The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-11-10
PLANNED TO BURY
HIM IN THE SAND
Burly Brute Flashes a Butcher
Knife Behind the Back of the Of
fcial-Timely Withdrawal From
Den of Murders, Saves Life Police
Chief.

For the THIRD time in the history OF
his service On the police force, Chief OF
Police Martins life was threatened.
Last Saturday while making an investi-
cation in a Servian camp the foreign
ers surrounded him and shouted. we
lift UNI head" meaning we Will take
your head off
The story of the thrilling adventure
of Chief Martin would probably never
have been known were it not for the
fact that he had disclosed ii to a few
OF his most intimate friends. There
was no official report made of the affair
because of the chiefs we'll known dis
like of noteriety. His story of his mar
row escape from death, however was
none the less thrilling when he was
finally induced to relate it.
Shortly after dark last Saturday
night. accompanied by a Hungarian,
who could understand the language of
the Servians. Chief Martin went to the
shack of a gang of the latter for the
purpose of securing evidence against
some of them on a certain charge. As
soon as he entered the shack the loud
talking which could have been heard
for some distance stopped and the men
were as still as possible
Surround the Chief
Martin informed them what he was
there for and addressed some of the
men. He asked them what they knew
about the case in question, but all
stolidly refused to disclose any infor-
nation. Finally to scare them into
talking he told two of the men to get
their coats on infering that he was
about to arrest them. Both of then,
hesitated however, and in the mean
time three or four of the burly look
ing fellows drew up about Martin and
his companion in a threatening manner
Suddenly they began shouting anc
jabbering among themselves and the
Hungarian, who understood what they
were saying. became frightened anc
begged the chief to get out. The latter
did not do so. however. and kept or
with his work until he found that he
could not do anything with them. anc
then left the place.
''We Lift 'Um Head on.
The Hungarian. who accompanied tn,
chief could not speak English. so af
ter securing an interpreter he disclosed
to him what the men had said If yo,
had attempted to arrest those two men,
he said. you would have been killed
one man was standing at your RICH
hand side with a butcher knife in hi
hands and his companions kept tell
ing him to stick it into him. 1t ap
peared as if this mans intentions wer
TO kill the chief in case he arrested tn
two men, otherwise he would not b
molested. They kept saying We lif
UNI head. and that they would bur
US in the sand.
Chief Martin said:
1T was one of the narrowest escape
have ever had. That gang of men
the same that fired on US during tn
Servian riot, almost killing officer Mill
Ell. and in which one of their numbe
was killed by US. l did not realize m
danger at the time but the Hungaria
standing at the door heard and sa,
everything and be became so frightene
l thought he would faint Forum
seemed to favor me all the way through
for if I had not decided not to max
the arrest of those two men, there ur
doubtedly would have been trouble. TT
place is located along the Lake Shor
tracks near Virginia street, so that
anything happened 1t would have bee
hard to get assistance
Two Former Escapes
The two other narrow escapes e,
perienced by Chief Martin were whe
he had his hat shot fun of holes
the famous wild man hunt and anoth
tirae while chasing a culprit down ii
Lake Chore tracks, the man, who W;
later arrested. turned on him and pull.
the trigger of his revolver twice, Il
hammer hitting an empty shell. In Il
paxf chamber of tho srl40 was a lood
cartridge. but the man was owe
powered before he could shoot it,