Wednesday, August 20, 2008 --- 10 a.m.

According to the Madison Police Department:

Around 1:12 a.m. this morning Madison Police were called to Howard Johnson's, 3841 East Washington Avenue, for a robbery in progress. An officer happened to be in the area and arrived on scene within two minutes. The officer entered and found a hotel security guard had already handcuffed the suspect after ordering him to the floor at gunpoint.

The security guard had been in a backroom when a masked Jessie L. McShan, age 46, Madison, confronted a female clerk and announced this was a robbery, and to "Give me all the money!” The clerk, knowing the security guard was near, stalled for a moment by telling Mr. McShan she needed to find the keys.

It was enough time for the security guard to whisper to the clerk to step back, and as she did, he stepped up with his gun drawn. Mr. McShan was dressed all in black. He had a hooded sweatshirt over his head, sunglasses on, and a doo rag over his face. He was also wearing black leather gloves. No weapon was seen or found. He was tentatively charged with Attempted Robbery.