Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-17
HOLDSU THREE
WITH BIG BOMB
AND DRAWN GUN
DARING BANDIT CAUGHT BY
RUSE OF VICTIM
HAD PREPARED PRISON AND FET-
TIERS FOR MILLIONAIRE
Wealthy Merchant of Kansas City and
His Family Have Thrilling Escape
from Death-Wife Proves
Heroine.

e I -AO
IL Nj. Jones, a millionaire dry goods
AA merchant, president of the Jones
Dry Goods company, his wife and his
son, Chester narrowly escaped death
TODAY at the hands of a desperate man
who entered Mr.. Jones' home, and with
a dynamite bomb in one hand and
revolver in the other demanded $1,000
from Mr.. Jones.
After clever maneuvering, Mr.. Jones
managed to gain the mans consent to
accompany him and his son to bank
for the funds. While the three men
were about to enter the Jones motor
car to be whirled downtown Mr.. Jones
threw himself upon the man from be-
hind and seized him around the chest
in such a fashion as to pinion his arms.
At the same time, by trick he
learned when a boy, ne klcked the
mans feet from under him. Both fell
and rolled down the stone steps at the
edge of the Jones porch.
Chester, the son, was on the intruder
before he could recover.
The young man seized the mans pis-
toI in one hand just as the trigger was
pulled. The weapon failed to explode.
Wife Grabs the Bomb
Mrs. Jones then ran in close and
seized the bag containing the bomb,
which she carried into the house. An
examination of it showed the match
had ignited but failed to explode, the
powder doubtless having smothered the
flames.
At the police station the intruder
gave the name of @. H. Garnett. He
acknowledged, however, this was not
his real name.
Garnett is about five feet six inches
tall, weighs about $50 pounds and is 40
years old. He has the appearance of
being a foreigner but speaks English
quite well.
He has tanned skin and dark hair
recently cut. His eyes are a wateFy
brown and are crossed. His ears are
set close to his head, and with his
black slouch hat pulled far over his
face one instinctiyely thinks Of border
ruffians.
Garnett says he is 40 and in hard
luck. His home is in Omaha.
Sought Out Mansion
I'm not ashamed of my Intentions"
said he. ''I wasn't going out to slug a
poor man over the head in a dark alley.
| made up my mind to go out to some
mansion in broad daylight and make
my demands
A maid at the Jones home corrobor-
ated Garnett's statement that he called
there on last Saturday. Garnett told
an interviewer that he planned to
make the late J.. K. iBurnham, also a
wealthy dry goods man, his victim.
At the Burnham home he learned
that Mr.. Burnham had been dead two
years
"On my way down town from Burn
HAMS" he said, ."I saw the Jones
brothers sign and decided to go after
Mr.. Jones. I looked his address up III
the telephone directory, and you know
the rest"
Following Garnett's statement the
police late this afternoon found the
house where Garnett proposed to i'm
prison Mr.. Jones after getting the
money. 1t is a small frame affair at
313 Linden avenue, Independence, Mo,
suburb.
Made Prison of Closet
A closet on the second floor Of the
house was rigged up for the prison.
A large screw ring was set into the
wall about four feet from the floor
chain with links of one-Quarter of
an inch thick was attached, so that
about three feet of the chain fell on
either side.
At each end of the chain was a new
lock. These were for Mr.. Jones' arms.
On the floor just inside the door sill
was the second chain, each end Gf
which bore lock.
Garnett had made a chair that just
fitted in the closet. 1t was sufficiently
high that when the victim sat down he
could be securely chained in place.
The house is in a, secluded spot. Gar
nett said he proposed to chain Mr.
Jones UP, notify Mrs. Jones of her
husbands whereabouts by mail and
make his escape.
Mr.. Jones was full of praise for his
wife's bravery when seen this after
noon.
1.-TWO hours and a half a prisoner"
said Mr.. Jones, with a sigh of relief,
land throughout the nerve-racking ex-
perience Mrs. Jones was more calm by
far than l. My boy, too, deserves
great credit for his GOODNESS.
Dynamite Scared Him
II know we would get the man
sooner or later, but I was helpless in
the face of that dynamite. I feel tha4
we all have come through dangerous
experience with the greatest good for
tune"
Mrs. Jones said she offered the man
some coffee shortly after entering the
library and seeing the situation.
II have neither eaten nor slept for
four days." he told her.
Poor man." she said, have you a
wife and babies?"
Yes
TELL me about them"
'tOh, you wouldn't be interested, be-
cause you have plenty Of money! re-
Sponded the intruder.
Lawrence M. Jones is well known
throughout the country because of his
interest in national waterways. He
was a delegate to the recent water
ways convention in Washington. He
has been conspicuous in Missouri Re-
publican circles. In 1898 Mr.. Jones was
delegate at large from Missouri to
the national Republican convention.
lie is pioneer merchant, whose for
tune has grown in equal proportion
with Kansas City.
Maniac Ends His Life
OAKLAND, Feb. 16.-Dripping with
blood from self-infiicted wounds. with