Rocky Mount, Sept. 15—Robbers entered the Rocky Mount post office in the heart of the business district and in the shadow of the police station, shortly before 11 o’clock tonight, shot down J.M. Burgess, sole mail clerk on duty, and made their escape with an amount of money not yet determined, although post office officials admit that it may be a large amount. The robbers, said by Burgess to be four in number, white, and masked, made their escape in a waiting automobile, and a widespread search is being made for them tonight.
The injured clerk, with a bullet hole in his abdomen, was rushed to a hospital immediately where surgeons are preparing to operate in an effort to determine the extent of his injuries, which are believed to be serious.
In the meantime, post office officials are endeavoring to make a check to determine the amount of money stolen. It was admitted that a large sum of money was passing through the post office at the time. At a late hour tonight they declined to estimate the amount taken. They say that several packages of money were probably in the post office at the time.
According to Burgess, he was alone in the office dispatching some late mail. Four men came in the back door, well masked. Two of them pounced upon him and pulled a heavy apron, which he wore during working hours, over his head.
The clerk offered combat and managed to draw a gun. In the struggle that ensued, the robbers got the gun and shot him through the abdomen at close range. While two of the men took care of him, the other two ransacked the office and rifled the money order department. The four of them then made an exit to a waiting automobile, which was standing on Rose street, parallel to the Federal building, and made their escape out the Tarboro road.
Bloodhounds and other means of tracing the robbers were put in action immediately, and the adjoining territory is being scoured. All towns near here have been notified to be on the outlook.
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Four Men Arrested by Wilmington Police. . . Held on Suspicion of Being Implicated in Post Office Robbery at Rocky Mount
Wilmington, Sept. 16 (AP)—Four men were arrested by Wilmington police early today on the Brunswick-Wilmington ferry, on suspicion of being implicated in the post office robbery last night at Rocky Mount.
Two of the men were Italians, one an American, and fourth a negro.
Postal authorities and Rocky Mount officers have been notified of the pending arrests and the men are being held pending the arrival of the police from that point.
From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1925-09-16/ed-1/seq-1/
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