Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-21
Des Moines Man Beaten Into
Inconsistencies and Then
Imprisoned in Cellar
PosToFFlcE STATION ROBBED
The Robber Gets But Little Booty For
His Crime, But BureIarizins Of Sub
Station of the Postoffice Makes His
Deed Punishable by. Long Term In
Prison.

Des Moines, March 21.-After horrt-
bly, beating Carl Sheark, a clerk. over
the head with some blunt instrument,
and forcing him at the point of gun
into the cellar, masked highwayman
ransacked the drug store of w. a.
Graham, Sixth avenue and State street,
at 1890 o'clock last night and secured
in all about $40. The fact that the
store is also sub-staton No. 3, of the
local postoffice department. makes the
crime exceptionally bold. The cash reg
lister of the drug store, the soda foun-
tain and the postoffce We're opened
and every cent taken out. When he
had completed the job, the burglar
calmly walked out and started south,
and left no clue as to his identity.
The crime was committed when
Sheark was alone in the store. The
crowd hanging around the place had
but few minutes prior dispersed and
when the fellow stepped into the store,
Sheark, who was behind the prescrip-
ton case, did not look UP, thinking it
was one of his acquaintances. He
paid no attention to the visitor until
he felt the cold rim of steel of the rob
ber's gun pressing against his head.
Get up and don't YOU say a word.
Up with your hands, say!" Missed
the burglar in his ear.
Sheark stood up and with his hands
above his head looked around Con-
fronting him was a big fellow. masked
and with murderous looking gun in
one hand and q piece Of broken iron
in the other.
Clerk Severely Beaten.
Nov, you, get down cellar"
was the excited talk of the unwelcome
visitor. With another curse, he struck
Sheark over the head, cutting a big
cash. The clerk went to his knees, the
blood pouring in a stream from his
wounds. With another blow which OPP
ened afresh the wound on the head the
bandit picked up the limp form of the
clerk, threw it down cellar, and lock-
ing the door, turned his attention to-
ward the store.
Every cash register in the room was
opened and the contents taken. The
stamp box was examined but was not
tempered with and the letters in the
boxes were casually examined.
Then the fellow, evidently hearing
foot steps near the building, walked
out of the front door, passed a number
of people and hurried south.
The muffled groans and cries of the
imprisoned clerk, who had regained
consciousness during the interval We're
heard by the people passing. They
went in to investigate and seeing the
money drawers open, suspected robbery.
They released the clerk and the police
were at once notified.
The offers hurried to the scene but
not the slightest clue was left at the
store to indicate identity of the bold
crook. The clerk could give but a
meagre description, he believed the
man to be about five feet eleven inches
tall, and we'll built. He was unable
to say, whether he wore q mustache,
the mask having hidden his features.
The United States authorities were
also notified and United States Mar
shall George Christian Immediately
put men to work on, the case. The
robbery of the post office is a serious
crime and is punishable by a long term
in prison.