The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-26
WOMAN BATTLES
WITH ROBBER
ANNA GILMORE FIGURES IN A
DESPERATE, ENCOUNTER.
He Attacked Her While She Was Re-
turning from the Theater with a
Friend, and Despite Her Plucky
Fight He Secured Her Purse and
Escaped.

One of the most daring highway
robberies ever recorded in the annals
Of Minneapolis criminology was that
perpetrated at the intersection of
Seventh avenue S and Eighth street
last night at II o'clock, when a young
street and her purse Wrested from her
despite her determined resistance and
the screams of her companion.
The victim of the robbery was Miss
Anna Gilmore. She resides with her
parents at the corner of Seventh ave-
nue. S and Eighth street, and the rob
berry took place at her very doorstep.
In company with Miss Babcock, a
friend, Miss Gilmore had attended the
Lyceum theater last night, and after
the close of the performance started
for her home, walking thru Eighth
street. The young woman reached
the corner opposite from Miss Gill
more's home when they noticed a
dressed man approaching them.
They were directly beneath a gas lamp
and noted nothing alarming about
the actions Of the man.
He approached them and when
near enough suddenly jumped at Miss
Gilmore. throwing one arm about her
and Selling a purse which hung from
her arm by a chain. Miss Gilmore
screamed but did not lose her pres
ence of mind. She fought to free her
self from her assailant and the two
struggled into the street. Miss Bah
cock ran, ming for help. In an
effort to Illustrate the thief, Miss Gill
more jerked the purse from the hold
of the thief and threw it behind her.
The thief Immediately released his
hold upon the young womanand
darted for the pocketbook. Miss Gill
more nervily kept up her efforts to
hot
for the purse. The thief seized the
prize while the young woman secured
a hold upon the chain. She was
dragged across the street, almost to
the porch of her own home, by the
thief. While he pushed and dragged
her roughly, he made no effort to
strike her.
Help did not come, but the young
woman bravely kept up her resistance.
Finally, in the struggle, the chain
broke. The thief then threw Miss
Gilmore away from him and ran down
the street a short way, across a lawn
and disappeared between two houses
screams of Miss Gilmore and Miss
Babcock attracted the attention of a
company Of firemen who were return
ing after responding to an alarm.
They took up the chase after the thief
but he had escaped.
In reciting\the story or her exc1tlns
Struggle in the night, Miss Gilmore
says: 81 was not greatly alarmed
altho I will admit that I was startled
at first. The man kept his fact turned
away from me. He was either a mu-
latto or a man with a very dark COM
pleXion. He wore q black overcoat
white collar and black tie. He did
noteven take the trouble to attempt to
disguise himself by turning UP his coat
collar. I tried to scratch him to as to
mark him, but I don't think | sue
ceeded. I screamed to alarm my folks
as I saw a light in fathers room and
knew that he had not retired. I do
not think that there was a policeman
in four blocks or he would have heard
my screams and those OF Miss Bah
cock and come to my assistance. Two
ladies were only a short distance back
of us on Eighth street when / was at
tackled. was not injured in any way
during. the struggle, altho it was a Sc
we're test for the nervous system of any
one" ..,