Harry McCue Stopped by Highwaymen 1895

MCCUE, GANFIELD, HUNTINGTON, MCNALLY

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 4/9/2020 at 09:07:06

Cascade Pioneer, Published in Cascade, Iowa on Friday, October 25th, 1895

A BOLD HOLD-UP

Harry McCue Stopped by Highwaymen
Friday Evening,

“Give us a match, pard!”
The above request was made of Harry McCue by one of two strangers under the elm tree in front of C. H. Huntington’s, Jr’s., new residence about 11 o’clock last Friday night, as he was hurrying homeward. Harry was just about complying with the request when he discovered that he was looking into the open end of two revolvers in the hands of the unknown men, who wore black masks over their faces. They ordered him to put his hands over his head. Harry is a combative cuss under ordinary circumstances, but in this case he did not argue the point. He put his dukes up towards the starry heaven. Then the gentlemen of the road systematically searched each pocket in his clothes, right under the glare of the electric light, and within a hundred and fifty feet of the McCue mansion.

Harry was not a rich haul for the Duvals, as fortunate for him he had only thirty-six cents and one cent of that was a Canadian piece, which the robbers generously returned. They took his watch and examined it. The timepiece is not a costly one and when shaken rattles like a bottle of shot. One of the fellows shook it and remarked: “Tunip!” and put it back in Harry’s pocket. They were disgusted with him, and one of them said. “You’re pretty well dressed for a fellow that’s only got thirty-six cents, pard.”
Harry assured them they had struck the wrong fellow.
In their search they discovered the big key belonging to the front door of Austin McNally’s store, and asked where they belonged.
The schoolhouse,” said Harry
“Teacher, eh?”
“Yep!”
He though if he told where the key belonged, they might march him back to town and compel him to open up the store.

After satisfying themselves that he had no valuables they discussed the feasibility of turning him loose. They first intended to take him down to the depot before letting him go. Harry interposed with the remark that he would not give an alarm for the amount taken, they took him at his word, and commanding him to stand where he was, they retreated across Huntington’s lot between his new house and Ganfield’s fence, and broke into a run when a good distance away.
One of the robbers was tall and the other medium sized. The tall fellow wore a derby and the other fellow a cap. The larger of the two had on a pair of tan shoed having a row of buttons on the side of the instep.

Harry did not report his adventure until the next morning, and consequently an effort to apprehend the robbers was not attempted.