Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-09-07
FARGO DRUG
STORHIlROBB[D
ON SUNDAY
Cash Register Riaed in Broad
Daylight by Bold Holdup
Man
CLERK KNOCKED IN
HEAD WITH REVOLVER
Fargo Police Unable to Find Any
Trace Of Perpetrator Of
Crime

Fargo, N. D., Sept. 6-One of the
bcldest robberies that have taken
place in Fargo in many years occur
red Sunday afternoon, a: about 2:4s
o'clock, At the Waldorf pharmacy,
when a man who was patroniZing the
soda fountain drew a gun on Norris
Smiley, forced him behind the pre-.
!2cription case, where he slugged him
in the head with the butt Of tie gin
and then ritled the cash register on
the soda fountain, successfully max
ing his escape with $50 in bills.
It was the nerviest robbery that la
taken place here in years, as the
streets at tlat time on Sunday after
noon are well filed with people and
the holdup occurring in one of the
principal parts of town and next to
one of the leading hotels. That it
was committed by professional is
evident as there was every evidence
cf expertness, as we'll as bo,dness, in
the manner of conducting the holdup
Yegg Buys Drink.
The robber, who was a small man
with the appearance Of an Italian
strolled into the drug store shcrily af
ter 2 o'clock and going to the soda
fountain ordered a soda. There were
other pecp'e in the store at the time
nd of4 yi,,or thn hoI II, e
dilatory manner he ordered second
one, there being still other customers
in the store. He mad just hnishe5
when the last customer departed and
then ne ordered ,some kind of pills
and Mr.. Smiley walked toward the
rear cf the store to fill the order and
WIS followed by the th;ei. '..
Near the back Of the. store the rob
ber drew a revolver and, placing it
against Mr.. Simley's breast, ordered
him to get behind the prescription
case The clerk complied and was
followed by the yegg, VINO tlen OF
dered Mr.. Smiley to get Gown the
chlorofcrm bottle. This demand was
also complied with and the burglar
then demanded a; sponge, with the evi
dent intention Of chloroforming his
victim. Mr.. Smiley stated that the
sponges, however, were all in the
front of the store.
SIugs His Victim.
The higlrwayman had no desire for
the clerk to go to the front of the
establishment and he then inquired
for the toilet-jut it was evidentl-'
not near enough for h's purposes
which were evidently to lock Mr. Sim
ley in it. He then ordered Mr.. Sim'o"
to turn around and just as he did this
the burglar struck him terrific blow
in the back of the head knockin?
him to the floor and rendering hin
unconscious. '"" !"u
Justt how long he was unccn2ciouf
Mr.. Smiley is unable to state, but re
gaining consciousness he dazedly
made his way to the MOTEL lobby
where the clerk called a physician
and notified tle police. ls-' 1.+
There was quite an ugly seal
wound inflicted in Mr.. Simley's heaf
from which he bled cute freely and
the manner in which the blow wa
dealt is an additional evidence tla'
the thief was al old hand in crime
the blow being sufficient to rende'
the victim unconscious without caus
ing fatal or very serious wound. J.
is also evident taht the thief desired
to injure his victim only as last re
sort, it being the belief That ne frs
intended to chlorOfcrm him and Cher
to lock him in the toilet. when nc
means of administering the anae.
thetic were found avoilable
Took Only Currency.
After knocking his victim unc0-,
scious, the yeggman evidently hurried
to the soda fountain cash register
where there was considerable money
However. the only cash taken was
the $50 in bills, all the silver beino
left in the drawer. The burglar eth
er overlooked the large cash register,
on the ether side OF the room, or wa
rushed for time, fearing detection, a.
this register was not opened, although
there was considerable money in it
There are no clues as to the guilty
party. although thenpolice have been
securing the town for him. There is
only one ether incident that may o.
may net have been connected with
the chine. This is that the police
learned that rather small man
changed his clothing In an old she,i
near N. P avenue, a couple blocks
west of the city hall. Sunday after
noon. A pedestrian walking along N.
=. avenue saw the man changing his
clothing, but thought nothing of il
until he later learned that there had
been holdup.
The police searched every box car in
the yards of the railroads and made
a trip to the "jungles," but We're un
able to round up anyone that answer
ed the description of the man who
held up Mr.. Smiley.