A
Friday night robbery in a Hamilton bar provoked the following coverage in the
Hamilton Spectator of February 28, 1914 under the headline “Daring Hold-Up
Attempted in Crowded Hotel : Masked Man Walked In and Flourished Revolver :
Threatened to Shoo as 75 Men Stood Helpless : Proprietor Kept His Nerve and
Called Police.”
“Detective are scoring the city for a
daring thug who entered the side door of the Wellington hotel, Cannon and
Wellington streets last night, and, flourishing a revolver, shouted ‘Throw your
hands up, you --- or I’ll bore you full of lead.’
“It was just 9 o’clock when the bandit
walked into the bar, and seventy-five men were clustered around the mahogany.
The masked man pointed the revolver at the head of the bartender, Thomas
Donohue, but with presence of mind Mr. Donohue reached down behind the bar and
grabbed a heavy bottle. Then he ran into a side room and telephoned for the
police.
“Not one of the men in the bar made an
attempt to interfere with the uninvited visitor, and when Mr. Donohue returned
to the bar, the masked man had gone.
“Detective Goodman responded to the
call in the auto patrol, but though the vicinity was thoroughly scoured, not a
trace of the thug could be found. From those who were in the hotel, Detective Goodman
learned that the man was about five feet, ten inches in height and clothed in a
dark overcoat. He also spoke with an English accent. Mr. Donohue is of the
opinion that the gunman expected to find the bar almost deserted, and when he
saw the small army clustered about the bar, he became afflicted with cold feet.
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