Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-09-08

for it, and used to stay away when
could. Father and mother care? Not
they.
II married Westcott, but we didn't
get along. 30 we just quit.
IL didn't care, because he tried to
make me stay in the house nights
when he was away, and l didn't want
to. l like to enjoy life. Well, when
he told me to go away from him, l
went. stayed at home little while,
and then met fellow named Albert
Ross, who was clerking at the Putnam
house in Bennington.
1--WE kept company, AL and l, and
he worked at the hotel and over at
the golf links at Manchester-inthe
Mountains. But finally we got tired
Of living around here, and thought
we'd get out
THE first night it was dark, and
got tired; so AL and I went into a
barn to sleep till morning. We didn't
know there was anyone in there, but
we had hardly got inside when we
heard our names called, and, looking
up in the haymow, saw my cousin,
Merritt Reed, and a friend named Dan
Brockway.
when AL and l saw the fellows we
| wanted to know what they were doing
there, and Reed told me that he and
Brockway had given up their jobs and
were going to be burglars. They had
just robbed store at Dorset and
two or three houses, and they showed
us a diamond ring, a watch, some
other rings and a whole lot of stuff
they had stolen and we're hiding in the
| barn.
when told them AL and l were
going away they asked me why we
didn't join them They said it would
be a good thing for gang to have
woman along, as she could do jobs
that they would be caught trying.
They offered me an equal share of
everything, and said they would make
me the queen of the gang.
"Al didn't like the idea, but l said:
Come along. 1t can't be any worse
than working So he agreed to join,
too. and we slept till morning.
early in the morning we left the
barn and started north. Reed was
armed, l knew, for he had shown me
two big pistols, one of which he gave
me. l don't know about the others,
except that AL had knife that he
said he could use in close quarters
if we got caught at anything. We
walked all day, laying plans as to
what we should do, and that night
slept in the woods, making our beds
of pine boughs We were hungry so
l raided hen roost near by, and that,
with some veal that Reed stole, made
our supper.
"The next day we went on to
Pawlet, and that night we cleaned out
farmers hen roost and all his clothes
I lines. Again we slept in barn, and
next morning tramped on to Granville.
"Our plans were not quite ready for
the hig trick we were going to try,
which was the robbery of bank in
Manchester. We were not armed
enough, and we didn't know the ar
rangements, so we decided to stay in
Granville for a little while. So we
stopped at the hotel over night But
go back, as it was rumored that we
were being watched, and we didn't
want to get caught and jailed for the
simple little things we had already
done Besides, there was a jewelry
store at South Dorset. kept by man
named Abrams. l thought it would be
easy to get in there, and besides get
ting some diamonds, take what pistols
and ammunition we might need for
bigger work.
"It was a dark night, and we didn't
expect we'd have any trouble over the
Abrams trick. 1t was arranged that
the boys should stand guard while
got. into the store and cleaned it out
So l was to take the pistol that Reed
had given me and protect myself II
they didn't warn me in case of any
one coming, or If l should run across
anybody in the store. About nine
o'clock that night we got near North
Dorset, where the jewelry store was
and were just going down the road
toward it when a team drove over a
bridge that we would have to cross
over a little stream.
s. I'VE tried to get out of their way
for none of us thought the team was
after us. But the men in the wagon
had lanterns, and l saw that we werc
discovered We had been followed
yelled to the boys to run for Their
lives.
81 recognized some of the men in
the wagon as they began to jump out
among them Constable A. c. Mason
of Pawlet, and farmer named Black
near whose house we were overtaken
Merritt Reed ran first, and Ros;
right after him, but didn't see where
Brockway went. l wasn't going Il
run, thinking that the officers would
follow the men and l could sneal
away quietly. Besides, l wanted tt
see how AL Ross would come out o.
the scrape, and, if possible, help him
AS soon as Constable Mason strucl
the ground he drew a revolver anC