Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-18
MONEY STOLEN
IS RECOVERED
PRESIDENT OF COMPANY SHOT
IN THE CHEST
CASHIER FASTENED TO CHAIR
AND OFFICE RANSACkED
Thieves Grab Sack Containing $4,000,
Jump Into Buggy and Are Cap
tured After Exciting
. Pursuit
1Rv Associated Press,


SAN FRANCISCO, April Thames
M. Thompson, vice president of the
Thompson Bridge company, with Of
fees at 1903 Main street, on entering the
office today with a sack containing
$4,000 which he had drawn from the
Bank of California, saw the bookkeep-
err had been tied to a chair and on
turning his head was confronted by
two masked men, one of whom shot
him through the chest, intlictlng a
serious wound.
Ora bbing up the sack, the man made
a dash for a buggy nearby, which one
entered while the other made his es-
cape The fleeing man in the buggy
was pursued by policemen in an auto
mobile and was finally captured.
During the shooting William Curtis
an employee of the II. S. White Ma
chinery company, received stray bull
let, but was not seriously hurt.
Thompson had obtained the money
for the purpose of paying off his men,
and on reaching the office had stopped
a moment to enter a closet. When he
stepped into his office he Immediately
noticed something was wrong, for the
furniture was disarranged and MS
bookkeeper was seated in a chair, to
which he had been secured.
Thompson looked toward the door,
only to face two revolvers held by
couple of men wearing black masks
Thompson Is Shot
A shot was fired by one of them,
which pierced Thompson through the
right breast. AS he fell to the floor
the men rushed into the street. and one
of them, carrying the sack of coin,
jumped into a buggy which was stand
ing near by
chase and was followed in few min
utes by officers Hayden, McGrath,
Egan, Sergeant Mahoney and Captain
Conboy in an automobile. The chase
proceeded down Main street to Market
and through Drum street ana up
Jackson to the corner of SAMSON,
where the buggy was stopped by Cd
structions placed in its way by citl-
zens Here the man was captured and
placed under arrest.
William Roseburg was shot while at
tempting to check the fleeing roDDer,
but did not sustain serious injury. The
sack containing the $4,000 was recoV-
cred.
The man who was taken into CUSTODY
has been identified by the police as
Francis Fl. German, who was recently
released from San quentin.
Thompson, who has an even chance
of recovery, has identified German as
the man who shot him.
Warned to Keep Quiet
William Rosengren, boollkeeper for
the Thompson Bridge company, was
alone in the office when the robbers
first made their appearance. He no.
ticed that one wore a SLOUGH hat or
dark color. pulled down over his fore
head, while over the faces of both
were pieces of black cloth with holes
cut through for the eyes
Before the bookkeeper could make
any resistance a revolver was held at
his head and he was warned to remain
quiet. He was then securely tied to
his chair with a rope which one of the
men carried.
A search of the office for valuables
was in progress when Thompson ar
rived and the shooting began. The
first bullet fired pierced the hand of
Thompson, who quickly drew his own
revolver and returned the fire. Several
shots were exchanged before Thomp-
son received a wound which rendered
him helpless. Hundreds of people par
ticipated in the pursuit of the fugitive
robber. in whose capture they mate
rally aided the police.
Francis German, the man in custody,
shot and killed Morris Neugent at the
corner of Third and Howard streets on
December %, 1856. when he was only
II wears of age. He was convicted OF
manslaugter and served a ten years
sentence at San Quentin. The police
are looking for kid" Horton, who has
been an associate of German a! d was
seen this morning riding in the latter's
buggy.