Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--A DAY OF EXCITEMENT--Sunday in Higbee Reminded One of Early Border Days.--Last Sunday was one of intense excitement in Higbee, and the guns and pistols displayed would have caused a stranger within our gates to think he had stepped backward fifty years in some border town in the far West. And it call came about by the near murder of I. J. Embree and the kidnapping of T. J. Cooper, and this was caused by Embree thoughtlessly stepping out of the city jail ahead of a prisoner. To begin at the beginning, two men appeared at the home of Emmett Robb in the east part of town early Sunday morning and asked for a bucket of water, claiming their car had broken down. Their actions aroused suspicions and they were watched by Mr. Robb's son and one or two of Ed Hawkin's boys. As one of the parties was seen to change man's attire for a dress, the boys reported to Mr. Hawkins, who came to town and informed Embree, when the latter and Marshal Williams went out and brought them to town, taking them to the city jail. Mr. Embree took the woman to the main room of the hall, while Williams took the man to his private office and searched him. Completing the job, he told Embree to bring the woman in and then asked him to take the man down to the cells and lock him up. It never entering Embree's head that the man was a bad actor, he started to show the man the way to the side stairs leading to the basement by going out first. As soon as he was in advance of the man, the fellow picked up an iron pump handle and struck Embree in the back of the head, knocking him out in the street, and rendering him unconscious. But for the fact that the blow landed on Embree's shoulder first he would have been instantly killed. Believing, perhaps that he had committed murder, the man stepped out in the street and dragged Embree back in the hallway, taking the latter's revolver as he did so. Hearing the noise, Williams opened the door to see what was wrong when he found himself looking into the barrel of a pistol. He was told to back up, which he proceeded to do, remarking to the fellow, "you bet I'll back up." Hearing some one approaching the door from the street, the man turned his head for a second, and in that brief time Williams had drawn his revolver and fired. As he pulled the trigger the woman made a grab for his arm and hooked her fingers in his coat sleeve, jerking the pistol to one side and the ball going through the window. As the man again had him covered and the woman was swinging on his arm, there was nothing for Williams to do but allow her to take the gun which she did. John Wilson and Geo. Ohlinger, who had made a rush for the hall when they saw Embree fall out of the doorway, were ordered back at the point of a revolver and very wisely complied. The man and woman then rushed out of the hall and ran east, the woman being caught by Bert Hughes in front of his residence who assisted marshal Williams and Geo. Purdy in rushing her back to the jail, which proved no little job, as she fought like a wild cat. Seeing the commotion in front of the hall from his garage, Thos. Cooper, having been told that a car was on fire, piled into an old Ford, and accompanied by his son, Romie, and Richard Compton and Sandy Roberts, raced to the east part of town. He saw the tussle with the woman and thinking that she had jumped from the car and was perhaps burned to death, he gave the car more juice and shot on east after the burning car when someone yelled, "he's just gone over the hill." Reaching the foot of the hill no one was to be seen but the stranger. Coming to a stop Cooper asked him what all the excitement was about, when the fellow replied by covering the party with a gun, mounting the running board and commanding Cooper to get him out of town at once if he valued his life. The desperado would not hear of any slow driving for bad roads or anything else and made Cooper drive the car as fast as it would go. Striking the county road in the north part of town they headed west, and when near the residence of Ernest Dinwiddie the car was stopped and Roberts and Compton ordered to get out and to keep their mouths closed if they valued the life of their partner. Soon every available car in town was being loaded with men carrying rifles, shotguns and revolvers, each of whom left town determined to kill the bandit if possible. But one car, driven by Chas. Lee Kirby, got within sight of the Cooper car, losing it after the railroad had been crossed west of Yates. Most of the cars returned by 4 o'clock having been on the chase about five hours, and no one reported having seen the car wanted. It could be traced as far as Armstrong where it seemed to have disappeared. Fearing the man might murder Cooper when he reached the river of some railroad, other cars started out again and others were preparing to go out for the night when Mr. Cooper telephoned from New Franklin that he was all right and was on his way home. The people were as much relieved as he was himself that he escaped all