The San Francisco call., 1909-08-14
CHAUFFEUR HERO
IN THE EXCITING
TALE OF CHASE
With Revolver Pressed Against
His Neck He Takes Most
Desperate Chance
HurIs Fast Speeding Machine
Into Tree and Thereby
Battles Robbers

ner out Of the bank. closed and bolted
The door and then resumed him posi-
tion, while Carr completed the task of
filing his pockets with gold coin.
The robbery did not tske-10 minutes
Heavily laden with gold the youths
backed toward the door, covering the
bank employees as they retreatedF and
then turning broke for the waiting au-
tomobile.
Attempt to Escape
Brown, even at that moment un-
in readiness. The sight of the revolv-
ers in the hands Of the men and their
bulging pockets. however, told him
what they had done.
With one accord Carr and Willitts
drew their guns on him. Drive like
h." said WilIitts. He spoke as he
jumped for his seat and bending over
threw open the throttle of the automo-
bile. The machine boundef onward and
Carr. settling himself down behind the
chauffeur. screwed the revolver into
the back of his neck.
You go first if you slow down, he
said The automobile swerved across
the street. Brown. completely off his
guard. headed it down the San Fran
cisco road, and, as it whirled away
from the town Cashier Birge ran into
the street. a revolver in his hand. He
glanced to right and left seeking the
robbers and then, distinguishing their
forms in the fast disappearing auto
mobile. emptied his revolver at them.
The bullets went high. singing over
the heads Of the men. The three stopped
low in their seats and all that could be
distinguished was the-upraised arm of
Carr. holding a revolver against the
claauheur's neck The next instant
they had turned a corner and were lost
TO sight.
Hue and Cry On
The preparations for their capture
began Immediately. Even as Birge.
fired after the flying automobile, Rob-
srts. the paying teller, was telephoning
10 Sheriff Langford at San Jose. ac-
ouainting him Of the robbery. Then
from end to end the alarm was sounded.
Telephone and telegraph wires bore
The news TO every point.
While the men Of Santa Clara has
tened TO arm themselves and in the
midst Of the turmoil and hurry of sad
ding and harnessing OF horses a cloud
OF dust arose from the direction of San
Jose, coming fast down the El Canine
real. 1t was the sherif's posse. Thief
ionk Of the speeding automobile as it
ola - rf- -
Clara the men and women drawing up
on either side. The automobile, loaded
with men. whizzed by at terrible
speed. but through the cloud OF dust
could be seen the protruding barrels of
winchester rifles. 1t followed in the
wake Of the robbers and as it passed
horse shout Of approval went UP.
Sensational Pursuit i.
BY this time automobiles. carriages
buckboards. wa CONS and saddle horses
had gathered. Men jumped to their
seats or saddles. spurs and whiplash
went to work and the citizen posse
800 strong. swept onward, knowing
that If there was to be a battle Il
would be near by and judging from the
desperate character of the robbers
every man would be needed to bring
about their capture
In the meantime Brown, driving the
two robbers, had collected HIS wits.
To slow down meant death for him.
Swiftly he passed the rows Of houses
past the pedestrians, gazing in horror
and surprise at the flying automobile
and the stern man holding a revolver
ri the back Of the neck Of the chauf-
feur. As quick as the fast speeding
automobile were the thoughts racing
through Browns head. Ahead he saw
Blocks fruit cannery, with its group
of workmen gathered about It. Then
WAS his mind made up.
Wrecks Automobile
To the right Of the road stood a
tree and for this he steered, travelling
furiously. The Side Of thes automobile
struck the tree and then regardless
Of the revolver behind. the chauffeur
headed for a pile of boxes. The smash
that followed brought the pile Of boxes
1umbling in ell directions. The ma
chine skidded around and in the
1urore Brown gave a hasty jerk to the
throttle, shutting off the gasoline The
robbers jumped down. cursing furious
y, Brown meeting their imprecatfons
sullen and doged.. From the cannery
the workmen poured out TO give aid
10 the automobile wreck
We were trying to break the record
70 the city" said Willitts.
He shot a glance Of meaning toward
Brown. who dutifully obeyed knowing
fun well that the gasoline had been
shut of and that every moments DELAY
would bring the posse nearer to the
rescue. The bandits, seeing that no
good result followed the persistent
cranl<ing. pushed their way through the
crowd Of workmen
FIX her up" said WIlitts I'VE are
going for a short walk" Once more
he looked at Brown, and then. with
Carr, turned away.
Sheriff'S Posse Arrives
With the instinct OF the hunted the
robbers sought running water They
pushed through a copse Of trees, sought
the dense shrubbery of a hillside and
plunged toward the banks of Moody
creek, through Morse's seed farm. No
sooner had they gone than Brown
breathlessly told the workmen that they
were bank robbers.
In the midst OF his explanation the
automobile containing Sheriff Langford
Deputy Sheriff Lowell. F. A Alderman.
= merchant OF Santa Clara, and E. c.
Stamper Of Saratoga dashed up.
word 10 Brown and the party left their
automobile and followed the robbers on
foot Alderman and Lowell taking one
direction and Langforq and Tamper the
other.
They caught sight of the robbers time