Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-08-23
TWO men, BELIEVED ARMED, ABANDON new
CAR WHEN CORNERED IN CITY BY OFFICER;
TRAIL is PICKED UP IN COUNTRY LATER
New Buick Car With Stolen License Seized Here When Po-
lice Give ChaSo-DrVarS Leave Clothes In Car-One Man
Armed With Rifi2--ReVoqer Shell Also Discovered

Two young men, names and pres
ont whereabouts unknown, aband.
oned n practically new Buick4Six
touring car this morning at the ex-
treme northern end of Boyd avenue
when they were forced to run be-
fore Traffic Olllcer Barbour who had
tralled them In their mad flight from
the Public Square. The men left
their car and darted down over the
J. William Stewart estate to the
Baltimore aud Ohio tracks where 1t
Is believed, they boarded an east
bound freight train. The police im-
mediately sent out warnings east
and west to be on the lookout for
the men, who will be brought back
IL captured, to face q charge of ex-
ceeding the speed limit in the city.
The wild dash for the country by
tho men attracted big crowd in
tho downtown section, and followed
somo rapid action by Officer Bar
bour who was tipped off by A. G..
Irons. The men approached Mr..
Irons, at his Queen street show
room, offering to sell the car. He
was suspicious and took the license
number, which, in turn, made the
men suspicious and they left, say
Ing they would go to the Buick ag-
enCy and Try to make deal. As
soon as they left the show room,
Mr.. Irons advised Traffic Officer
Barbour, who found them at the
Neel garage In the Public Square.
Tho men shot out from the garage
when they saw the officer, with or.
ficer Barbour following them close
ly. They headed towards North
Martinsburg but were blocked at
the Queen street crossing by q
train, and they turned up Maple
avenue, extended, to Race and then
to Boyd avenue where they finally
found themselves pocketed. They
then jumped from the car and fed.
Officer Barbour brought the car
back to police headquarters and an
effort is being made to find the own
or. 1t Is suspected that the car did
not belong to the men, otherwise
! they would not have abanonded It
mt any cost; and Just what other
history attaches to the men is not
known. The car carried a Maryland
license No. 109,S05, and is In fine
condition, the mileage register
showing total run Of only slightly
more than 600 miles.
This afternoon State Officer Wal.
kerr assisted by f.. A. Bradford, of
the city, picked up tho trial OF the
men in a cornfleld on the Porter.
field place north OF the city, some
little distance from where the men
abandoned their car this morning;
but in maneuyering to get around
the men, the fugivties escaped again,
and their trail was lost. OHicer
Walker and Bradford had a good
view of the pair, however, and re-
port one of the men carrying a rifle.
1t was also learned this afternoon
that shell from a 45 Colt revolver
had been found in the pockets of
one of the coats which were left
in the car when the men deserted
it this morning.
Investigation has disclosed the
information that the license be-
longs to Frederick man named
Strahlman who used it On a Saxon
car which was wrecked recently.
The license apparently was stolen
from the wreck and put on the car
that was captured. Commissioner
Austin Baughman, of Maryland, adj
ylsed Mayor Seibert this morning
that he could vouCh for the limo.
cence of the man in whose name
the license was issued.
The label on one OF the coats
shows a trademark on which can
be seen the word "Hopewell," but
officers said this afternoon that no
name had been found on any OF
the possessions.