The Greeley tribune., 1909-01-15
hOLD-UP ON A MAIN
STREET OF GREELEY
STRANGER THOUGHT IT A JOKE
When Attempt Fails They Trie1 to
Murder DrvmmeR.

Upon one Of the main streets Oi
the city, at O'Clock last evening
with people passing In all directions
two highwaymen attempted to bold
up . travelling man from Chicago
and when foiled in their attempt
fired two shots at the drummer and
made their escape through the allsy
Had the robber who did the shoot.
ing been directly in front, rather
than to one side Of the travs3lng
man. the latter would ne doobt
have been murdered. One b~laet
was fired at his feet to scare him,
but the other was aimed deliberdte-
ly at his breast. The bullet entesed
his overcoat at the chest and travel
ed sideways through the large
wrinkle at the junction Of the erm
pit and sleeve. making three holes
in the overcoat. "a
The drummer came In from Den
yer on the o'clock train. and plsc-
ing his grips in the Camheld BUS,
proceeded to walk up town. where
he had an appointment with Mr..
Hickman, the Wholesale grocer. Not
finding Mr. Hickman, he proceeded
toward the Camneld, and had just
reached the alley on Eighth avenue,
between Seventh and Eighth streets.
Two men. one long and one shdrt,
like the famous long and short men
of Chicago. came from the direction
of the pool hall. and they met jusx MT
the entrance to the alley As the
drummer stepped to one side to .let
them pass. the tall man placed Are
volver to his ribs and comma1Aed
him to step in the alley and hold iup
his hands. The travelling man began
to laugh, thinking 1t was some drpnk
playing joke. and he backed ei0ser
to the outside of the walk and se4rt-
- 70 walk On. Tho rohAes kepkelslA
to him, and turning the gun toward
his feet. fired. Without waiting q
moment. he lifted the gun to the
drummer's breast and fired again,
with the result as stated, and then
both men took to their heels down
the alley Two farmers who were
walking through the alley said they
heard the bullet whiz just over their
heads, and directly after. the two
|highwaymen came running past
them. The robbers were evidently
acquainted with the locality. as they
did not continue through the alley.
but cut through the vacant space In
the rear of the Currier property and
entered Eighth street through the
door in the billboard fence. From
there they went east toward the
tracks.
The drummers name is Chas. II.
Close and he represents Wixon 4 Co.
of Chicago who are importers of spic-
es. He has called upon Greeley trade
twice year for some time. The city
officers and couple OF deputies be-
gan a search for the men and Kept
track of all out going trains. The
4:4O train going south did not arrive
until after eight Oficer Brown rode
the blind baggage out of town to
prevent an escape by that method.
At Twelfth street the train was NOV
ing rapidly ard Brown was about
to get OF when the two holdup men
accompanied by third climbed onto
the same platform. Brown had mis-
back turned as the men climbed on
the opposite side. and as he turned
around the tall man struck MIN
stunning blow in the face ana 'neh
tried to push ofy the rapidly moving
train. Brown grabbed the hoidup
by the face with one hand ana 'rieo
to draw his gun with the other out
he was crowded too closely by the
three men. Brown finally succeeoed
in pushing the men of. BY this t'me
the train was going 20 miles an nour
and as Brown jumped on ne couio
see the three robbers scattering IN
the vicinity of the stockyards'
Mr. Close left town this morning
and even II the hold-up men are ap-
pretended there will be no one 10
identify or prosecute them me
officers are still on the chase al
though they know their ehor's VIII
amount to nothing. even If success
full Two ex-convicts. who hao ior-
merry been in jail here calleu ."
sheriff Florance about a ha'i houT
before the hold-up. THESE were ~
Gated later by the sheriff b"' 'heir
descriptions do not fit the 'ons "n'
short men.