Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-07
Engaged in Pitched Battle
With Three Robbers.
IN JERSEY EARLY TODAY
Two Post Offices Robbed of Money
and Stamps.
THE BUILDINGS
Force of Explosion in Blowing Safe
Set Fire to One Structure-Two
Miscreants Are Captured.


battle between farmers and three robbers,
in which two of the latter were wounded,
followed the daring robbery early today
of the post office at Pedricktown and
Bridgeport. about thirty miles south of
this city.
The robbers first appeared at Pedrick-
town shortly after midnight and stole a
team from a livery stable. They then
went to the post office. blew open the
| safe and stole $3.50 in money and stamps.
The force of the explosion wrecked the
building and the place took fire. The rob-
bers then fled with the team.
In few minutes nearly the entire pop
ulation of Pedricktown was at the post
office fighting the fire. and before the
flames were extinguished the building was
damaged to the extent of about $1,000.
While some of the people were battling
with the flames others organized a posse
to capture the robbers. The men. how
ever. made good their escape and nothing
further was heard from them for two
hours. when they appeared at Bridgeport.
eight miles from Pedricktown.
Ordered to Retreat.
1t was nearly 3 o'clock when they at
tackled the post Office at Bridgeport. A
family named Brown occupied the upper
portion of the building. The robbers
forced an entrance and inserted a charge
of nitro glycerin in the safe, which almost
wrecked the building.
| William Brown. the head of the family,
rushed downstairs with revolver. When
he reached the post Office he was con-
fronted by the three robbers, who leveied
| their revolvers at him and ordered him
| to retreat upstairs. The robbers then
c a n the amount of SSfD
| took $50 in cash and left in the direction
| of Woodbury..
Mrs Brown In the meantime had tele-
| phoned to the Woodbury. police. and as
| the trio drove into the town they were
| hailed by a policeman.
The robbers drove the team on a side
| walk and all three opened fire. The po-
| liceman shielded himself behind tree
| and returned the fire.
Left: Trial Of Blood in Retreat.
| Durns the fusillade the men retreated
and finally got away. going toward We
| nonah, abandoning the team and leaving
| trail of blood. A posse was organized
| and the desperadoes were traced to We
| nonah where trace of them was lost
| Shortly after o'clock this morning
| two men carrying a third were seen at
Wenonah and within a short time
score of farmers well armed gave chase
and soon had them penned in the woods
nearby. Both sides opened fire. One of
the robbers fell and the second threw up
his hands and surrendered. The third
man held his ground for some time, but
| fled farther into the woods.
| The wounded man and the one who
surrendered were taken into custody and
locked up in the Woodbury. jail.
One of the men. William Mccoy, who
says he has no home. had his face lit
orally riddled with buckshot He was
| arraigned before Mayor Ladd at Wood
bury and committed to Jail. The other
injured man is at Sewel under care of
| a physician, and il is thought he will die.
A .44-caliber revolver was found on Nc
Coy.
Said They Lost Their Way.
The robber captured with Mccoy was
later brought to Woodbury. and also COM
mitted to Jail under care of physicians.
He gave the name of John Burns. with no
home, and said he was seventeen years of
| age. In tobacco bag tied around his
neck was found $57 in bills and some
small change was found in his pockets to-
gether with a H-caiber revolver.
Mccoy had s134 in his clothing. After
being locked in a cell ne told constable
that he and his companion would not have
been captured had they not lost their way
He said that they found bridge open on
a road which they took in an endeavor to
reach Gloucester n. j., and that this
threw them off their bearings. The bridge
had been purposely opened by the bridge
tender who had been apprised of the rob-
berries and the pursuit.
Postal Inspector James Cortelyou OF
Philadelphia was notified and the prison.
ers probably will be turned over to him.
Safe-Blowers Busy in Ohio.
KENYON Ohio March 7-Rohhers
blew the safe in the Citizens Bank at
Mount Victory. Ohio, near here last night
They succeeded only. however. in obtain
| ing access to the outer compartment of
| the safe. being frightened away before
| they could open the inner door. 1t is re-
ported the. cracksmen, two in number,
secured about $3.50.