The San Francisco call., 1906-10-10
DESPERATE THUGS
FLEE FOR LIFE
IN RICHMOND.
Cries of Victim Arouse the
Neighborhood and Lively
Chase Is the Result
BOLD TRIO HIDES
IN THE PRESIDE
Fear of Wounding Residents
Prevents Citizens From
Shooting at Miscreants


Three daring thugs were chased for
several blocks I'm the Richmond District
yesterday morning by mob of citizens
armed with every conceivable weapon
from the home1y roIling-pin to the
latest improved winchester rifle. The
thugs managed to rob a laborer work
ing in a trench on California street,
near Thirteenth avenue, and owe their
lives to the fact that the armed citizens
were afraid to shoot for fear of injur-
ing one another. ~The thugs escaped
and hid i'm the underbrush of the Pre-
sidio.
The three thieves, evidently yegg-
men, from their manner of operation,
approached John Laird, a Board of
Public Works laborer, who was Dig
ging trench in California street near
Thirteenth avenue. They offered a
ring for sale cheap. and Laird. being
nearsighted, climbed out of the trench
TO examine the jewelry.
AS he did so the taller of the thugs
snatched his silver watch and chain,
at the same moment warning Laird
not to shout under penalty of death.
This threat did not frighten the labor
er, for he emitted yell that instantly
aroused the entire neighborhood-
FRENzIED PURSUIT BEGINS.
In a twinkling frenzied vigilance
committee was up and stirring. After
the fleeing thugs the citizens took. Two
of them had Winchester rifles, others
had revolvers, while the laborers work
ing in the trenches grabbed hold of
their picks and shovels and joined in
the chase.
Inside of couple of minutes more
than fifty men were in pursuit of the
terrified trio. Several times the men
with the rifles raised their weapons
to fire, when some excited person would
run into the street. The marksmen
were afraid of wounding innocent per-
sons and refrained from shooting,
Otherwise the thugs would never have
escaped with their lives.
The thugs proved fleet of foot and
managed to gain on the infuriated
mob at every step. They plunged into
the Presiaio thicket and though aided
by a mounted policeman. who Joined
in the chase, the efforts of the pur-
suers to locate the thugs proved of no
avail 1t is thought they are hiding
in a we'll guarded lair in the thick
underbrush.
TRY TO SELL CHEAP RING.
Before robbing Laird the three thugs
approached M J. Casey and r. j. Ca
pelli, two other laborers who were
working in a trench on California
street near Eleventh avenue. They at
tempted to sell cheap. gold-plated
ring to the men, but Casey, seeing
that. it was of no value. ordered the
thugs to be on their way. He watched
them and saw them enter the West
End Market a block away, where they
tried to work the same game and we're
again ordered out. meeting with a like
reception at Marks barber shop across
the street
Shortly after the exciting chase. two
rough-looking men bearing all the
earmarks of ex-convicts went around
the neighborhood ringing doorbells. In
each instance their calls were an
swered, and when a laborer in the
vicinity asked them what they wanted
they made an excuse and quickly
walked away. 1t is thought they in
tended to rob the houses during the
excitement that followed the chase of
the other three thugs.
APPEARANCE BETRAYs THEM.
The three men who robbed Laird
are described as being tough-looking
thugs. The tallest of the trio is about
six feet in height. weighs in the neigh
borhood of $50 pounds and wore a blue
serge suit and white felt hat His
companions are much shorter. One of
them wore dark plaid suit. while the
other was attired in a gray suit. Both
wore brown hats. The tallest man as
sumed bad Scotch dialect. while one
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