Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-02-27
ROBBER KILLED AS
He ENERGIES FROM
STORE AT ST. PAUL
Benjamin CirdIe Catches
Thieves AT Their
Work
SHOOTS WHEN ORDER TO
HALT Is DlS0BEYED
Charge Blows Top Of Mans
Head Of---TwO COmpan-
iOns---One Caught

After rObbing the store Of Joseph
Gooding at st. Paul at 5 o CLOCK this
morning the three robbers emerged
from the rear window to be confronted
by Ben Girdle with a rifle in his hands.
He told the robbers to halt but they
scattered as fast as they could and
Girdle fired and one Of the robbers
dropped in his tracks with the top Of
his head blown off. Another Of the
robbers who gave the name of Frank
Undermeir was captured by n posse
of citizens but the robber refused to
talk and would not state who the dead
man was. The other robber took to
the brush with some determined st,
Paul citizens after him.
The robbers entered the store
through a window which they smashed
out. Girdle who lives just across the
street from the store heard the tinkle
of the glass a little after o'clock this
morning and stepped out into his yard
with his rifle to wait for the robbers
They soon came out of the store and
were challenged by Mr., Girdle. HC
intended to give them time to surrender
without bloodshed but the robbers evi-
IDENTIFY wanted to test his markesman-
ship They showed no disposition to
stop and the report Of his rifle only
added terror to their already rapid
flight,
As soon as Girde fired and the rob
ber dropped the other robbers ducked
out Of sight and Girdle threw another
shell into the magazine Of his rifle and
went forward to find out the extent OF
the injury. A glance sufficied to show
that the robber would give no further
trouble but by this time the compan
ions Of the dead man had vanished
The neighbOrs were aroused by the
sound of the rifle shot and soon 9
number appeared on the scene. A poss,
was hastily organized and the pursuit.
Of the fleeting burglars started. I'm
dermeir was captured in the thicl
brush near ST. Paul where he was sur
rounded. He was unarmed and it wa
evident that he realized that resistanc,
/ NbA uHtlNho' llt Nho oullcH anu lN
fused TO answer any questions or ever
to tell the name Of his dead pal
The office Of Sheriff Esch was mott
fled at 6 O'Clock and Deputy w. !
Needham and Coroner Clough left 70
| st. Paul on the 7.l5 Oregon Electric
The citizens of st. Paul had done al
that was necessary however an
proved that they were right up to tn
minute in matters Of this kind accord
ing to the report Of Mr.. Needhan
The dead man is q stranger and II
not known whether or not he has
criminal record, Undermeir is abou
40 years Of age 8 feet 0 inches tall an
weighs about 1850 pounds. The dea
robber was brought back to this cit
by Coroner Clough.
James Grady the robber who elude
the posse early this morning was car
turcd about II O'Clock in a hop hous
whore he had taken refuge. Grad
spent 10 days In the county jail her
last fall on Il vagrnncy charge and wa
released November II. He was nrrcsi
ed by the city marshall Of Turner az
suspected burglar At the time of hi
arrest Grady had four new suits d
clothes in his 'Bindle" and doze
new pocket knives, some ra2ors an
other miscellaneous articles all ne
which were thought 10 have been stole
from some general store In the yallc'
At the time II was impossible 20 locat
the owner Of the property and Grad
was released, He was arrested durin
the latter part Of October
, Wilsonville Depot Robbed,
. The Oregon Electric depot was ro
. bed at Wilsonville, station about
, miles from st. Paul last night and II
D thought by the officers that these m,
! had hand in the proceedings, ~
safe was blown open and the Off
! ransackod but no money was found a
3 cordng 10 the agent who came on du
. at o'clock this morning to find th
d he had had night visitors. The IT
u tion agent leaves at O'Clock in q
D. evening and does not come on shift &
D. 70 hours and the robbers had plen
i Of time TO do their work. II is n
t. known at what time the robbers @
tered the station. The robbers cou
z easily have made the distance from o.
!. town TO the other IL they had be-
/ familiar with the country aud had col
II pleted their job at Wilsonyille ear
2 in the evening.