Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1905-04-07
BOLD HIGHWAYMEN
OFFICER STOTKO SHOT THROUGH
The NECK FATAL WOUND.
Spokane, Wash, April 4, a. H.
Let him lie there; he's deadln

Spokane, Wash, April 4, a. H.
Let him lie there; he's deadl"
With such a comment the yegg men
who shot and perhaps fatally wounded
Police Officer H. A. Stotko went back
to their work on the big safe in the
Office of Shinn & Co., on the corner of
Post and Railroad avenue.
Officer Stotko passed the Office of
Shinn e. Co. early this morning on his
way from work. 1t was still dark.
AS he passed the Office he was shot
without warning. After shooting him
the robbers dragged him from the side
walk where he fell back among the
boxcars on the track and left him for
dead. They robbed him of his gun
and took his star off his coat and
pinned it ON the leg of his trousers.
The wounded man lay between the
tracks over half an hour after he was
shot. He could hear the robbers at
their work in the room near him, but
was unable to move. He heard them
fire the shot which tore off the outer
door of the safe, and later heard them
leave.
Merchants Police De Wlof found
Stotko about 4:30. He, was on his last
round, and as he passed Shinn's ware
house he heard someone groan. He
asked who was there.
"It's Stotko," said the Officer.
whats the matter?"
''I'm shot.
Stotko was taken at once to the po-
lice station. 1t was found that he was
shot through the neck, the bullet en-
tering the left side of the neck and
penetrating the right shoulder. Stot-
kos body was paralyzed, but he was
still able to talk. He was taken to the
Sacred Heart hospital, where he was
examined by DIR. Gray. After the ex.
animation DR.. Gray held out little
hope for his recovery.
The safe blowing was very similar tc
that at the Broadway pharmacy 8
short time ago. The knobs were
pounded off with tools stolen from the
new Hazelwood building and nitro
glycerine used. Three bales of hay
were brought up from the cellar an6
piled about the safe to deaden the
sound. The men did not have tim,
after opening the outer doors to blow
open the inner ones. There was yer,
little money in the safe, but a larg'
number of checks and negotiable
paper.
The robbers left horn snuff box a
a souvenir.
The wounded officer has been on tn
police force since November 90, 1899
Previous to that he was in the EN-
ploy of the Washington Water Powe
company. He is a married man an,
lives with hisw life at 1923 Eleventh
avenue. Sergeant Hollaway said thi
morning that Stotko is man of ex
emplary habits and one of the mos
reliable men on the force. He coul
not understand how the robbers kne,
how he was an Officer, as he wa
wearing black stiff hat and had o
his overcoat when shot. The sentr
; on guard evidently saw Stotko befor
he had a chance to move.
Mayor Boyd this morning offered
reward of $500 for the arrest of tn
men who shot the officer, or for il
formation that will lead to their arre'
and conviction.
Later Report.
Policeman Henry A. Stotko, VIII
was brutally shot down in cold bloc
by unknown safecrackers, died at 81
Tuesday night. His wife was wit
him at the time Of his death, and WIS
at the bedside during the 16 long houl
intervening between the time the ma
received the wound and the hour {