The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-11-25
Walter Snyder Gave Battle
to the Robbers, but Was
Knocked Unconscious with
Revolver Butt.
SHERIFF STEEN DID
NOT GO TO SCENE
Has No Transportation Fund
and Is Not Legally Requir-
ed to Answer Calls With
out a Warrant.

Owing to the failure of the county
officials to accept liberal interpreta-
ton of the laws and the refusal of the
majority of the men in Economy to
answer the alarm of telephone oper-
atotr, two unknown men who made a
murderous assault on c. & O. operator
Walter Snyder at Economy, about l
O'Clock this morning, escaped.
Since Snyder is rapidly recovering
and his assailants were unable to car
ry out their intent to rob the station
safe of it's small amount of cash, many
of the residents are today devoting
their attention to determining the
cause for the escape of the two men.
Sheriff Remained Home.
Sheriff Steen was informed by long
distance telephone Of the attack but
he did not respond to the call. The
sheriff, his deputies and the board OF
county commissioners have been
quarreling over the question as to
whether the sheriff, his deputies, or
both should respond to any hurry up
call, in an automobile hired at the
expens of the sheriff or of the county.
The sheriff claims that by a strict in
depreciation of the law he is not au-
thorized to make an arrest unless he
has a warrant Or has actually viewed
the felony or misdemeanor which was
committed. He says that it he is to
answer calls from the rural districts
he must be transported at the cost of
the county. The commissioners have
informed the official that except in
cases of utmust emergency the county
will not pay the expenses Of transport
ing the sfieriM to aHy ptac6 where he'f
summoned. The board members say
they are not going to permit apy ex-
pense which the state board OF &C
counts may rule as illegal.
The sheriff takes the position that
as he is not legally required to respond
to calls unless he is given a warrant
for arrests he will not do SO II he is
obliged to pay out of his own pocket
the transportation expenses.
Snyder Shows Nerve.
When west bound freight train No.
% passed through Economy this morn
ing two men were seen to drop off by
the operator Snyder, who. however,
thought little of the incident until a
few minutes later when, as he was
stirring up the fire in the stove In
the station waiting room, the door was
broken open by the two men and he
was attacked. One of the men he fell
ed with the poker, but the other,
pulling his revolver, struck Snyder
between the eyes with the butt end,
knocking him unconscious. The man
who was stunned by Snyder's blow
quickly recovered and hastened away
with his, partner, when Dan Murphy.
who was sleeping in the station was
aroused by the noise and appeared In
the waiting room. The last trace OF
the men was when a farmer saw them
crossing the Martindale creek bridge
early this morning walking toward
Muncie.
Murphy, with the help of the night
telephone operator, was able to arouse
the entire town and inform the men OF
the assault. A. l.. Look and Link Nor
rison armed themselves and hurried to
the station. The remaining male pop
ulation who had been aroused. appear
ed on the streets after daybreak well
armed, according to reports sent from
Economy.
Had a bad cold," or wife wouldn't
| let me-" were popular excuses today