Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-10-23
P[A|Nf fIELD ROB.
BERS CAUGHT
WITH BOOTY
Two Yeggmen, Captured Near
Coddington, are Now in Wau-
shara County Jail.

from stevens P0lnt journal
The perpetrators of the postoffice
robbery at Plainfield Monday night
have been captured. Tracked by a
party consisting of Sheriff Emeigh
Of Waushara county and a number
Of Plainfield men, among them Post
master Coon, two yeggmen, with
their booty still in their possession,
were trapped and taken into Gust
ody at point about a half mile
north of Coddington, on the Portage
branch of the 500 line, at about
$50 o'clock Tuesday evening.
Following the discovery Of the rob
berry, an investigation of the prem
ses was made in the hope of finding
some clue that might lead to the ar
rest of those who did the job On
The ground back of the postoffice the
cred and some of these were so pc
culiar in shape that it was not diff
cult to trace them. Tuesday after
noon the party was formed and took
up the trail, which they followed
about ten or eleven miles north of
Plainfield. At this point the pair
had evidently taken refuge in a clump
Of green timber probably to await
the coming of darkness before they.
continued their Journey Mr.. Coon
and one or two others then returned
to Plainfield, leaving the other mem
oers OF the party to keep watch for
the burglars, but returned to the
place on the Portage train in the
evening.
Thinking their quarry had eluded
Ihdm and had continued north to-
ward this city where they would be
able to board a 500 line train, the
little posse, on re-assembling, decfd-
I'd to secure a team of horses and
drive to Plover. However, as they
stood in the shadow of a farmhouse,
The forms of two men walking north
on the railway track only a short
distance above, hove into sight
They were ordered to halt but their
only response was to dash for the
opposite side of the right-of- way. AS
they did so on of those in the
posse fired d charge of -. b. slot
at them. The pair crawled under
fence, but as there was no place in
which they might seek refuge they
We're cornered and surrendered, one
Of them with twenty or more buck
shot in his back. A mail sack con
tanning practically all of the stamps
that had been stolen and wrapped
around which was a rain coat, was
found near the railway track, where
It had been discarded. One of the
yeggman also laid aside a revolver
a quantity of nitroglycerine and
other articles of use in his trade"
The captives were first taken to
Plainfield but early this morning
were lodged in the Waushara county
jail at Wautoma. They absolutely
refuse to give out any information
themselves, except to
say they are from Maine. One of
.hem is apparently about fifty
years of age and the other forty.
The latter is the one who received
he dose of shot, most of which has
been removed He is but little hurt,
he admits being decidedly
stiff and sore.
The robbery Of the postoffice is
to have been committed be |
tween two and three o'clock Tues |
day morning. After gaining access |
to the building the two men, using |
a sledge hammer, cnisel and other !.
tools they had stolen from the black |
smith shop of E. A. Lintner, TemoV-
ID the combination from the safe
and in the opening thus made pour
ed a charge of nitroglycerine. The
charge was heavy one and on
being exploded blew off the entire |
outer door. This gave them posses |
sion of the $4OO in stamps and $40
in money they secured but it is
very probable they would have at |
to blow open the door of |
the inner section of the safe, where |
the money order forms are kept, but |
for the fact that a number of peo- |
pie had passed in the immediate |
vicinity Of the building and thus |
caused them to beat a hasty retreat |