The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-03-07
Blame. Murder On Cunmen
YOUNG WOMAN in THE CASE
Five Yeggs
Attack City
Officer Who
Meets Them

WTdtc hduu-tO-uhuu Ddtlc
with five gunner in the Sill
Yer hotel, 1884 Tacoma
avenue, at 2 o'clock this
morning, PatroIman Ephriam
j. Nix miraculOusly escaped
with his life.
Incidentally, he ran down one
of the most dangerous gangs Of
yeggmen which has operated in
Tacoma for many years, gang
which the police think may be re-
sponsible for the murder of YER
non Lindsay, the cripple, last
night.
Officer Nix was patrolling his
beat on Tacoma avenue at 2
o'clock this morning when he no.
ticed two men, apparently intoxi-
Gated, two blocks ahead of him.
One Opens Fire.
AS he approached them, one OF
them opened fire with his re-
volver.
When the two gunner started
to run, Nix gave chase. They
uuChtu dIOuHu tic COl hSI anu ch
tered the Silver hotel.
Nix followed. He climbed the
stairs to the door of the room
where they lived.
In answer to his knock, one of
the men appeared at the door
way.
Steps Into Hall.
Bring out your partner, he
ordered / want to talk with him
few minutes"
Il haven't any partner" the
man replied. Come inside IL you
think | have"
The officer followed him into
an inner hall way. Just as he got
inside the outer doorway, the
gunman stuck a revolver into his
face, four inches from his nose.
stick up your hands," ordered
the gunman.
Nix slowly raised his hands as
high as his shoulders.
Gun Not Handy.
Not suspecting that he had des-
perate gunner to deal with, he
had left his police revolver in his
holster.
AS he lifted his hands, suddenly
he clamped his hands down on
the gunman's revolver and stuck
his forefinger in the trigger.
The two men tussled about the
hallway. Then the gunman let
out a call for help.
Four partners quickly appear
ed. One of them made a lunge
at the policeman with the butt of
his gun. Nix ducked and the gun
made dent in the door casing.
Goes for Help.
Nix looked up and saw the muz-
zles of four revolver leveled at
him.
Like a flash he gave a frantic
jerk at the revolver held by his
first opponent, and as he wrench
ed 1t from the mans hands he
fell backward through the door
with It in his hands.
The yeggs slammed the door
shut on him.
The officer, believing the odds
were too great against him, went
the building for help. AS
he did so he heard the yeggmen
run upstairs to the back of the
building.
All Carrying Guns.
Nix then went to the home of
Detective Huckaba to get his aid
in cornering the gunner.
:, While he was fastening for aid
all five of the gunner left the
hotel, each one with a revolver in
his hand ready for use.
In all, the gang had several re-
volvers, one of which was found
by the police this morning in their
room.
Two of the guns had been
stolen from Bob's Loan office in
Tacoma two weeks ago.
The police are making a thor
ough search for the gang of gun
men today.
Ready For Murder.
livery OHe VI tHOSe ueu udu
q ervolver leveled on me-" said
Nix today. There was murder
in their eyes, If there ever was in
any mans. / knew 1t was now
or never with me.
Making one last effort, I
forced the revolver out of my
mans hand. The force of my
jerk threw me backwards out of
the door, and in an instnat the
door slammed. and bolt was
snapped.
81 waited several moments be-
hind the corner, thinking that the
men might come out. I had the
gunman's revolver. / was ready
to shoot to kill.
Il knew that l could not hold
the men alone, or expect to cap
ture them. So I rushed to the
home of Detective Huckaba,
across the alley, and awakened
him. Then ! ran back to the ho-
tel. But the men had fled"