The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-07-29
Unarned He Attacked High
wayman with Revolver Who
Demanded Money
BULLET STRUCK
CONDUCTOR IN HEAD
After Struggle of Several Minutes
Masked Man Escaped in Wild Chase
Through Woods-Eight Women of
the Nine Frightened Passengers.

PALMER, Mass, July 20-Bringing a
trolley car on the Monson-Palmer line
/ to stop in wooded section near Ma
| sons Station soon after 10 O'Clock last
might, a masked highwayman made an
unsuccessful attempt to rob the conduc-
tor. John McManus.
| Throwing his coat containing the com
| pany's money into the open car Me
Manus battled with the highwavman.
/ The conductor drove him off, but re-
ceived a bullet from the highwavrnan's
revolver in the top Of the head. He was
not seriously injured
HE holdup was seen by nine passen-
gers, eight of them women, but it happen
ed so quickly that none Of them had a
chance to leave the car until the man
had fed.
Several passengers said a second mask
led man jumped onto the rear end OF tile
! car when it came to a stop, but fed
when the shooting began
Driven by Notorman Edward Doutv.
the trolley car had covered part of the
llve-mlle stretch between Munsou and
Palmer, when 1t swung of the thorough
iarc INTO the woodland, where the line
runs on private right of way.
Suddenly Douty saw an obstruction ON
the tracks a few car lengths ahead, and
brought the car To a stop as quickly az
possible. McMamus FASTENED to the front
end Of the car to learn what had caused
the sudden stop
As the conductor reached the front
platform the masked man stepped from
the underbrush at one side OF the
tracks. Pointing a revolver at NcMan-
IT'S, he commanded: Give me your mon
ey, feilow,"
McManus drew off his coat quclsIv.
The highWayman stood waiting. his re
FoiEer still aimed at the CONDUCTOR Rut
instead OF handing the coat over. Me
Aianus tossed it into the middle Of thc
car and leaped straight at the man
lie landed literally on top of the hi-h-
wayman, bowling him over in the under
brush. Just as McMauus struck him lie
MshWayman discharged his revolver and
the bullet grazed the top OF the conduc-
toi head, intllctlng only slight wound
They battIed beside the tracks for sev-
elai moments until the woufd-be roEbeq
fegalned ms feet and fled into the woods
McManus. without hesitation. took ND the
trail
lie gained on the stranger. who tr.ed
TO stop MS pursuit by firing three more
shots at him. Each bullet went wild and
MeManus kept up the chase until he trim
ped over bush and fell with crash
that took his breath away.
When he reganed his feet the high
Waylnan had Disappeared
Meanwhile Douty. the motornan. had
lett the car and run through the wood
land TO the nearest house. a quarter of
a mile distant, where a telephone mes
sage was sent the Palmer office of the
street railway company
Returning to the car, McManus told ona
OF the passengers to watch the trolley
while he ran the car to Palmer 1t pro
ceeded at top speed for little more than
a hail mile, when the trolley broke.
Here another telephone message was
sent to Palmer, this time by the con
ductor. \ relief car came for the
frightened passengers Dir $. II. Cars
ley made the run to the disabled car IN
ms automobile and brought the conductor
TO Palmer. Here it was found that his
wound was not serious.
Neither McManus, Douty nor any of
the passengers were able to give a
description OF the masked man.