Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-12
Safe In the Postoffice Blown Up and $1,000
In Money and Stamps
Is Taken
Citizens Hear Explosion and Pursue the racksmenA Bat
tie Ensues Which Many Shots Are Exchanged-IWo OF
the Robbers Are Finally Captured and Nearly all the Booty
Recoyered---Situation For Time Was Thrilling
Special to Times-Republican

Special to Times-Republican.
Reinbeck, Dec. 10. - Three cracks
men blew the safe in the postoffice here
this morning at l o'clock, securing
stamps to the value of $1,000 and $500
In money. They were pursued by Off
GERS and citizens and in running fight
two Of them were captured. At a late
ho,1r this afternoon the third burglar
Is still at large, but news of his cap
ture is momentarily expected as the
country east of town is alive with arm
ed searching parties. The stamps were
oil recovered and all but about 500 OIL
the money was found on the persons Oh
the captured men.
The three men engaged in the rob-
herv came into Reinbeck last nignt
from the north on a Great western
nasseneer train, which arrives shortiy
after dark. At 1 o'clock L. B. Cleaver,
who sleeps in the bank just across the
alley from the post Office building, was
.walrened by the explosion OF the
charge Of nitroglycerine which blew
the door off the safe in the postofnce.
rIe ran to the window and looking a.
cross the alley saw, thru the Wlndo"
of the postoffice, a man with a STUB OF
candle in his hand gathering stamps,
,,av ond the other contents of the
.,,.+tared safe into bundle. Cleaver
has q telephone in his room and I'M
3mediateiy called Central, told his slofy
and asked that the alarm be gwen
Central raised Marshal G. G. Bear
constable G. G. Powderly. and +. ..
Gauge. a postoffice clerk. When tney
arrived the burglars had MADE tnelr
a+-ovav The safe door lay on the
eoor neatly blown from its hinges ana
ssoo in money and $1,000 In stamps
were gone from the safe!
Headed OFF at the Train.
MARSHAL Bean and his posse hurried
- the railway yards where a tram was
due on the c. r. l. & ?. to prevent 'iie
escape of the robbers by rail. bean
took possession Of the blind baggage as
4ba train pulled In just as three men
ran out from the shadows OF the
stockyards and attempted to board II.
when he stopped them one OF the men
d,au, a heavy revolver and told him to
stand back or he would get his head
hlown off. At this Constable Powderly
fred with shotgun and a general
fusilIade began. One Of the robbers
fell. but got up and Joined the others
who were retreating thru the railroad
yards. Where this man fell the $1,000
package of stamps were recovered
where he had dropped them in falling.
The burglars separated, two keeping
by the Great western tracks toward
Gladbrook. The other struck east into
the open country. This is the missing,
burglar His tracks We're followed by
citizens to point two miles east Of
town and lost. It is thought he is ir
hiding in some barn or outhouse and
will be captured this afternoon.
Posse in a Gun Fight.
Marshal Bean, Powderly, and
Lange followed the two men who
started down the tracks. Shortly aft.
ker, posse Of citizens with hand car
started to their assistance. The party
on the hand car ever ran the officers
and came up with the robbers at the
Otto Hilmer farm, two miles northeast
OF Berlin, and opened fire on them with
with heavy revolvers and battle took
place between the two parties separat-
ed only by the width of the railway
track. The hunted men took refuge in
an old building but were driven out by
a rain of bullets. Here one of the bur-
glars. a gray-haired man, of about 50,
gave up exhausted and was captured.
The other made off thru the fields, with
the Reinbeck posse in pursuit and was
and a constable from Beaman at
Shulz's farm, six miles north of Glad
brook, and about mile from REaman.
The first burglar captured was taken
to Berlin by the posse. The other
was taken to Grundy Center by his
captors.
Money Recovered.
The gray haired robber who was talk
en- near Berlin is recognized as having
been in Reinbeck last week for short
time. doubtless with view to spying
out the opportunities for a successful
crack. He gives his name as James
Rooch. his residence as oelwein. and