Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-01-30

COUNTIES ON
TRAMOF GANG
San Benito, Harlingen
Firms Robbed Over
Week End; ST :ial
Men Put On

Additional police were appointed
TO the Brownsville force Sunday,
with orders to patrol the business
district from dark 20 daylight ard
to shoot first and ask questions AZ
terward." as reports of safe rob-
berries from nearby towns continued
10 pour In.
Law enforcement officials Of three
counties combined forces with tho
Texas Rangers and private detcc-
tives Of the Missouri Pacific ard
Southern Pacific railroads. i'm a
hunt FOR the band that In the last
three days have made attempts on
almost q dozen safes in five Valley
towns.
So far no indication has reached
the ears or local police that the
band Il operating In Brownsville
but the gang. believed by police 20
be an organized band ~ experts.
was thought 70 be working N tnis
direction. as reports OF ryabertes I'm
Harlingen and San Benito came In
over the weekend
Expert Shots
The additional men appointed 70
the force here are all expert marks
men. according 70 Lieut.. U. II. Arm-
strong of the police department.
and have been ordered 20 fire On
anyone caught acting in suspi-
cious manner IN the business dist
rict during the night hours. They
are armed with riot guns i'm addi-
tion 70 the regulation revolvers. hs
stated.
Sunday night three automobiles
patr0lled the downtown streets, pay
inging particular attention 20 the
wholesale section near the Missouri
Pacific railroad tracks.
HarlinEen and San Benitc were
both visited by the gang Saturday
night, and Harlingen suffered FRI
day night. Safes at the X. r. Nit
tanck Furniture company. the 3. B.
Cleveland and Son wholesale gro
cery company, and a Gulf Refining
company filling station IN San Be-
nito were visited Saturday night.
More than $500 i'm cash was OBJ
tanned az the Cleveland store, where
the knob was battered off the safe.
Fifty thousand cigarettes were also
a part OF the loot. At the Nittanck X
place the combination Of the Mafs
was worked. and the thugs escaped
with a small amount OF cash and
about $4,000 IN notes on the San
/ Berito model home. These notes
ale Of no value 10 the thieves, il was
said.
Filling Station Hit
An undetermined amount Of cash
was taken from the safe w the Gulf
filling station nc San Benito Satur-
day night. The knob was broken
from the safe and the door forced
AT Harlingen an unsuccessful! at
tempt was made 70 force the door
on the safe of the Gulf filling sta
tion Saturday night. Friday night
BrUce's Filling station, and the
Southern Pacific depot were both
visited by the cracksmen, but I'm
neither place were the robbers ahla
TO obtain loot of any value. some
casn was taken from the cash regis.
ter at the filling station, but ths
safe of the railroad company rr-
sisted the efforts Of the thugs. Tha
knob was battered of. however. an
the safe cannot be opened until an
expert has been summoned from The
factory.
Ranger Here
Several private detectives haYs
been IN the Valley during the pas
two days, and Texas ranger IN here
investigating the robberies, a nun
ber OF which were reported fr0na
Lyford. Mercedes and Sebastian Fri-
day night.
X. II. johnson is in chraEe OF ths
local investigation in Harlineen.
while w. Y. Estes, constable, and y.
MI Jester. district invests gator. are
working on the San BenitO and H.
ford robberies.
There is no doubt the crimes are
being committed by u weIl-organszea
band Of experts, Mr.. Jester said