The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-07-22
5 BANDITS HUNTED
BY STATE TROOPERS
Swamps North Of Syracuse
; Searched for Robbers Who
Staged Two Holdups.
RUNNING FIGHT AT NIGHT
Two of Highwaymen Believed
to Be Wounded in Motor
Car Chase.

Special Despatch. to THE New YORK HERALD.
SYRACUSE, July 21.-State troopers.
motorcycle police and sheriff's posses
arc tonight hunting the swamps north
OF this city for five automobile bandits,
two Of them wounded. who in the last
twenty-four hours staged two holdups.
stole two automobiles, engaged in a
running gun fight with the officers.
wrecked their own car and took refuge
In the moors.
The leader of the gang Is believed to
have been wounded by a bullet from
the gun of Deputy Sheriff Burns. Pur-
suers have come upon blood stained
bits of clothing by the side OF a blood
stained pool of waiter, indicating stop
was made there by the bandits to dress
the wounds Of the injured.
From trails found by the State police
Il Is believed two men are staying
behind with the wounded leader and
that the two other members have struck
out in another direction.
Gagged Him and Took Car.
up James A. Davis Of Constantia yes
terday afternoon, bound and gagged
him, robbed him Of his money and car
and escaped. Going to WATERFOWL they
abandoned Davis's automobile and hired
Hampton Rich to drive them to oyra-
cuse.
Outside Watertown they ordered Rich
to stop his car and bound and gagged
him. Keeping their victim in the auto
mobile they drove to Sandy Creek,
where they carried Rich to barn and
tied him TO a post. Then they drove on
toward Syracuse.
Rich worked his letters loose and tele-
phoned to Syracuse Police Headquarters
a warning of the bandits approach.
watertown policemen also notified the
Syracuse police that the robbers were
coming.
Police Lieutenant Naumann hastily
filled an automobile with policemen and
started them out to search for the ap-
preaching robbers. Details of deputy
sheriffs started over another road.
Deputies Corey and Burns encountered
the robbers on the high road near North
Syracuse within a short time and then
began a running battle that ended when
the fugitives took refuge in the swamp.
Hishwnymen Open Fire.
The highwaymen opened fire when the
deputies took up the pursuit. For a
short distance the two cars plunged
Through the darkness at sixty miles an
hour. two of the bandits keeping up
steady fire from the. near of their lurch-
ing automobile. With Burns driving
Corey returned the fire. sending shot
after shot at his lodging target.
The end came at Pitchers Hill. not
more than 100 yards from the point
whens Davis was held up yesterday
afternoon. Ahead of the bandits car
was huckster's truck, the tail light OF
which was barely visible TO the sheriffs.
! Apparently attempting to avert a col
lision the bandits swerved their stolen
1 automobile. and 1t Left the road, crash
I ing into tree.
Burns brought his car to a stop as
the bandits struggled from the wreck
| age and opened fire. Outnumbered five
to two, the sheriffs attempted repeat-
eddy TO approach the robber band, but
failed each time. Carrying one of their
number and helping another the bandits
I held their pursusrs at distance while
they retreated to the swamp. where they
now are.
Reaching the edge of the swamp, they
fired final volley and turned and ran.
Burns and Corey returned to Syracuse
for help and the police Communicated
citizenS automobiles TO carry troopers
and policemen, who began the siege,
firing whenever watcher thinks he
sees q bandit