Amador ledger., 1903-02-13
MICHIGAN BAR HOLD-UP
The Post Office Robbed and Store
keeper Sendbagged.

AOOub y U ClOch OuuudE evening bHt
general store of Mr.. Heath, at Michigan
Bar, just across the Amador line, il
Sacramento county, was the scene of {
bold hold-up aud robbery. A trustee
clerk named Patterson was the victim
The perpetratOr of the deed, who's
name was at first reported to be Mar
shall-an ex-convict jus! rel a-ed from
the penitentiary-wa in the store Wi !
several others for some time prior Il
the robbery. He tarried until the
other visitors departed. but showed nc
disposition to leave himself
Mr.. Patterson, who for twenty years
has been in charge OF the store and
the postoffice, informed the stranger
shortly before O'Clock that he intend.
ed to close up for supper. The stranger
thereupon drew revolver aud ordered
Mr.. Patterson to turn over his cash.
| Moses Patterson is pioneer, and
twenty years ago was able to hold his
own in any kind of a scrimmage, but
age aside, he was at disadvantage.
He resisted as best he could, but the
stranger, who was strong and sturdy,
kheld him off while he rified the cash
box and went through the postoffice
till
Coming from behind the counter, the
| robber told Patterson to hand over the
sack in which the telephone funds we're
kept, but Patterson refused to do so,
and the r0bber struck out with his left
hand-Mr, Patterson thinks with a
lsandbag-and when the old man re-
gained consciousness the robber had
decamped.
L. M. Parker, who several years ago
was collector and solicitor for the ANA
dor Republican, and afterward pro-
prietor of the Enterprise livery stable
in Jackson, is constable in Consumes
township. in which the crime was COM
mitted. He kept watch over the bridge
over the river near Michigan Bar DUR
| ing Sunday night, and Monday morn
ing got on the trail of the robber on
the Amador side. 1t seems he ap-
peared at Frank McCulloh's place near
Forest Home, and asked for food. He
then followed him to the Excl mine.
where the desperado had tarried for a
short time, The constable vas accom-
panied by two others in his man
hunting excursion. He started cut
armed only with revolver, but at
Ekels place, on the advice of persons
there, borrowed repeating shotgun,
loaded with buckshot. He secured a
complete description of the robber from
those who were in the store previous
10 the crime. About mile from
Latrobe the man wanted was observed
in the road ahead. Parker and his
companions were in buggy. When
within about 80 yards the constable
had the buggy stopped, and got down
into the road, and called to the stranger
to throw up his hands, at the same
time covering him with the shotgun.
Instead of complying, the man drew a
revolver from his pocket aud opened
the battle. Parker started to shoot in
reply, but after the first shot she'll
got jammed in the pump gun, and
before he could get the weapon in firing
order again, the bandit had fired two
more shots, both fortunately going
wild. AT the next shot by Parker the
man dropped. He was not killed out
right, but his wounds it was thought
would result fatally. The buckshot
struck him in the face and back, and
one or two ertered the abdominal cavi-
ty. The sum of $40 in gold, So in silver,
and $S. 95 in small coins was found in
his pockets, also three letters with the
stamps uncancelled which had been
taken from the postoffice. There can
be no question about the identity of the
robber. The wounded man gives his
name as Clifford Read, and that his
home is in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his
mother is living. He said he had been
in California for some time. He re-
fused to give any detailed account of
his travels, or of the shooting. He
was taken to the Sacramento hospital.
The physicians hold out little hope of
his recovery.
While giving his name as Read, it is
claimed that he is the ex-conviot Mar
shall. 1t seems that he was a passenger
on the Talbot stage line from Sacra-
mento to Sutter Creek on the day
previous to the robbery. He acted in
manner to awaken suspicion on the
road. At Michigan Bar and at r. F.
Aliens place at Forest Home he ex-
amined the door fastenings, and the
front and rear entrances. He went
with the stage clear to Sutter Creek
Saturday, and on the following day
walked back to the scene of the crime;
apparently having selected on his way
up the Michigan Bar store as the most
favorable place for his exploit.
Sheriff Norman and constable Kelly
of lone started out in pursuit, working
from lone to Forest Home. They
came upon the cabin in which he had
passed Sunday night on the Amador
side. He evidently crossed into Ell
Dorado county by the old Lambs