Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-09-09
Thugs STAY AND ROB.
MASKED ROBBERS KILL CHI
CAGO STREET CAR MEN.
Victims are Shot Down In Cold Blood
and $4,000 in Cash Taken-Crimin-
ais Show an Intimate knowledge of
Their Surroundings.

Masked hold-up men stormed the office
of the Chicago City Railway Company
at Sixty-hrst and State streets early
Sunday morning, shot two men 10 death,
seriously wounded a third and gave a
fourth slight wound. Having thus rem
dered harmless the Office employees, the
robbers snatched up $1,000 in greenbacks,
which were lying on the counter, and de-
eamped. About 81 500 IN silver inclosed
in small bags was left by the thieves.
who did their work calmly. carefully and
with a show of absolutely correct knowl-
edge of the situation.
The deadly fusillade and the quick
purloining of the cash occupied alto
gether about three minutes time. The
thieves, said 10 have been three in num-
Der, ran from the Office on completing
their work and leaped cont of an open
window into a vacant lot just south of
the building. They scrambled through
the tall weeds and, protected by dark
ness, are supposed to have worked their
way south.
1t was just 3 O'Clock when the first
incident of the tragedy took place. In
the office where the receipts of the State
street 01st street, 63d street and other
lines of the Chicago City Railway Com
pany are turned in by conductors and
accounted for. Frank Stewart, Henry
Biehl and William b. Edmond were at
work. In an outer room John Il. John
son, an extra" motorman, lay asleep
on bench, awaiting an early run. At
other points scattered about the big barn
forty men were at work or asleep. The
big structure was in semi-darkness, with
the exception of the little Office, where
brilliant illumination was necessary 10
count the money and make up the books.
The silence of early morning hung over
AZ.
Suddenly there was a slight crash, oc-
casioned by Il breaking window pane.
Through the aperture and beneath
heavy wire grating that served as a pro-
lection 10 the windo Nthe stumpy black
muzzle of a Colt magazine revolver was
thrust. A mere moment had elapsed-a
period barely sufficient for the startled
occupants of the office 10 realize what
was happening-and the room was being
swept by a hail of bullets. The hand
that operated the trigger i>ld the eye that
guided the fusillade were invisible in the
outer darkness, while those within the
office doomed up conspicuous targets In
the bright light ~
At the first shot Stewart fell with a
fatal bullet blowing through his abdomen.
Biehl, who was standing beside. him.
dropped to the floor behind n table and
crept to a wardrobe that afforded hid
ing place, Edmond was at work within
the cashiers cage and had scarcely time
to look up when the shower of bullets
was directed toward him. One pierced
his thigh and he fell in agony. Abandon
ing their ambuscade at the window the
robbers rushed into the barn and on to
the entrance to the room where their
victims lay. There they encountered
Johnson, who had been startled from his
sleep by the fusillade and, rubbing his
eyes, was running out in alarm. Without
word, a shot was directed at him and
he fell dead.
Within the blood-stained shambies
where tie robbers had directed their vol
ley Edmond had crawled across the floor
of his cage to sound the burglar alarm.
He reached the mechanism too late. A
blow from sledge hammer directed by
one of the robbers in an effort to force
ali entrance 10 the fUOMt ndt severed ODe
operating wires. The wounded man then
reached for ais revolver TO protect the
bundles of paper money lying on the desk
above his head. As he looked up at
the gate he saw one of the robbers CON
fronting him and covering him with a
big revolver.
Drop that" commanded the fellow
and Edmond obeyed. The fellow then
ordered the survivors to get out Ed
mond was the only one to make response
He declared weakly that he was unable
to move.
iAfter making hi1a turn over. with his
face 10 the floor, the hold-up men swept
up the money from the desk and depart
ed. making their exit through room at
the south end of the Office. from which
window opened on to q vacant lot to the
south of the building. All the paper
money was takea and divided, the mem
bers Of the band filing their pockets with
the plumber. \ large bag of coin lying
close at hand was spurned by the fell
lows.