The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-17
ROPES A boy BANDIT
Cowboy in New York Shows
His Skill.
R0BBER LEAPS INTO RIVER
Dodges the Lariat but Is
Finally Caught.


style Frank Stone, boy desperate, tried
70 rob the First National Bank of Hobo
ken Yesterday. aud, in the same real west
ern style, was captured by a cowboy who
lsssoed him from tug-boat when he
t1mped into the North river and started
90 swim to New York.
stone is only 10 years old. He arrived
In Hoboken two days ago with few
dollars. which he soon spent. On Wednes-
Gay night he broke into the saloon of
Hermann Hosner of No. 5l5 Madison
street, Hoboken, and stole the contents of
the till and shs is what caused the down
fall of young Stone. He thought he
would be able 10 pass check found there
of the First National mank, on which it
was drawn.
Stone went to the bank as soon as it
opened yesterday morning and presented
the check to Robert McCague, the cashier.
Mr.. McCague had been notified by the
saloon-keeper TO stop payment on the
check, and he started from behind his
counter to catch Stone.
Stone remained cool. AS soon as Nc
Cague left his place he grabbed at the
brass window and tried to force it open.
There was a great heap of bills stacked
in bundles of from 500 to 5000 behind
the grating, and Stone had almost sue
ceeded in tearing open the window when
McCague rushed around the far end of
the counter and made a run for him.
Stone ran ont of the front door, Nc
Cague shouted stop Their and gave
chase. He was joined in the street by
q crowd of citizens.
Detective Julius Nelson, head of the
detective bureau of Hoboken. was stand
ing a few blocks down the street. He
tried TO stop the fleeing youth, but Stone
lodged him and succeeded in gaining the
railroad tracks. Then, hiding behind
freight cars on the track, he evaded his
pursuers- and darted out On pier No. 8.
A herd of cattle had just been unloaded
from a train of cars and he wedged his
way among them.
Among the cattlemen in charge of the
animals in the pen was John Mendoza,
who has taken part in innumerable
round-ups in Texas and is skillful with
the lariat.
AS the pursuers rushed out onto the
pier, shouting Thief Mendoza took in
lie situation. He tried to stop Stone
from gaining the end of the pier. but
was unable to do So Stone worked his
way through the attic and stood on
the string-piece.
IF you don't stay where you are, will
shoot YOU" shouted the cowboy.
Shoot away, you will never take me
oil tl,o
as. he took off his coat and plunged into
the cold water of the North river.
Mendoza ran TO the end of the pier
pointed a revolver at the boy and or
dered him TO come back but Stone only
laughed at him and sang back: Good
bye Johnny, I must leave you.
The boy swan on, with an easy over
hand stroke, and was fast leaving his
pursuers behind, when a tug was hailed
from the pier and ordered by Detective
Nelson to stop. As soon as the pilot
was told what was the matter, he threw
loose the ropes which held him to a barge
.,he " as towing and came in TO take the
: detective on board.
Mendoza and several of the pursuers
Jumped on board and the pilot started.
full steam ahead, after the boy. They
soon overlook him. Mendoza was stand
ing on the lower deck of the tug. He
had found a small three-strand rope and
had improvised a lariat Of it. He swung
st about his head as the tug drew near
the boy.
You had better turn back and climb on
board this tug" cried the cowboy.
You can't make me-" answered Stone.
The boy watched sharply as Mendoza
swung the rope above his head. Then, as
the cowboy threw it and the moose was
dropping over his head. he ducl6ed under
the water. Again and again the cow
boy threw the lariat, but each time the
boy avoided it.
Ii was not until the cowboy tried STRAIT
egy that he was able to cast the moose
over the boys head. The tug had almost
run the boy down when he pretended to
throw the rope. but did not. The boy S
head went beneath the water and as he
came to the surface Mendoza cast the
moose over it.
The boy was then hauled on board. He
was almost frozen from being in the icy
water so long. but had rot lost his nerve
II gave you a good run for your money,
anyway he said.
Stone was taken to police headquarters
IF that tug had not come along / should
have reached New York all right" he said
last night Il fooled the cowboy a few
times. though / could see the rope com
Ing down over my head every time
ducked. l have good people in Cincin-
Snati. l ran away from home and went
with a circus last fall, and when they
broke up l was left in Pittsburg. 1 came
here from Pittsburg. 1 didn't try Il