Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1912-09-06

eAO O0SAACSS, I1OW sney CdIu6 10 over
look the fanlight never could under
stand. as everything else in the room
-keyholes. cracks and windows
were carefully covered.
Mrs. Francis peeped inside. No
one was in sight. She could see the
blocks of marble, but no one was
hammering on them. The sound was
very distinct, and she wondered what
1t meant. She could hear voices, too.
When her eyes lit on the open fire
place and she saw piece of stone sy
from 1t into the room she fell off the
ladder. The noise in the room stop-
ped. Mrs. Francis picked herself I'D
and hurried away as rapidly as pos.
sibfe. She peeped over the barister
and saw some one open the studio
door.
I'm moment the hammering was
resumed, and Mrs. Francis hurried to
police headquarters. I was in charge
as Chief Edward S. McWilliams was
in Philadelphia. Mrs. Francis told me
her story. knew at once that a gang
OF burglars had planted the bank.
From the time that they had been at
work 1 knew they must be close to
the money. 1 rang for Detective Mike
Bowie, and We went together down to
Exchange place, where we could pipe
the bank.
MRS. Francis told me that four
men were in the gang, and after a
long wait We saw two OF them come
out of the boarding house In few
moments the two other fellows came
out, and they all crossed the ferry to
New York. / knew one of them. He
was the best looking one in the gang
l had played several games OF bill
lizards with him at Taylors hotel, and
was beaten every time l found out
afterward that he was Cummings.
Bowie and l crossed over to
Nafew's saloon, and got small col
ored boy who worked there. We
took him into the boarding house and
pushed him through the open fan.
light into the studio. The kid jumped
into the hole in the fireplace, saw the
condition of things there and came
back scared half to death.
Then l waited at the house until
three of the gang came back. They
seemed to be in hurry, and went to
work in the vault late in the after
noon. Cummings did not return. l
knew the trick was about to come OFF,
and he had been left outside to watch.
Il sent Bowie to the station house
for the men, and when they returned,
after making sure that Cummings was
not on the lookout anywhere, l sent
two men to the roof Of the house, sta
toned three others In the bank, and
the rest I placed on the ytairs. Bowie
and l. with four big nervy men, made
for the room. The SOUND of the ham,
mering was very distinct, but 1 could
not tell whether the three men were
in the hole or not.
Il stood fiat against the studio door,
and placed Bowie and two policemen
behind me. 1t was ticklish moment,
and I'll admit felt little uneasy, as
men of the kind we were going up
against are very handy with guns. |
gave the signal in low voice, and
we threw ourselves against the door.
1t was important that the locks and
bolts should be broken at the first
effort. so that the gang would not
have warning.
''The door flew open, and landed
on my hands and knees IN the middle
of the room. The place was empty.
and / jumped for the fireplace with
my revolver in my hand.
Bowie, one of the stoutest-hearted
boys l ever knew, got there ahead OF
me and shouted to the gang to throw
up their hands. In the hole were
three men on their hands and knees
and I heard them whisper to each
other, but could not tell what they
said. I knew that they would not
give up without battle and felt re-
lieved when one of the policemen
shouted: Here are their guns, Cap
They were unarmed, and | knew 1
had them all safe. The three fellows
out of the hole with as ugly
expressions on their mugs as l ever
saw. One Of them kept swearing all
the time. They kept their hands
above their heads, but could see that
they were sizing up the game as they
crawled into the room. Before we
had a chance to grab them, one fell
low gave me a vicious kick In the
and started for the window.
my men would have killed him IL
I had not called them Off Another OF
the thieves made for the door. He
was black-looking devil and had the
courage of lion. Why he was not
killed never could understand, but L
suppose we got little careless when
we found out they had nothing to
shoot with and gave them more of a
chance. But we got the handouts on
them and landed them in the station
house.
There was sequel to this cap
ture which created even greater ex-
element than the attempted bank
The thieves 'squealed' at
their trial and said that Captain Nc
Williams and Detective Doyle, who
was .McWiiliams' confidential man,
were In the scheme to rob the bank
and were to be rewarded with share