Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-23
CAR HELD UP
ONE PASSENGER KILLED AND
THREE WOUNDED.
Bold Work Of Three Bandits on Elec-
trio Road Near Los
Angeles.

dispatch from Los Angeles, Cal, yes
terday says: Three masked robbers at
tempted to hold up car on the Los An
geles Pacific electric line, running between
Los Angeles and Santa Monica, about
mile west of the city limits last night, and
after a pistol duel between c. w. Hender'
son, one Of the passengers, and one Of the
robbers, the other two highwaymen began
shooting right and left through the crowd
ed car. One passenger was killed and
three wounded. The dead:
H. A. Griswold of Mason, Iowa.
The wounded:
]. c. Cunningham Of Los Angeles. shot
through the left thigh; thigh bone broken;
serious.
Ellis Pearson of Sawtelle. shot through
the left leg.
DR.. C. H. Bowles of Los Angeles, shot
through the left hand.
1t is believed that one Of the robbers was
Mr.. Griswold was a wealthy citizen OF
Mason, Iowa. He came here several
months ago with his mother for the benefit
Of her health.
deep cut. The robbers had placed a steel
rail, large bench and a cement barrel on
the track.
Charles Curry. the motorman, saw the
dred yards from it, and at once turned off
the current and ran slowly to the place.
The moment the car struck three men
wearing masks over their faces sprang
from the weeds alongside the track. One
boarded the front end Of the car and the
other two the rear end. The first man
commanded the passengers to put up their
hands, and when one of them did not
comply he fired a shot. Henderson then
opened fire on the robbers. The robber
turned his gun upon Henderson, but as
he did so he was seen to bend over and
cry out as if in pain. Then Strengthening
the front seats. One of his bullets struck
Ellis Pearson in the left leg. Henderson
continued firing, and the robber was seen
to fall. The two robbers who had entered
the rear door commanded the passengers
to put up their hands, and most of them
did so. Before the robbers could search
the passengers the shooting began on the
outside of the car Then the other two
robbers began shooting right and left
among the passengers.
Griswold was seated about the middle Of
the car, with his back toward the robbers.
At the command Hands up!' he tried to
thinking he was about to draw a gun, fired
point blank at him. The bullet struck him
in the back of the neck, and he fell over
into the lap of his aged mother, who was
at his side
DR.. c. H. Bowles was near the front door,
and at the command Of the robbers he raised
his hands. When he had them in the air
one of the bullets from robbers revolver
struck his left hand and shattered the
bones.
After emptying their revolvers the rob-
bers backed out of the door, sprang off the
car and disappeared The car ran rapidly
to Sawtelle, the nearest point where medi-
cal aid could be secured. Griswold expired
before the car had gone mile. He did not
speak after he was shot, and when his body
was lifted from the car at Santa Monica his
watch was found under him on the seat.
Griswold's mother was covered with his
blood and was almost insane with fright
and grief. At Sawtelle Pearson was taken
to his home. The other wounded persons
were taken to Santa Monica.
Henderson, who had fired at the robbers
sprang from the car and ran across a vine
yard. He saw two of the robbers climb
into buggy and drive toward this city.
officers were sent to the scene, but no
trace of the robbers was found. Owing to
the confusion practically no description of
the men was secured.
The general manager of the companv
stated that the company will offer reward
of $1,000 for the capture of each of the rob-
bers. The highwaymen secured nothing
from the passengers. Inside the car were
thirty or more passengers, and more than
ten shots were fired. Bullets were found
Embedded in the woodwork in many places
When the car eached this civ