The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-09-06


ladder The noise in the room stop
ped. Mrs. Francis picked herself up
and hurried away as rapidly as pos
sible. She peeped over the banister
and saw some one open the studio
door.
In a moment the hammering was
resumed, and Mrs. Francis hurried to
police headquarters. | was in charge, |
as Chief Edward S. MCWilllams was |
in Philadelphia. Mrs. Francis told me |
her story. knew at once that a gang |
of burglars had planted the bank.
Mrs. Francis told NE 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. tie
was the best looking ore in the gang
| | had played several games OF BILL
| lizards with him at TaylOr's hotel, ana
was beaten every time | found out
afterward that he was Cummings.
Bowie and | crossed over to
Nafew's saloon, and got Il small col,
ored boy who worked there. We
took him into the boarding house and
pushed him through the open Tan
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 ! waited at the house until
three of the gang came back. Ihey
seemed to be in hurry, and went to
work in the vault late in the after.
noon. Cummings did not return. !
knew the trick was about to come OF,
and he had been left outside to watch.
II sent Bowie to the station house
for the men and when they returned
after making sure that Cummings was
: not on the lookout anywhere, | sent
two men to the roof of the house, sta
2 toned three others in the bank, and
| the rest | placed on the stairs. Bowie
l and |, with four big nervy men, made
for the room. The sound OF the ham
! mering was very distinct, but | coulc
i not tell whether the three men were
in the hole or not.
e II stood fiat against the studio door
e and placed Bowie and two policemen
e behind me.
y The door flew open, and | LANDED
q on my hands and knees in the middle
e of the room The place was empty
D and ! jumped for the fireplace witt
/. my revolver In my hand.
a Bowie, one of the stoutest-hearte
j. boys | ever knew, got there ahead Q
e me and shouted to the gang to thro0
"a up their hands. In the hole Wer
20 three men on their hands and knee
Il, and 7 heard them whisper to eac
ot other, but could not tell what the
Is said. | knew that they would nc
Is give up without battle and felt n
le ljeved when one of the policeme
10 shouted: Here are their guns, Cap
s, They were unarmed, and | knew
a had them all safe. The three fellow
u climbed out of the hole with as ugl
"a expressions on their mugs as eve
IL saw. One of them kept swearing a
ut the time. They kept their hant
ne above their heads, but | could see th'
81 they were sizing up the game as the
", crawled into the room. Before v
had a chance to grab them, one Il
low gave me vicious kick IN Il
abdomen, and started for the windo'
"My men would have killed him
ar 7 had not called them off. Another
40 the thieves made for the door
If was a btack-looking devil and had q
os courage of lion. Why he was n
nm killed | never could understand, but
ov sunpose we got little careless VIII
$50 we found out they had nothing
no choot with and gave them more OF
rIe chance. But we got the handouts
,ra them and landed them in the staff
his house.
"There was sequel to this CT
nix tllre which cfeateu even Sf0"tei
tty citement than the attempted ba
RS robbery. The thieves squealed
AN their trial and said that Captain A
ter Williams and Detective Doyle, W
Inc was McWilliams confidential mi
red were in the scheme to rob the ba
NOR and we're to be rewarded with shi
,st If the proceeds for giving them
lection.
ire "The trial of Captain McWilha
Inv and Doyle was the most sensation
,oa one ever held in Hudson county. !
GRO thieves told of their various meetil
am. with Doyle. A diary was produ'
on. containing a record OF the CONVEX
ong lions with him and the convicts sw
IRIS out very stiff case. A point t
n was made to count strongly agal
or,s CAPTAIN McWilliams was his abse
in Philadelphia when the trick was
With have come off, but all the jury Wo
; j, not believe the testimony OF the Il
coo who had been thieves all their II
him in Interference to men oil good rep