The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-09-28
Nab ROBBERS Ain
AFTER CHASE
THRU DESERT
Sheriff Duffy and Deputy Nc
Clellan Run Down Three Men
Near GrOsscup Ranch
THROW GUNS AS THEY RUN
Safe in Richland POstoffice is Cracked
and STA Taken-Yedica Store
Burglarized Also /

Following a chase of four miles
thru the sagebrush and cactus near
the Grosscup ranch on the Yakima
river, Sheriff Dugy and Deputy Nc.
Clellan yesterday afternoon ran down
three men whom they believe cracked
the safe in the Richland postoffice
early Wednesday morning. At the
time the men were taken into custody
thew were on the O-W. r. & N. rail-
road tracks about three miles west of
Grosscup siding. One of the trio is
now occupying a cell in the local city
Jail and the other two are held in the
Pasco Jail. Altho all three of the pris-
oners stoutly maintain their inno-
cence the officers are confident they
have the right men.
Entrance to the postoffice was gain
ed by breaking a glass panel in the
rear door. The safe was blown by
nitroglycerine, the force of the ex-
plosion breaking all the glass in the
mail boxes and littering the floor with
debris. The safe door is a total wreck
and quantities Of stamps and other
papers were torn to bits. The rob-
bers secured $114, mostly in silver and
may have also carried away small
amount in stamps. The cash drawer
in the drug store of w. M. Relton in
the same building was rifled, but the
few cents in change were not molest-
Cd. JOS. Koelsch, proprietor Of con-
1ectionery store just across the street
says he heard the explosion and fixes
the hour at about 2.30 Wednesday
morning. This is the, second time
within the last year, that this post
Office has been robbed, ,ti-erea yiI5
The robbers also entered the store
Of H. F. Yedica & Company, thru a
panel kicked from the back door and
altho nothing of special value was
taken, Indications are that the safe
would have been blown had the door
not been unlocked. Tools taken from
the blacksmith shop of Jameson &
Son were left near the safe which was
emptied of its contents, but nothing
Of value was taken excepting some old
two-cent pieces and fifty cents in
small change. This is the third time
within the last year that this store
has been burglarized.
Capture Of the three men now in
Jail s largely due to the thoughtful
ness Of E. P. Chellis, proprietor Of a
Motel in Richland. Early yesterday
morning, as soon as the robbery had
become known, Mr.. Chellis discovered
the tracks Of three men at the rear
ct the postoffice and the store build
'ngs and followed them out into the
country. The heavy wind of the day
Eefore had filled the roads with loose
sand and tracking was comparatively
easy. MIR. Stewart, driver of the
school bus, who had heard of the rob-
berry before starting on his route, al
SO picked up the tracks and aided in
the search.
While following the trail Chellis
met Sheriff Duffy and Deputy McClel-
Ian, who were coming from Prosser
by automobile. They Immediately took
back track and followed the trail to
near the Grosscup ranch where it left
the road for the sagebrush. Here
they stopped and. sent back to. the
Nrosscup ranch for horses, but before
tne mounts arrived they discovered
tnree men just as rney were disap-
pearlng over knoll about hundred
yards distance. The officers started
IN pursuit and lively chase thru the
sagebrush ensued. When commanded
70 malt the men started to run and the
oincers' shots only increased their
speed. Leaving his deputy on the
trail' Sheriff Duffy returned to meet
.he boy who was coming with the
horses and the men were overtaken
a1ter they had reached the O-W. R.
& N. tracks.
"hen Placed under arrest the fu-
gitlves denied they were the three
VINO had fled across country saying
tney had walked the ties from Ken
hewlck. Footprints in the loose sand
however, told a different story. None
Ol the men We're arr,nad and fhax, had