Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1901 — HOLD UP MEN AT WORK. [ARTICLE]

HOLD UP MEN AT WORK.

An Attempt Made to Rob a Young Lady on Front Street. Last Friday evening about 7 o’clock two men attempted to hold up and rob Miss Elizabeth Spaulding, the popular young manager of the Western Union telegraph office at this place. The two men were hidden in the alley which runs along the south side of the Hanson blacksmith shop and as Miss Spaulding passed the alley on her way to work, one of the men sprang out and placed his hands over her eyes. Thinking that some friend was trying to play a joke, she good naturedly attempted to remove the hands from her eyes, but the party immed iatly tightened his grip and at the same time bis partner began searching her pockets. The party who held his hands over her eyes, began to move backward. Miss Spaulding, being now thouroghly frightened, believing that the men were about to drag her

into the alley, began to scream loudly for help. At this the two men became frightened and ran, one going north on Fron» street and the other south. The young lady saw them as they started, but owing to the heavy snow storm which was prevailing at the time, she was unable to recognize them.

Miss Spaulding now made her way as best she could, to the corner of Washington street, where in afainling condition, she sank down in the snow. Isaac Glaaebrook, who was on his way home at the time, saw the unfortunate young lady and assisted her into the Haus restuarant, where she was soon able to tell what had happened. On returning home that evening, Miss Spaulding discovered that her money and keys, which she previously supposed had been stolen, were all safe, having left them on a table in her room.

On the same night as the hold-up several citizens who passed the boarding house of Mrs. J. H. Kinney, claim they saw two suspicious looking fellows hanging around the premises. One party says he saw two men come around the corner of the house and disappear down Front street in the direction of Hanson’s blacksmith shop. The officials here went to work on the case immediatley and Monday morning Oscar Oglesby, a sixteen year old boy, was arrested, charged with being one of the guilty parties. Young Oglesby’s parents reside at Monon and have been sending the boy here to school for some time. He boarded at Mrs. Kinney’s and is supposed to be well acquainted with the time Miss Spaulding goes and comes from work. It is always the boys custom to go home on Friday nights and not return until Monday morning, but it seems that he remained here on this particular evening. A number of persons seem positive that he is one of the parties they observed hanging around the premises on the night of the hold up. -The lad greatly lacks the appearance of a bold, bad man, and we sincerly hope that he will be able to prove himself innocent of the charge at his trial, which was held while we were going to press. Chase Ritchey son of O. K. Ritchey, who resides a few miles south of town, was also arrested Monday, suppossrd to be the other party implicated in the affair. His examination occurred Monday afternoon before Squire Burnham. There was no evidence introduced which would lead to conviction and he was immediately released. Later —Young Oglesby was found not guilty Wednesday afternoon on the charge of being one of the parties implicated in the hold up. Squire Burnham however fined him one dollar and costs for carrying concealed weapons.

Limburger cheese laid away in cupboards and refrigerators will drive away ants, says an exchange. Ao doubt about it: It will drive a snipe through a brick wall; drive dogs out of a tan yard; a mule through a bartwire fence; a herd of cattie over a precipice; a tramp away from a meal of victuals; a negro from a chicken roost or a man into insanity who stays five minutes within ten feet of its savory presence; yes; it will drive away “ants” and also uncles, and if we had cousins that it wouldn't drive away, we would be tempted to disown them and yet some men would sit and eat the stuff and profess to like it.

If anybody has 20,000 gallons of sauerkraut they should notify the commissary department of the regular army at Washington, because Uncle Sam needs it for his army in the Philipines. Somebody has dis* covered that saur kraut is good eat ing for the tropics and the war de* partment has decided to try it on our soldiers over there.