The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-05-19
POST OFFICE AT
ILLMO Held UP
BY TWO BANDITS
Men Enter Coy Drugstore,
Rob 1t of SIS, then Take
S100 From p. O.
DRUGGIST HELD AT
POINT OF REVOLVERS
Look out Stands at Front Door
While Two Confederates
Frisk Store.

Two highwaymen last night held up
and robbed the Postofice and the Coy
Drug store at Illno, escaping with
1926 in cash. George Coy, the pro-
prietor of the drugstore, and Henry
Dunger, the clerk, were compelled to
stand against the wall in the rear of
the store while one of the bandits
robbed the cash drawers in the drug
store and postoffice. The postoffice is
located in the drugstore, and by hold
ing ID the drugstore, the highwaymen
had access to the two establishments.
J. f. Kinkead, the postmaster, clos
ed TIE postoffice at o'clock, the usual
hour, and was playing pool Just around
the corner from the drugstore when
the nOldup took place.
Shortly after 1880, while Mr.. Coy
and his clerk were preparing to close
the drugstore and go home, the two
men entered. They walked back to
meet the druggists, who stepped to-
ward the front of the store, believing
that the men wanted to make a
purchase.
At what appeared to be the ap-
pointed time, the highwaymen whipped
out revolvers, pointed them at their
victims and commanded them to throw
up their hands. Mr.. Coy and Dunger
complied.
One of the two thugs held the
druggists at bay while the other
rifled the cash drawer of the drug
store. taking something more than
500. He then passed into the post
Office, where he forced open the cash
drawer and took SIS in cash. 1t is not
known whether the thief obtained
other valuableS in the nature of
stamps and articles from the drug
store or not.
As soon as the robber completed his
work, he stepped back into the store,
where his companion held the drug
gists prisoners. AS he entered the
room he said to his comrade: Lets
60"
Turning to the druggists he ordered
them to remain quiet, and they did.
The highwaymen passed out of the
building through the rear door and
vanished.
When he believed the danger had
passed, Mr.. Coy hurried out of the
store to sound the alarm. He entered
the poolrOom where several men were
engaged in a game of billiards and
told them Of the robbery. Postmaster
Kinkead was among those present. A
posse was formed there and a search
for the bandits was begun.
Night Marshal Amos was notified
and he took charge of the expedition.
The business section of the city was
searched and then the posse made
tour of the railroad yards, but no
trace of the two highwaymen was
found.
In discussing the hold-up last night,
Mr.. Coy said he was certain there
were at least three men in the affair.
The third man, the lookout, remained
on the outside of the drugstore to see
that no one entered the building while
the bandits were at work. Mr.. Coy
noticed the man glance into the store
several times while he and his clerk
We're held prisoners, and when the
highwaymen completed their work and
made their escape, the man who had
remained near the entrance was seen
to depart in the direction taken by the
men who had performed the robbery.
The description of the pair who
worked in the store was rather incom-
plete. The excitement was so intense
that neither the druggist nor his as
sistant thought of anything but safety
for themselves. They were afraid
someone might enter the store and
cause the bandits to assassinate them.
Mr.. Coy stated, however, that neith-
er of the men in the store appeared
to De more than 80 years of age. Both
were roughly clad and each wore a
weeks growth beard.
The druggist and Postmaster Kin
kead are of the opinion that the hold
up had been planned in advance. At