Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-12-08
Thrilling Experience Of Christie
pher Trip With a HOldup at
Murray Last Night
THEY KICKED OVER THE STOVE.
The Building Was Reduced TO Ashes
And the Loss is Placed at
10000,

Christopher TrIpp Of Murray and O
masked robber fought in his brothers
store last night In the fight stove
was overturned and the lights knocked
out and as the struggle continued
flames from the overturned stove licked
ny the building In which they held each
other IN life and death struggle and
only when The clothing and hair OF
both Of them were ecorched did Trip
release his hold on the robber and
crawl FOR safety. Meanwhile a broth
err Samuel Trip, had rushed outside
and ompted both barrels Of a shot gun
into the air, TO attract a crowd. As
the men came hockng that way they
raw the masked man flying through
the darkness. Apparently he made
good his escape, as nothing has been
heard from him today. The case Is
now In the hands OF Sheriff Emery
who with two deputies, is on the
grounds looking for clues that VIII lead
him TO locate his man. Good descrlp-
lions have been furnished, and results
are looked for from the search, unless
the man headed ont Of the country
during the night
A peculiar incident OF the fight Is the
fact that the first news Of IL was sent
IN by an operator Of the Independent
Telephone station at Murray Miss At
wood She saw the telephone light
come on and I'm asking for the number
she received no response, but could
hear the noise Of the struggle, and the
cracking Of the flames. This caused
her 10 telephone parties in that vicinity
that something was wrong az The Trip
store.
The loss from the fire which destroy
ed not only the brick store I'm which
the struggle occurred but two adjacent
frame buildings win amount to about
$4,000.
From the stories told by interested
parties since the affair, II appears that
the robber called early IN the evening,
sized up his proposition, and then re-
tired TO await a better opportunity 20
hold-up the store. About S o'clock IN
the evening George Trip, owner OF the
store. was I'm charge, when man
called and asked for tobacco. He did
not make a purchase but left with the
statement that Trpp did not carry the
brand he wanted The mans appear
ance excited suspicion, and Trip re-
marked that that man did not come
for tobacco. There is something wrong
about him
At . o'clock Christopher and
Samuel Tripp were tending 10 the
store, while their brother George
was at home They were sitting
.. a. .t.... ststth chair 1aeLc ~ tho
door. when they were suddenly made
aware OF third party In the room by
the command Hands up!' spoken by
someone directly behind them. on
turning, Christopher Trip faced n
masked man, with large revolver
pointed directly into his face, and less
than an arms length away Instead
OF holding up his hands, Trip grabbed
for the fellows arm and the revolver
His grip was good. and the shot with
which the robber met this attack went
high. as his arm bent up, despite his
resistance Samuel Trip, In rushing
behind the counter FOR a shotgun
knocked over the lamp, and In the
darkness ne aid not dare 10 FIRE for
fear OF killing his brother. lie then
rushed outside and fred both barrels.
As he left the store the men struggling
I'm the darkness on the floor Kicked over
the stove, and spread It's burning Goals
over the floor As the flames leaped up
the struggle became fercer and Trlpp
tried desperately TO hold his man TN
the heat overcame him. Then he re-
leased his grip, and crawled FOR the
open air,
When he reached the air he found
men running to the place from all a.
rectlons. having been called by the
shots and the flames.
A bucket brigade was hastily organ
lied, and attempted 10 quel the flames.
but they had gathered too much head
way. First the brick store was de-
stroyed, then a frame meat market on
one side and a vacant building on the
other. making a total loss Of $40 600.
all OF which was owned by the Trip
brothers The Insurance was light.
and viii not nearly cover the loss.
The AFFAIR happened near the High.
land Boy smelter. out Of the jurisdiction
OF Marshal Mauss When he was seti.
fed Of the affair he promptly reported
II to the sheriff's office and Sheriff En-.
cry, accompanied by Deputies Sharp
and steele left at once for the scene
OF the occurrence. They hunted through
the saloons and watched the outgoing
cars for traces OF the man. and this
morning attempted to locate other
clues, so fer without success.