Holiday Tragedy in Olympia
A local automobile dealer was fatally shot while pursuing a robber who had held up the J.C. Penney store during the Christmas shopping rush.
Olympia, Wash.—E. H. Schultz, an automobile dealer, was shot and killed by a hold-up man who, a few minutes before 6 o'clock Monday evening, robbed the J. C. Penney company store of $1,600. Schultz was killed while pursuing the robber. The robber, who wore no mask, entered the store shortly before the supper hour, when the store was filled with Christmas shoppers. He made several purchases of wearing apparel, and as the clerk started to make out the sale slip, the robber stepped behind the counter and, covering the clerk with a gun, demanded the cash. Emptying the drawer on that side of the store, the man ordered the clerk to remain where he was and crossed to the opposite side of the store and attempted to rob the cash drawer on that side. He was prevented by Mrs. Ulah Bellus, a saleswoman, who grabbed the gun. Meantime, an alarm had been given and the robber jerked the gun away from the woman and left the store. Several men joined in the chase as the man ran, and Schultz was killed by a shot from the robber's gun. The robber escaped.
“He was prevented by Mrs. Ulah Bellus, a saleswoman, who grabbed the gun.”
This violent incident during the height of the Christmas shopping season highlights the era's vulnerability to armed robbery in public spaces, a concern that echoes today during peak retail periods. It serves as a stark reminder of the risks taken by bystanders and local business owners in the past when confronting criminals.
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