Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-19
THREE TRAVELLING MEN CON-
FRoNTED, BY GUNMAN IN
CAR THURSDAY NIGHT.
BANDIT FRIGHTENED AWAY
BY MoToRMAN SHOOTING
Motornan Clemens Fires After Fleeing
Holdup, But Shots Do Not Take
Effect-Gunman Enters Car While
Trolley Is Being Turned-Empty
Pocketbook Only Thing Taken.

Three holdups in less than week
| was the record set for MarshalltoWn
when a masked man held up and at
tempted 20 rob three travelling men in a
street car at the south end of the via
duct about 1915 Thursday night, under
| practically the same circumstances d.
the similar hoidup which took place
Sunday night The would-be bandit
was frightened away by shots nred D!
| MotCrman Joe Clemens. who drew re-
| yolvar and empted it at the heelng
holdup az he ran down the south ap-
| proach and disappeared under the via
duct No money was obtained from
the men in the car.
That the holdup was deliberately
planned was shown by the fact that the
bandit waited until the motorman was
| turning his trolley and. taking ad-
vantage Of the darkness. boarded the
car and commanded the travelling men
to throw up their hands.
Holdup Appears Nervous.
According TO George A. kleiner. OF
Milwaukee. and Bert Britson, OF Ro-
land. TWO of the travelling men VINO
were in the car at the time the man
seemed an amateur. He boarded the
car with q gun in his hands. and
white handkerchief with eye holes, nut
stumbled as he started to enter the
body of the car and fell. Getting up ne
nninted A revolver at the three men
with shaking hand, and told them 10
"acld EN- up" in voice none TOO
lai fbnIIphT the whole al
fair joke. and did not comply. y
mean you. YOU big - said the
holdup, cursing. At this both Kleiner
and f3ritson, as we'll as a third traVe!-
ing man said to be Mat kettenhoften'
OF this city, stood up and threw up
their hands.
Motorman Fires at Bandit.
Meanwhile Clemens. while turning
his trolley had seen the man enter the
car and attempt TO hold up the occu-
na1rs His trolley struck the wire
above the opposite track. and the hShts
flashed on momentarily. Clemens
pulled out a gun and began hrins IN
the air. The bandit grabbed a pocket
book out of Briston's hip pocket ana
ran off the car. Clemens fired after
him. bat the shots did not take effect.
Clemens then ran across the Viaduct
~ the car barn. where he notified po-
lice headquarters.
s search was made at once by Sher-
if Edgar. Deputy Sheriff Goodale, or
6cor Wertenberger, and officers of the
street railway company. and blood
hounds were put on the tran. Inc ooss
followed a scent across the creek 10
Arson street. where they were unapie
to go any farther.
Pocketbook Proves Empty.
Rritson. the only man who lost any
thing at all, was fortunate in that ne
had all his money in loose change ana
the pocket book which the man grabbed
WAS empty. Kleiner had about SI5 IN
cash with him, and declared ne Woulu
have fought before he gave 1t up. All
three Of the travelling men had come III
from the north on the chicago IredI
Western train due here at 9:ls, Out
which was late Thursday night. ana d!u
not arrive until nearly 10 O'Clock. Inc
men stood waiting for the car, ana
when it came along, the motorman toid
t,e,, m .et in and ride across the via
duct with him
No Definite Description Of Man.
Because Of the semi darkness in the
car none of the men was able to give
a definite description Of the holdup. He
was said to be short and rather heavy
set wearing a short light coat and a
| dark cap. The handkerchief he wore
| covered his entire face. He said moth
| ing except to command the men to hold
no their hands, and to curse kleiner
| for NOT obeying quickly.