A London Wild-West Hold-Up
A strange thing occurred in London, January 23. Two foreigners attempted a regular wild-west hold-up right in the very center of the city, near Tottenham Police Station. They seized one of several bags of money carried in an automobile, for the payment of employees of a manufacturing establishment. One of the men resisted the robbers, when he was fired upon by a confederate, and shot through the body. Both robbers fled, but an increasing mob of citizens followed while a member of the robbed firm gave chase in an automobile. The robbers fired repeatedly at their pursuers, and a policeman and a youth were killed. The automobile was disabled. London policemen are not armed. The thieves jumped aboard a street-car, ordered the motorman to go full-speed, but a minute later the tracks were blocked by traffic. The highwaymen took possession of a delivery wagon, one lashing the horse, while the other fired at the pursuers. Not being acquainted with London, they almost immediately turned into an unimproved, marshy ground, where they were forced to abandon the wagon. By this time fully five thousand people were following them. One of the robbers then fell to his knees, took a final shot at his pursuers and blew out his own brains. His companion ran a mile further to a deserted cottage; went to the second-story window, shook his fist at the mob, and shot himself through the heart.