The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-02-02
E. A. BROWNLEE ROBBED
AT POINT OF PISTOL
SATURDAY NIGHT
ROBBERS GET $4,000
Hold-Up Occurred in BrOwnlee
Store at 1920 p. nj. Satur-
day.-Was City's First
Robbery in Years.

Saturday night Columbus got .
touch of the crime wave which is
sweeping over the country.
AT 1920 o'clock Saturday night
two masked men, believed to have
been white men, entered the E. A.
Brownlee grocery store on South
Market street near the Mobile and
Ohio depot, and at the point Of q
pistol forced Mr.. Brownce to give
over all the money he had in his cash
drawer amounting to approximately
$4,000.
Mr. Brownlee was sure that one of
the bandits was white man and
stated that he thought the other was
negro, but two negro customers who
were in the store at the time stated
positively that both Of thu robbers
were white men.
Shortly after II o'clock Mr.. Brown
lee was preparing to close his store
for the night and was waiting on
two negro customers, man and
his wife, when lhe robbers rushed in
the front door and commanded him
to throw up his hands. Mr.. Brown
lee was weighing lard at the time.
When first commanded to hold
up his hands he thought joke was
being played on him, but presently
the masked mal showed The muzzle
of the pistol into his side and com
lnanded him to open the cash drawer.
Il have come for your money. Gle
it quick or / will kill you"
Mr.. Brownlee told him that he did
not have the key to the drawer, q
he was directed to break it open. He
forced The. drawer open and placed
II On The Counter. fhe other masked
man covered the two negro customers,
and forced the negro mul to pick up
cheese knife near where Mr.. Brown
lee stood in order to keep it away
from the latter.
While holding the pistol in Mr..
Brownlee's face the man emptied the
cash drawer, putting the money in
his coat and trousers pockets.
Presently the second man who was
stiilding guard and holding the negro
customers at bay at the same time,
cried out to his companion, Hurry
and come on, policeman is coming.
The two men backed out of the
store and walked up Market street
towards the business district.
Officer Will Woods, who is on duty
in the wholesale and depot district
at night was approaching from the
direction of the station and noticed
the two men leaving the store. There
was nothing unusual in their actions,
however, and after inspecting the |
doors of other stores in the district
he came up to the Brownlee store and s
was informed that the robbery had ,
occurred.
Night Chief Foreman was notified
and an immediate investigation of 4
The robbery was instituted. Under the J
direction of Chief of Police Cook
number Of suspects have been ar 1
rested and examined, but no one has !
yet been connected with the hold-up. c
Mr.. Brownlee had had a good days q
business, but fortunately before night Q
he had taken the largest portion of
.he money from the cash drawer. a
The police are working the case Y
and close surveillance is being kept i
IN all suspects in the city.
Chief of Police Cook stated to a il
Dispatch reporter yesterday that
very precautiom was being taken by
he police department against hold.
Ups and crime in any form, and that
III suspects and suspicious charac-
.ers are Immediately placed under
lrrest when detected. i