The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-08-30
Attempt to Rob Store and Safe Of
South First Street Grocery
and Are Driven Away
NERVY CLERK SHOT AT
FELLED BY ROBBER
Groceryman's Automatic Pistol
Failed to Work and He Came
Near Losing HIS Life--Robbers
Escape From Scene

All dttoihpt ny yeSS1en 10 rCD Ins
safe of Werden S. Earls. the whole
sale and retail cash grocer at IL South
First street, was frustrated Friday
night by Henry Neil, a clerk. who
tried to shoot one of the robbers, but
who in turn was shot at and beaten.
The robbers escaped. Entrance to
the store had been gained through
skylight in the roof.
From the story told by Neil. it il
evident that three or four men were
in the gang who made the attempt
between III O'Clock and midnight.
Neil stated that he and Baker another
clerk, had been in the habit of COM
ing to the store after the show FRI
day evenings to put up sugar or do
other odd jobs of the kind necessi-
tated by the rush on the following
day. AS he came up to the door he
noticed several men standing about.
They acted suspicious and he went to
a saloon nearby and telephoned to the
home of Mr.. Earls, who lives at the
corner of East Yakima and Seventh
street.
Clerk Borrowed Revolver
Before the proprietor got to the
scene, Neil borrowed an automatic re-
volver. Stationing himself in the
shadows on the opposite side OF the
street to keep a watch on the store.
Neil saw two men on the roof who
had evidently been on guard in front
of the store when first seen and in
the meantime had disappeared.
On Mr. Earl's arrival, he and Neil
entered the store. the front door Of
which was still locked. and started on
a tour of investigation. Going back
toward the safe they found matches
and several candles on the fioor whore
they had been dropped by the rob-
Der in his fight. Hearing a noise on
the roof, Neil left the store by the
front door and went into the alley,
climbing up whore he could see the
skylight over the rear of the one
story building in which the store In
located. AS he got a view OF this
on the skyline. he saw the head ana
shoulders of a man emerging. The
two men were only a few feet apart.
and the robber saw him as he raised
the automatic pistol in an attempt to
shoot.
Neil's Gun Fails to Work
Don't shoot me, you son Of 4 -"
came from the robber as Neil made
several Intellectual attempts to dist
charge the weapon. Then the burglar
let loose his gun, firing point blank
at the nervy clerk, who stood his
ground, only to be felled to the roof
by q blow on his head. When he re-
covered sufficient enough to reach the
ground he hurried to the front Of the
store and rejoined his employer who
had remained there.
Neil stated that when he went back
into the alley he observed a man
standing beside the telephone pole
near the rear of the building. This
fellow gave a whistle that warned the
man inside and he was trying to get
through the skylight when encounter
ed by the clerk. When seen, Neil
was still suffering from the blow on
his head. He took his narrow escape
from death coolly. regretting that the
automatic pistol which he threw on
the counter in disgust. had not
worked.
RObber Well Dressed
"If I had had my own gun, which
was at home, l could have got that
IelION, declared Nell, IN lelHnE the
story of his encounter. ct got pref
| ty good look at him, the light strik-
ing him full in the face. He was
pretty well dressed, wearing a white
stiff shirt and black mustache, two
points which were most impressed on
my mind in the short time he was In
slight"
The grocery store of Werden 8.
Earls is one of the best in town,
From the fact that it is cash gro
Gerry, ii is supposed the robbers
thought there was a goodly sum to
be had from the strong box, but Mr..
Earls declares there was nothing In
| it but books. The skylight is almost
directly above the safe. In making
the entry the men had broken out one
of the panes of heavy glass. passing
through and landing on a heavy iron
bar set in the ceiling. From there it
was but a short drop to landing and
down to the floor Had they not been
disturbed. it is probable that the rob-
tbers would have com pleted their work
land made haul, for the store is on
Iphe quiet side of the street with but