The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-01-06

had a purse containing $40 in her hand.
When she saw the robbers she dropped it
on the ground, and later went back with
a lantern and found it.
Chris Peterson saved $50 in cash by
keeping it in his hands when he put them
up.
Besides the $40 which the thieves took,
Ira Williams had $23 in his pocket lie
managed to get hold of this and when his
hands went up one OF them held the
money. While the thieves were busy at
the other end of the line he dropped it
into the crease on top of his hat
Charles Bachelor and Arthur Olson hap
pened along just as the party were being
lined up, but neither OF them had any
money. Olson carried a lantern, which
one of the robbers kicked out of his hand,
and then pushed him into line with the
muzzle of his revolver.
The story OF the hold-up was told to a
Times reporter this morning by Ira VIII
Jams: a,xs
There We're eight Of us on the 9:3O
car out OF Tacoma he said. I'VE left
the car at tiity-iirst street and starter
toward home. About halfway to the
smelter, near ravine, and the very
darkest spot on the road, three men
We're leaning against the railing by the
side OF the road. was walking behind
thS ASSt Va WIG pdhly. AS we nedrtu tnS
men | saw them step to the middle OF the
walk and begin to scuftie with one Of our
party, the first one to get up to them.
| thought II was just going to be drunk
en- row and hurried to the front to help
my friend just as 1 got there one OF
the three men, with red handkerchief
covering the lower part of his face, put
a revolver TO my head and said:
Hands up or I'll blow your brains
out
Il had one hand in my pocket where the
S23 was, and | grabbed hold Of that and
held it np.
As soon as we were all lined up with
man at each end of the line holding
a gun, the third robber searched each one
OF us. lie oommtaMNd at the other emu
Of the line from me and before he got
to where | was | had dropped my hand
to the top of my head, saying as | did 80
TO the roDber who was nearest me, My
hands are getting pretty tired up there.
Put them up again. he shouted, or
you'll be whole lot more tired than you
are now | did so, but my hand had
been down long enough to drop the money
on top of my hat.
AS soon as they were through the rob
bers headed us toward the smeter. The
robbers ran up the street toward the car
line
Within 10 minutes after the robbery the
report was telephoned to the police. Chief
Fackler and two officers and Sheriff Den
holm and deputy at once went to the
smelter and have been on the lookout
for the men ever since.
The robbers are described as being small
men. One of them. who wore q light suit
of clothes, did not look larger than
half-grown boy The other two wore black
suits The man wearing the light suit
appeared to be considerably under the in
huence Of liquor and did nothing but hold
a gun al one end Of the line. The man
who went through the pockets Of the VIC
time had the brim Of his soft felt hat
pulled down over his eyes, but the lower
part Of his face was plainly visible
The thieves could not have chosen
better spot for the robbery. 1t is very
dark and close to the end of the ravine.
There are three ways open by which the
robbers could get away.
Yesterday was payday at the smelter
and that fact evidently was known to
the thieves. Some Of the men had drawn
considerable money.
The watches taken from Peterson and
kamer were engraved with the initials Of
the owners and could easily be identified.
II IS said that three men answering the
descriptions of the robbers were in Baki-
on's saloon near the smelter during the
afternoon. Before dark they went out
and the last seen of them they were 20
ing toward the wharf.
The night of the last payday an attempt
was made to hold up the boarding house
kept by Mrs. Zeglemior. After most OF
the boarders had gone to bed two men
armed with revolvers and with handker-
chiefs over their faces came to the back
door. When it was opened by one Of
the servants they gave the command,
Throw up your hands and keep still"
The servant obeyed. but Mrs Zieglemiar,
who was standing near the door with big
pan full of sauerkraut threw the contents
full in the face Of one Of the men, and
the other on the shoulder. This stopped
the hold-up business.
The police have arrested one man sus-
pected of being one Of the robbers and
Mrs. Zieglemiar will be given an oppor-
tunity to identify him.