Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1913-09-22
AT TEMPT
HOLD-UP
OF AUTO
MataWan Men are
Attacked by
PASSENGERS
ONE CAUGH 7
Special to the EVENING NEWS.


Matawan, Sept. 22:- Saturday
morning Samuel fowler, proprietor
of the Aberdeen Inn Stables, receiv-
ed a telephone message asking him
to have his automobile in readiness
to take gentleman and lady to
Freehold that evening. 1t was stat
ed they would arrive at Matawan
that evening on the 1910 o'clock
train. Mr.. Towlers automobile is
not In working order so he asked
Mr.. Elwood Van Brackle, station
agent at Matawan, to take them up
in his car, which Mr.. Van Brackle
agreed to do.
At the appointed time a man ap-
peared who said that his wife was
unable to come, but that he was
anxious to get to Freehold. AS they
were about to start, Mr.. Van Brackle
called to Sam Suydam. who was pass
ing, and asked him If he didn't want
ride. Mr.. Suydam assented, and
the party proceeded. AS Hulsart 8
garage was passed, the stranger In
the back of the machine called out
to stop as he saw two friends.
They climbed into the back seat
and the machine proceeded on it's
way until they reached a dark and
gloomy part of the road lying in the
wooded lowland on the Freehold
side of Marlboro. One of the men
ia the back asked MIR. Van Brackle
to stop, and as he did so, he was
struck from behind several times
and rendered unconscious, falling
out of the machine to the ground.
AS he was being struck he had pres
enoe of mind enough to grab for the
spark plug which he held tightly in
his hand. Sam Suydam was knock
ed out at the same time, being
thrown through the windshield. He
struck the ground on his shoulder,
but in a moment leaped to his feet
and ran into the dark before the
men could get out of the tonneau of
the machine.
Over the top Of the hill he saw
an automobile light and raced to 1t
with all possible speed. AS he
reached the machine he stopped it,
told his story to the occupants, John
Heiser and son, of Marlboro, who
made haste to go to Mr.. Van Brack-
les assistance. AS they neared the
car they saw one man examining the
car, and as he evidently did not ex-
pect any idea of pursuit. They grab
bed him before he had time to es-
cape, but the other two men were
nowhere to be seen. Mr.. Van Bra
ckle, who by this time was slowly
recovering his senses, said he heard
them hunting for the spark plug and
that they had run into the bushes
at the approach of the other ma
chine.
The two automobiles, Mr.. Huser
driving one and his son the other,
made their way to Freehold, where
the culprlt, Sturt, was lodged in the
county Jail and Mr.. Van Brackle had
his wounds treated by a doctor, who
declared Mr.. Van Brackle was hit
by a brick. Mr.. Van Brackle re
turned home this morning, and Is
glad the results of the night were
no worse than the ywere. Forum
ately for him it was that Mr.. Suy-
dam was along so he was able to
hail the passing automobile,
1t is thought that this is the gang
that has been robbing Freehold for
the past two weeks and that the
automobile was the prize they want
ed in order to make their escape
more easily after thieving expedi-
tiCns. The leader is said to be a
New York crook while the other
two men were Keyport characters,