The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-03-10
POSSE LANDS THUGS.
Three Desperate Postoffice Rob-
bers Show Fight.
TWO SHOT AND JAILED
Wild Dash and Long Chase After
Lootins Two PossSthees In South
Jersey-ThieVes Threw Nitro-cly-
eerine at Pursuers.

Jersey-ThieVes Threw Nitro-cly.
eerine at Pursusrs.
Woodbury.. y. j.. March s.-Desper,
ate postonice craftsmen. who have
terrorized South Jersey for some
years. found their match In a brave
band OF Wenonah citizens As result
one OF the desperadoes is in fail with
part oil his face shot away. and one Of
MS companions has sundry marks OF
ouekshot spread over his anatomy
while the third man OF the disguised
trio is being hunted by hundreds Of
men in all parts of Gloucester county
with but SLIGHT chances of his getting
away The prisoners are William Nc
Coy OF New York. and John Burns.
The capture OF the two men was
enected only after they had nut IN a
desperate tight and sent more than a
score OF pistol bullets whizzing and
singing into the midst OF their deter
mined pursuers. Having emptied their
revolvers. the men deliberately halted
and one Of them hurled a bottle OF
nitro giyccrine at the courageous
posse. II fell within few feet of the
men. but fortunately struck a bunch
OF snow and failed TO explode OF the
CORY record would have been some
thing terrible TO contemplate.
From Mccoy and Burns was taken
about $500 worth OF postage STAMPS
secured in the raids on the postofices
at Pedricktown and Bridgeport ana
$3.50 in cash.
The desperadoes robbed the post
Office az Pedricktown stole all the
stamps in sight and $500 in cash. They
then stole horse and buggy from
nearby livery stable and drove RAPIDLY
towards bridgeport. They soon had the
bridgeport postofice open. the explo-
sive inserted and touched OF The en-.
suing explosion was heard by a nun
Der OF persons in the vicinity Elwood
Usinger saw the robbers dash past his
house in the stolen buggy. headed
toward Woodbury.. He telephoned their
coming TO Mayor Adamson. and Pc
iiceman Merchant sighted the robbers
as they entered the town.
Merchant called 70 the men to halt
but for answer he got pistol shot in
dangerous proximity TO his head Next
instant the carriage was turned about
and headed south. Merchant ran after
II. sending several pistol shots after
them. and one al them struck the poor
horse In the neck The three men
then scrambled ont OF the vehicle and
took 10 their heels
Merchant meantime had given the
alarm. and down al wenonah a posse
was quick -anized to intercept the
robbers The three men were seen
coming through the railroad cut
When they reached the stream one
went west and the others followed the
stream across the railroad track south
OF the town. Andrew Savage saw the
two men hiding behind a cornstallx
heap. and notified the posse. who al
once gave chase. following the tracks
In the snow. When the robbers found
they were losing ground they turned
and fired several shots from their re-
volvers
They had emptied their revolvers
and had not had time 70 reload them.
suddenly they turned on their pur.
suers and hurled a half-pint bottle o.
niiro-glycerine. which fell in front of
Marshal George Parks and not ten
feet away. Luckily II struck some
snow and dld not explode or the whole
posse would have been blown 10 atoms.
as they were punched together.
Another bottle OF nitro was raised
In tbe air and Parks. realizing his
little band were facing death quickly
leveled his shotgun and fired both the
robbers dnopping 10 the earth. one so
badly wounded that he could not rise
again. The other. who had only been
stunned by q few shots in The face.
drew two more revOlvers and made
stand. evidently intending to fight 10
the death over the body OF his com
rade Parks had been handed another
loaded shotgun and was toe quick for
him. He shouted Hands up" and
the robber obeyed.
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