injury. He states that after leaving Yates they went south and then into Armstrong by a road less frequently used, then on into the edge of Glasgow. He states that several cars from here were likely in both places before he reached there, and that those in pursuit missed out in not dropping a man here and there in the outskirts of the towns. From Glasgow Cooper drove to Boonsboro where they got gas, and then to Arrow Rock where Cooper thought the man might find a skiff. After walking up and down the river bank for a long distance, with Cooper always "under the gun," the latter turned and told his captor that the experience was getting on his nerves, and that if he intended to harm him to make a break and they would have it out, whereupon he was informed that if he followed orders not a hair of his head would be harmed, but that he would be shot otherwise. He then inquired as to where the Katy crossed the river and on being informed told Cooper to take him to Franklin, and to avoid all towns, which was easy for Cooper, as he knew every foot of the country. On reaching Franklin the car was left about 400 yards from the river. They crossed on the ferry, the captain falling for the hard luck story put up by the stranger. Cooper tried by signs, winks and nods to put the captain wise, but all that the latter ever understood was that something was wrong and he reported their passage to the police as soon as he had reached the Boonville side. The man took Cooper about a mile up the Missouri Pacific track, but no train showing up he asked where he could catch the Katy, and on being told of a heavy grade south of Boonville they made their way there, and a train coming along about 5:15 the fellow climbed aboard a box car, throwing Cooper the key to his car which he had stuck in an apple, being one of many they had picked up in going through an orchard, and again warned him to keep his mouth closed. Cooper ran to the caboose and told the crew, and the fellow was arrested in Sedalia, being returned here Tuesday. On returning to Boonville the police wanted to arrest Cooper, but believed his story when he was vouched for by old acquaintances. Mr. Cooper says he never saw a car run so in all his life, and that it made the trip to Boonsboro on less than five gallons of gas and ran all day without oil or water. He was afraid to kill the car outright, but made very effort to heat the engine and to make the car buck, but all to no purpose. The man was given a preliminary hearing Wednesday and was bound over to circuit court and taken to jail at Huntsville, under the charge of assault with intent to kill. When first arrested he carried a registration card bearing the name of Lee Sewell, the name having apparently been written over a name that had been erased. At his hearing he stated that his name was Lee Crossley, and that the woman was his wife, and to prove his statement the woman produced a marriage certificate issued to Lee Crossley and Dorothy Brown on September 12, 1917. He confessed that he deserted from the army at Camp Taylor, KY., giving the number of his regiment and his commanding officer. The latter has been communicated with, but so far nothing has been heard from him. Sheriff Ford was here from Mexico Wednesday and stated that the couple came to his town Thursday of last week in a Ford truck they had stolen in St. Louis, abandoning it there and stealing another one, which they returned later in the night, fearing that the night watchman, who had seen them, would follow. They spent Friday night at Clark, and beat their way here, it is resumed, on a freight. It was at first believed they were members of the Lewis gang but Kansas City officials say their descriptions do not fit the parties wanted. We are not advised as to what disposition will be made of the woman, or what charges, if any, will be placed against her. Prosecuting Attorney Wight informed us Wednesday that so far as he was concerned she could be turned loose. She was still being held last night. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Mrs. and Mrs. Finis Jackson of Burton visited the latter's mother, Mrs. Nero Thompson, of near town the first of the week. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Bynum Thompson, who left two weeks ago for a Texas training camp, sustained a slight injury one day last week which will keep him from training for several days. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Higbee lost some more mighty good people this week when Thos. R. Williams and family moved to Illinois. Their host of friends are hoping that their absence is only temporary. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Dr. W. S. Thompson, one of Armstrong's best known physicians, died at his home in that place Thursday of last week. He was 53 years old and is survived by his widow and one son. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24-- "The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin" at the Gem tomorrow afternoon and night. Kathy Bowlin, Additions, corrections, comments welcome.