The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-03-23
Alleged Robber Murders jackson
Policeman While Under Arrest.
THEN he ESCAPES WITH A PAL
Posse Pursues Them With Success
Third Companion in Custody-Post-
office at Brooklyn Dynamited and
Robbed.

result of g. robbery of the Brooklyn,
Mich, postoffice at an early hour on
Monday by safe breakers who got
away with 5000 in stamps and cash,
and the subsequent shooting and kill
ing of Police Sergeant Fred H. Booth,
of Jackson, by one of three men, who
were arrested here on suspicion Of be-
ing implicated in the Brooklyn rob-
berry, three men are now under arrest
here.
Monday morning the ruins ce
the postoffice safe at Brooklyn were
discovered.
The escape Of the robbers from the
little village Of Brooklyn was made
with a horse and buggy stolen from
p. w. Aldrich, harness dealer. The
materials used to blow up the safe
were stolen from Robertson Bros. &c
Cobb,s drug store, which had been
entered during the night.
Three men were seen driving
madly out of Brooklyn, across the
winding road to Napoleon, thence
west on the turnpike, which is one OF
the loneliest roads in the county, to
the road which leads into Michigan
Center.
From Michigan Center the bandits
cautiously worked their w;v into Jack
son along the road that leads past
Jackson Junction, where a number Of
boarding houses are located
Acted suspiclousIy.
Their actions about Newcomb's
boarding house aroused suspicion, md
officers were notified early in the
morning, although no reports of the
Brooklyn robbery were yet known.
Sergt. Booth, accompanied by Sher-
If Parrish and Deputy McInerney,
made for the junction, about two miles
from the center of Jackson, placed
three men under arrest. The men APP
peared to submit quietly, and were be-
ing walked along the street to a patrol
signal box when suddenly one turned
on Booth and shot him through the
head. The officer dropped, instantly
killed.
This was the signal for the other
two prisoners to attempt an escape,
and a pistol duel between the two
officers and the two remaining pris-
oners occurred over Booths body.
The man who shot Booth fled. The
man who was engaged with McIner-
ney also made good his escape, and
the third was taken into custody by
the sheriff and his deputy.
In the meantime the alarm had been
given, and the greater part Of Jackson
was in tumult. When Sheriff Par
IRISH saw the desperadoes fleeing down
the railroad tracks he pressed into
service a number of men on their way
to work in the Michigan Central
shops, and immediate chase was
given Guns, pistols and clubs were
picked up on the way, and the posse
moved rapidly in the direction taken
by the fleeing men.
Mayor Organizes Posse.
Down town other preparations were
being made by Mayor Todd, who hast
lily organized well-armed posse, and
with automobiles made in the direc-
ton indicated.
1t was soon found that the bandits
had appropriated milk wagon found
standing on a side street and had
driven wildly toward the line Of cleo
trio railway running to Battle Creek.
Special cars were rushed along the
rails and communication with outlying
towns kept hot The bandits soon left |
the milk wagon and took to the woods. |
Then the search began in earnest. |
The posse, by this time, had grown to |
large proportions. Men were detailed |
in all directions, and the search kept |
up until after noon, when word was |
received that two men had been seen |
entering barn on a farm four miles |!
west of the city, The barn was soon /
and the men called on to |
They did so without offer |
ing the slightest resistance, and were
soon on their way back to Jackson in I
the jail wagon.
The two men gave the names of |
John Hamilton, of Cleveland, and
John Blake, Of Saginaw.
The man captured in the morning
gives his name as John Walsh, of San
Cal. He denies all knowl- |
edge of the Brooklyn crime and says
he, with his companions, came into
Jackson on freight train and Just /
stopped off for breakfast.