Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-01-17
MINNESOTA NEWS.
Saved by Nerve,

Pinned by his foot under the wreck
age of his dismantled engine, near
Dayton's bluff, St. Paul, with escap-
ing steam scalding his flesh and slow
ly torturing him to death, Engineer
c. j. Wood, of the Burlington road,
searched his pockets for his knife and
deliberately amputated his left foot
at the ankle.
Crawling away from the fury of
roaring steam he sat shivering in the
raw air staunching the flow of blood
with neckerchief until the. crew of
wrecked switch engine with which
an incoming freight train collided,
and several switchmen and brakemen
hurried to the scene and, placing him
upon another engine, took him to the
St. Paul union depot whence he was
removed to St. Joseph's hospital.
The wreck occurred at $3.50 in the
morning and was charged to the
dense fog. The freight train of which
Wood was engineer, was approaching
the city. Fog, gray and heavy dead
ened the switch lamps into faint
glimmers and baff]ed the rays of the
headlight. The rails glistened dimly
with clinging moisture and the long
train was sheathed with vapor.
Bold Bandits.
Within q stones throw of police
headquarters, Minneapolis, two des-
peradoes entered a saloon, and, at the
point of a revolver, commanded James
Massey, the proprietor of the place, to
throw up his hands.
Vasey did as he was commanded.
One of the robbers covered him with
his revolver while his accomplice
jumped behind the bar and rihed the
cash drawer of it's contents.
simultaneously, Detectives Crum-
mey and Brown pushed into the sa-
loon through rear door and, with
drawn revolvers, halted the two rob-
bers and commanded them to drop
their weapons. One of the despera-
does, VIM. English, who had been COW
ering Vasey with his gun while his
associate was gathering up the cash,
wheeled around and pointed his revol-
yer directly at Detective Crummey.
One of the robbers was caught but
the other escaped.
A Gambling Raid.
Tho city council and police force
made raid on the Northwest Hotel
at Tracy and bagged an elaborate
gamblers outfit. The floor of the room
! in which the paraphernalia was found
was thickly covered with heavy quilts
and blankets, to prevent any noise
from reaching adjoining rooms. War
rants have been issued for the arrest
of the gamblers. A confederate gave
them the tip before the papers could
be served and they Immediately left
for parts unknown. One of the saloon.
keepers is under surveillance for run.
ming a gambling-room. If the case car
be proven his license will be demanded
Immediately. Mayor Burlingame anC
the council are determined to rid the
town of the gambling fraternity.
A Bad Fire.
An early morning fire, wiped out
: the Opera House block at Elk River
the biggest building in the town
caused loss of $4,000, partially Gov
cred by insurance of $36,So0.
| The flames were discovered at :
: o'clock in the morning in the basement
| of the hardware store of the Roberts
/ Mercantile Company and rapidly
spread through the block
The volunteer fire department was
inadequate to the emergency, as mod.
ern apparatus was lacking, but the
citizens worked like Trojans to stay
the flames, and by the time apparatus
arrived from Minneapolis the fire was
| practically out.
Heavy Feeding.
Railway live stock agents state that