Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-08
HEAVILY ARMED
BAND OF YEGGS
SHOT IN FIGHT
Surprised by Posse When They
TRY to Blow Post Office Safe
in War Bride Town
PITCHED BATTLE RACES
Three of Robbers in Hospital
With Bullet Wounds; Two
Others in Jail
BY Associated Press

Pennsgrove, n. j., Jan. .S.-A gang
of six or seven yeggmen were sur
prised while robbing the post othce
here early to-day with the result that
three of the robber band are in hos
pital with bullet wounds and two
others are in the Camden county jail
after a battle with a posse of citizens,
policemen and postal inspectors.
Because of the great increase In the
number of employees at the Du Pont
powder works at Carney's Point, N. j.,
Pennsgrove has grown from a quiet
little place to a thriving town of about
$4,000 persons and in consequence OF
which the post office these days is
busy place. on pay day at the powder
plant two weeks ago an attempt was
made to rob the post office, and as
Yesterday was again pay day another
visit from the robbers was anticipated.
Chief Marshall Harbeson, of Penns-
grove, enlisted the services of half
dozen citizens to help his force of four
policemen and postal officials sent four
inspectors. All were armed.
Yeggmen Open Fire
The post Office was surrounded at
midnight by this guard and at 2.3O
a. m. the yeggmen silently approached
the little building from different dlrec-
tions. iimmied open the front door
and entered. One man remained out
side as lookout. Soon afterward the
posse closed in on the post office and
the lookout opened fire. Instantly the
other yeggmen appeared at the doors
and windows and started shooting, the
posse returning the fire vigorously.
The yeggmen retreated under the
continuous fire of the posse, but three
fell wounded. They were taken to the
hospital, where they gave their names
as John Mayo, AZ years, st. Paul,
Mimi: Frank Matson, 3S, Galesburs,
ILL.,. and Charles Collins. Mayo was
shot in the arm. as was Matson. The
latter also was shot in the foot, and his
face was peppered with birdshot. Col
Inns was shot in the hand.
After the battle the town was
searched and two OF the gang were
arrested.
All Heavily Armed
All the yeggmen were heavily armed,
but none of the posse was struck.
Mayo was the only one of the men
who would talk. He said he and his
companions had planned the raid for
some time. He said he was spotter
and lookout for the gang. which means
that he went ahead as advance man
several days before the raid was to
take place, looked the ground over
got the Layout" of the place and sized
up the obstacles TO be overcome. Then
while his pals did the robbery he
waited outside, guarding against sur
prise.
Mayo lamented the fact that he
failed as spotter When he came to
Pennsgrove several days ago he saw
but one policeman, and believed that
was all the town had. They expected
to knock him unconscious, said Mayo
and bind him while they worked. They
! assembled in Wilmington, Del, for the
raid and went across the Delaware
river on the midnight boat. They
looked about for the lone policeman
and not finding him. they concluded
he was asleep and went ahead with
their work, never suspecting that the
one policeman had grown into a posse
of heavily armed men who were on
guard.
The yeggmen had broken open a
small safe and were about TO attack q
larger one when the posse surprised
them.