The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
TRIED TO HOLD up PAYMASTER
HTGHWAYMEN MAKE BOLD DAY.
LIGHT ATTEMPT IN ASTORIA.
were After $40, 900 which Was Carried In
q Buggy-Negro Driver Lashes Rob-
bers and ID Target for Three Revol.
yers-Hit Twice--Footpads Escape.

a Buggy-Negro Driver Lashes Rob.
bers and ID Target for Three Revol.
ysrs Hit Twice-FOotpads Escape.
desperate attempt was made yesterday
forenoon to rob the paymaster OF the Astoria
Light. Heat and Power Company while
he was being driven alop the lonely and
unfreauented Shore road In Astoria. L. !.
The attempt to get the $4,000 he carried
was unsuccessful, but the highwaymen
didn't give up the fight until they had in
iured one Of the three men who successfully
fought them of. The injured man Is Leroy
williams, o3 years old, the negro driver
Of the old one horse cab in which the pay
master was riding. Williams Is in st.
Johns Hospital, in Long Island City, with
a shattered right arm and bullet in the
right side OF his head.
Samuel Durham, Q middle aged, gray
bearded man, is the paymaster Of the Astoria
Light, Heat and Power Company, which IL
building the biggest gas plant In the world
at Casino Beach, Astoria. Over thousand
men are employed there on the new works,
and 1t was their pay that Durham was
carrying yesterday. With him In the cab
was Albert Phillips, husky special police
man employed by the company for just
such occasions.
Saturday Is the regular pay day Of the
works. and Paymaster Durham, Phillips
and williams, the negro driver have been
making the trip every week FOR months.
Never before have they been molested.
When the money was drawn from the bank
in this city yesterday the paymaster and
the special policeman climbed into the old
cab. and Driver williams started for the
Astoria ferry at the foot OF East Ninety
second street
The cab went over on the 1l:aO boat.
williams had driven nearly mile on the
shore road yesterday before anything
happened. He knew all about the money
the paymaster carried in the we'll worn
satchel in the cab, and he kept his horse
going at a good trot Within block of
an old frame house, where tha sole occu-
pant was German woman three swarthy
looking men jumped out in the roadway
from behind the stone wall on the right side
Of the road They jumped in the roadway
in front Of the horse, and all three made Q
grab at the animals bride
@Stopl" one OF the three men yelled.
-Leggo my hossl' yelled the negro driver
~ ne D0Hhu u idS hib "Hip ONoi WV honuo
OF the highwaymen.
Williams tried 10 urge the hors forward,
but the highwaymen hung on. The negro
yelled Justify, and kept laying on his whip
over the heads and shoulders of the trio
who barred his way. They stood his
whacks with the whip for a minute or two,
then one of the men drew revolver.
Hands upi" yelled the man with the
gun.
The negro didn't obey He kept hold OF
the reins with his left hand and piled his
whip with his right. The man with the
gun aimed at Williams and fred, Then
the highwayman's two pals drew their
revolvers and began to shoot at the negro.
All three used him as tar get, but he didn't
seem to mind the bullets, for he kept on ply
ing the whip.
Half dozen shots had been fired when
the two men In the cab began to get active.
Both the paymaster and Phillips had re-
volvers, and tho minute the cab was stopped
they knew what was up. They placed
the money bag on the seat between them
and each man leaned out Of window with q
revolver.
Each took shot at the three holdup men,
and the two shots they fired took all the
nerve out of the robbers They were I'M.
doubtedly bothered by the good fight the
negro had put up with only whip for
weapol. The three made for the stone
fence and clambered over 1t. As they
were climbing, Phillips fired at them from
the cab q second time. In their haste to
get away one OF the men lost his hat.
Tho men disappeared quickly into q
clump OF woods. and q woman who saw
them running said fourth man Joined
them. The minute the paymaster and
Phillips were certain the crooks were gone
for good they got out Of the cab to see
how the driver had Jared.
The negros face was covered with blood,
and his right arm lay limp at his side. He
had been shot In the arm aud IN the right
full driver still held his seat and, despite
the reins. He was dazed by the wounds
he had received, but was game all through.
I'm all right boss, he said 70 the pay
master, 'and I'se glad they didn't get that
money
whore the old German woman lives. Phil
lips held Williams on his seat while he
drove there. Paymaster Durham walked
along WIN ni6 money eAVCnoi buu d cochou
revolver ready for business.
The woman Of the house did everything
possible for the wounded man. She had
heard the first shots and ha d seen the high
waymen make on. She was 90 scared
that she could not give the alarm to her
nearest peighbor.
As soon as Williams was attended to
he continued the trip to Casino Beach.
two miles away. Williams was too weak
and too badly hurt to drive, 30 he was helped
into the cab. The paymaster rode inside
the cab with him while Phillips drove.
A soon as they arrived an ambulance
was summoned from st. Johns Hospital
in Long Island City. Then the police Of
the Astoria station were notified OF the
hold-up. They had already heard Of 1t.
Williams was made as comfortable as
possible while awaiting the ambulance.
The old colored man lost a good deal OF
blood, but never lost consciousness. He
was in great pain from the bullet hole in
his arm. but his injuries didn't count with
him when his superiors told him they were
proud of him. He went to the hospital as
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