The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-12-03

Thieves Escaped, and In the EHeite-
meat the Officers Neglected to Get
Names Of the Victms-county Is
Thoroughly Aroused.
Burlington. y. j.. Soy. 30.-Iicid Up
on the public road az Riverside by four
men armed with sLotgms three men
and woman IN a bis motor car were
holplessiy forced 10 allow the foot
pads TO empty their pockets OF iewelry
and money Then the highwaymen
slashed one Of the front tires Of the
car 10 prevent pursuit and escaped.
Burlington county is thoroughly
aroused over the latest holdup. Fol-
lowing within a week Of the Jefferson
murder and Immediately after the hold
up OF Ernest Zwahalen. an iron work
or at Burlington, the citizens are thor
oughN aroused.
The hoiduD on the motor car occurr-
ed on the road which runs through
Riverside. between the railroad and
the trolley tracks. The touring car
was proceeding along the road at mod
crate speed. when a man stepped In
front OF the car. reeled and fell over
in the road In front Of the car as II he
had been taken ILL., The driver OF the
motor brought it to a stop. Three men
armed with shotguns sprang from
clnu,o of bushes The man in the road
got on his feet.
Throw no your hands" he com
mander. Ths men and lao woman did
as dire ted. Two Of the men entereG
the car and went through the pockets
of the men. Then the woman became
hysterical The footpads obtained sS2
and a gold watch. then left the car,
angry at the slim haul.
One Of the four men then went 10
work on one OF the tires and proceeded
to cut il.
"I guess that will hold 'em," said the
leader Of the gang. Then the quartet
turned and fed into the woods.
From what can be learned 1t Is be-
lleved that the hlghwaymen's victims
were returning from the Cornell-Penn-
sylvania football game They we're
irving to patch mp the slashed tire,
when about 10 minutes later, another
motor came along with an extra tire
aboard
This was put on in place OF the
ruined tire and the two automobiles
sped of toward Trenton. Before they
got away. however. the police officials
Of Riyerton were brought to the scene,
but IL Is understood that in the excite
ment they forgot to ask for the names
OF the occupants or take the number or
the cars.
Detectives have searched in vain for
the two hihgwaymen who attacked
and tried to rob Ernest Zwahalen,
Burlinqton iron worker, fin manner so
similar to the way in which Edward S.
jefferson was killed that the police are
convinced that the men who held up
Zwahalen were the murderers Of the
aged grocer. II It had not been for
Zwahalen's nugilistic ability, the po-
lice are firm in the conviction that he,
too. would have been kil!S6--.-o.- gu
The attack took place within a short
distance Of the spot where Jefferson
met his death and many OF the details
Of the holdup are similar. The Poles
scratched cheeks and the excavations
about the eyes clearly indicate, as In
the Jefferson case, that the highway
men tried TO blind their victim. Zwa-
halen was able to beat them off, and 1t
Is believed that his eyesight was not
seriously injured in the encounter.
Another srobable murder was added
to the clty's list of homlcides. This
however. was the result Of an accident.
Richard Crooks, a colored man, was,
perhaps. fatally shot at the Kinkora
brlckyards by Harry Richardson, also
colored. Richardson was being taken
away by the police, and II looked to
them as il rocks had been deliberately
shot. when suddenly the injured man
recovered consciousness for half
minute and said: Richardson Is inno-
cent" Richardson will be held to await
the action Of the coroner