The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-21
All Were Seated in Conversation
When the Two Robbers Entered
the Room.
ONE MAN PARTIALLY MASKED
THE OTHER SEEMED CARELESS OF
PROBABLE RECOGNITION.
While the Group Held Hands Up
One RObber Got $11 from the
Money Drawer.

Business was quiet in Pat Coleman's sa-
loon, 1240 West Washington street about
$3.50 o'clock last night when two men en-
tered the front door and walked around
the screen that shields the bar. Business
then became good for the two men. Cole
man, who is a genial host, was entertaining
six of his customers, seated at tables. when
the two men entered. He supposed that it
was some Of the Dyes coming in for their
nightcaps and was not prepared for the
sudden command, Hands up" and the
sudden appearance of two big. cleaning
revolvers pointed directly at the group.
Among those in the group were Charles
Polcer, 1924 West Washington street;
George Mason. 90 Bloomington street: Ben
Howard, 1913 West Market street. and Mark
Fulton, 1896 West Washington street. They
and two other men were equally as unpre
pared. The seven complied unanimously
with the request.
The two men were evidently well pre-
pared for their undertaking. Their deter
mined manner brought the instant response
to their command. Seeing that no re-
sistance was to be offered they carried out
their programme quickly. The largest one
passed his revolver to the smallest one,
who kept both pointed at the group where
fourteen hands were held high. Then he
walked quickly behind the bar pulled open
the cash drawer, took out all the money,
returned to the side of his partner and,
keeping the revolver still pointed at the
group. backed out the front door.
AS soon as the men were gone Coleman
and his customers took their hands down
and rose to their feet. They found, by
moving their feet, that they could reach
the door. BY the time they reached the
door they could see nowhere either of the
two men. They notified the police and BIZ
cycle Patrolmen Morgan and Simon hur-
ried to the saloon. BY the time the police
got there the spectators to the robbery
were able to talk freely and lucidly about
It. The melodrama was so simple that
there was no confusion as to the facts.
The two men were evidently skilled work.
men. Only few minutes before Coleman
and several customers had been about the
bar.
THE MELODRAMA.
The men came in with a quick step and
a quick command of Hands up!' The
saloon is we'll lighted, and the picture they
presented with the screen as a background
was one the little group will long remem-
Der. The tallest of the two men was about
five feet nine inches high. smooth-faced,
with cold gray eye. He wore dark cap,
a dark coat and light trousers. His weight
was guessed at 145 pounds and his age
about thirty years. The other was about
five feet two inches tall, stockily built
with a round, smooth face. He wore a soft
black hat, light coat, blue shirt and dark
trousers. He weighed about 10 pounds and
appeared several years younger than his
companion. He was more cautious than his
companion, handkerchief tied about his
face concealed his features below the eyes.
The men stood side by side with their re-
volvers pointed directly at the group, which
was not more than ten feet from them.
Several of the group had their feet on the
tables, so that in responding to the COM
mand Hands up" they found themselves
in very trying position. The members
thought of these ludicrous features and
many others after the excitement was over.
When the two men became satisfied there
was to be no resistance the larger one
went expeditiousy for the money drawer.
He took out the money, stuffed 1t in his
pocket and without word joined his COM
panion in the retreat. At this time there
were many people passing in the street,
yet no one has been found who saw the
two men enter and leave.
Such a remarkably bold robbery has not
been reported to the police for a long time.
The supposition is that the two men did
not expect to find more than two or three
in the room, as some of those seated at the
tables could not be seen from the door.
For their effort the robbers gained Sill and
the title to the championship for robbery
at least for 1903.