The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1853-09-10

Burglaries-BurgIar shst.
Last Friday night about IL O'Clock, a man
was shot by Sheriff Gavitt, while in the act
of committing burglary, and dangerously
wounded. We have been careful in procur-
ing the correct particulars of this affair, and
no other particulars differing from what we
publish, are correct, and upon that the pub
lie may rely:
During this week a number of burgiarie'
had been committed upon which we nave
been silent from motives Of policy. a lew
days since Sheriff Gavitt received iniorma'
ton, which pointed out this man as noto-
rious thief, and made it more than Po's'o'e
that he had been connected with these bur-
glaries. The person from whom the informa-
ton came was "spotted" as companion OF
thieves hut gave as a reason for volunteering
the information, that he wished to be placed
in a more respectable position in the good
opinion OF our sheriff, and prove, as he had
declared, that he was not q thief himself
Mr.. Gavitt got him to continue bis intimacy
with this thief, and report what he heard
The thief had lately come from st. Louis,
and informed his companion that he had brok-
en- Jail there. He is known by the name of
"Old Buck" Buck seemed to think that Mr..
Wilkinson, railroad agent, might be a good
person to rob, as he probably had proceeds Of
the sale of tickets on hand. BY instruction
of Mr.. Gavitt, who wished to lay trap to
catch the thief in the very act ofrobbery, his
companion made him believe, w. would be
a good subject, and had considerable money
on hand at present, which he would remit in
a few days. The end was that Old Buck sig
nifed he would break open the room, (under
Journal office and adjoining our sanctum, take
the trunk containing the money, and break
it open on the wharf. Mr.. Gavitt and Mr..
Ward, City Marshal, who was acting in con-
junction with the former, waited in WilkG-
sons room all Wednesday night. Buck came
up stairs once, but did not try the door. He
visited the outer door several times, but did
90 upstairs again. Thursday he visited Mr..
Wilkinson, pretending to want to buy a
through-ticket to New York. Mr.. w. who
does not sell tickets, blinded him in the mat.
ter, yet left him confident that there was
money in his trunk.
Thursday night Buck got his companion.
who pretended intimate acquaintance with
Mr.. W., to take Mr.. w. to a distant part of
the city at late hour in the evening. This
wasl done. They met Buck who shortly
after left them.
Buck went to the room, in which were Sc
creted Gavitt and Ward, there being no per.
sons down stairs to keep guard notwithstand-
reports to the contrary. He entered the
room very lightly, and had lifted trunk from
the floor, when Gavitt sprung up, and told
him to stand, or he would fire. The trunk
fell from the burglars hands; and he instantly
drew from his breast long and bright chisel
which the others thought bowie knife, there
being no light in the room except the refec-
tons of the steet lamps. But several times
the burglar raised his arm to strike as they
approached, he backing toward the door all
the time. Itnow became question to shoot
him, or be stabbed by him, or let him escape.
The question was decided in an Instant
Ward attempted to pass Gavitt, and G avtt
thinking Ward had not seen Bucks weapon,
pushed him back. Buck took advantage of the
opportunity to half turn to run, but as G avitt
neared him, raised his arm to strike. At this
moment Gavitt shot him, the ball penetrat-
ing his side or upper part of his hip, and CON-
ing out in front. Gavitt had told Ward, that IL
necessary to shoot the man at al, he would
endeavor to hit him in the leg, but his aim
was to high. The burglar fell against the
wall, and was seized and conveyed back to
the room, where he now lies.
AT the time of writing, he had refused tc
give any name, or make any confession more
, than that he had stolen great deal of mon
a ey in his time, but only from the rich. H,
: acknowledged that Gavitt was right in shoot
e ing him, and did only his duty as an officer
i 1t is to be hoped this example will have it,
y influence, or at least teach robbers that the,
q cannot fool with our officers, and had bette
4 take up their quarters in some other place.
: We refer the readers of this to an articl
!, headed False Sympathy" IN connectio
. with this affair.
n Burglurics at Princeton.