainteu and had lunch on West Doug
las avenue. 1t was then suggested by
| \, olkow that we take a walk. AS l am
a stranger here, / didn't know where we
were going, but thought that We were
getting pretty far from the principal
part of the city. When at an alley
just off of Main street. Ashcraft,
who was walking on one side,
of me and Wolkow on the other, wheeled
suddenly and struck me terrific blow in
the mouth with a revolver. At about the
same time Wolkow struck me a heavy
blow on the back of the head. For mo-
ment a came near losing my senses.
Quickly recovering. however. I hurled my
self on one of the men and threw him
TO the ground AT the same time the
other began beating me over the head
with revolver. I did not have time TO
shout for help as it all occurred so quick
ly. When | released the men l had
thrown to turn on the other, he ran and
when / turned my attention to the man
| had on the ground, he sprang TO his
feet and also made off in the darkness.
By that time my head was whirling from
the effects of the punishment l had re-
| ceived and 1 came near fainting. After
pausing long enough to recover, I made
my way to Main street and notified the
police
Rowland is a young man scarcely older
than % or 23 years. He is powerfully
built however. otherwise the men would
have undoubtedly have beaten him into
insensibility and robbed him. He carried
large sum of money, which he displayed
at the different places where the three
men stopped during the evening and at
the place where they took lunch That is
supposed to be what the robbers were
after.
Early this morning Rowland accom-
panied the police to the station where he
identified Wolkow and Ashcroft as being
the men who assaulted him and attempt
ed to hold him up. y state warrant will
be sworn out against them some time
today.
When seen shortly after his experience
Rowland presented terrible sight His
clothes were torn his face and hands
bloody and his mouth was badly
cut by the revolver with which he
was struck first The men did not succeed
in getting any of his money, and he is
only a little the worse for wear as re-
suit of the encounter. 1t will require sew
eral days. probably. for the wounds on
his face to heal.
Policemen Penniwell and Sutton, after
they had secured Il description of VOL
kow and Ashcraft. went Immediately to
the homes OF the two men in their search
for them. They found woikow. who lives
in room at his store, in bed, and Ash
craft was found at his room over 800 East
Douglas avenue, where he works.