The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-04-01
IMPORTANT CAPTURE.
Two Notorious Burglars Arrested
ALL HONOR TO OUR POLICE.


police force have been kept on the qai
rire by band of the most daring and
scientific burglars ever gathered in
city of the size of Wheeling. At the
head of it was the notorious Captain
James Green, whose exploits, if written
out, would rival those of Claude Duval,
Jack Sheppard or any Of the other old
time heroes, man who has visited
more residences unbidden and unwel.
coined than any other man in the West,
if not in the country. Cool, sbrewd,
cautious and knowing the ways and
habits of citizens and police officers, he
has been hard one to catch. Night
after night have our policemen been
busy in Swallowing" the Captain or
the members of his gang, in the vain
hope Of taking him and them in some
act that would convict and send them
10 the penitentiary. But the cap
was too old a bird TO be caught with
chat. He couldn't be caught that way
He has been known to walk directly to
where policeman lay concealed, when
it was thought he could not have known
that the officer was hid. One night an
officer hid himself in q hsylofJ, near
where it was thought the gang had
their "tools" hid. The Cap" Tristler
and SCottie came directly under the
officers hiding place, but seeming to
smell out the danger,separated without
their exit" We have met the police
shed in felt, at almost all hours of The
night, as we would be on our way home,
moving swiftly and silently a, rha@ows
after these burglars.
Thought was anuoyin, al worry M
to the force, it was equally worrying to
the gang, for they were unable to do
any work. About a month ago one of
the shrewdest of the party, Thomas
Scott or "Scottie," while on spree as
saulted and beat man and was arrest.
ed aud sent to the cbaingang for
thirty days. During the trial of Steve
Hicks for the burglary at Theodore
Shriver'S, Scottie was called as wit |
ness for the defense, and from confes-
sons made before the jury it was in
tended to arrest him when his term of SER
vice at Prof. Prices geological academy
should expire. He heard of it and left
the city i'll fifteen minutes after being
discharged from the chain-gang. Thus
loesing one of his best "workmen" and
finding his finances getting desperate,
because of his inability to "crack a
crib" through the activity of the police
force, Captain Green determined that
lie would take in police officer or two
as pals and thus be enabled to "work'
uimolestcd Accordingly some eight or
ten days ago, one of his gang, a native
burglar, named Randall Tristler ap.
preached Officers Detwiler and Reed
two of the sharpcst and best men on the
force, by-the.by-and proposed to them
that they should join the gang and re-
ceive share of all the spoils.
The proposition was duly reported to
City Sergeant Conant and his advice
asked. Here was tho chance Captain
COnant had so long waited for. He
told his men to close with the offer with
seeming reluctance aud fear, but to &C.
cept. 1t was done, and the new firm
started cut on Tuesday night. They
visited the store and residence of i.
Baschor, on Main street, Centre Wheel
ing, whore watch and chain valued
at $50 and some So in money was
taken. Entrance was obtained by
opening the store door with an "ouJ-
slider" This was done by Captain
Green. Tristler ptaed off his boots
and went up stairs into Basehor's sleep
ing room and took the watch from I'M
der the snoozins mans head without
waking him. The officers kept watch
outside and were to warn the burglars
and ward off suspicion. The arrest was
not made then, because the officers did
not think the burglars had got enough
to send them to the Pententiary.
The next night about , o'clock the
party visited the residence of Francis
w. Bassett, on Chapline street, be-
tween Second and Third, Centre Wheel
ing. They obtained an entrance by
Capt. Green prying open shutter and
rai,iug a window. Through this open
window Tcist'er climbed into the par
Tor. He then unlocked the front door
and admit ed Green into the house, the
officers again keeping watch on the out
side. They were in the house an hour,
and in Mr.. Bassett's sleeping room when
he got up to get drink, which he did
twice. Here they stole two gold
watches, some SO in money, pocket
books, earrings, breastpins, sleeve but
tons and other jewelry to the value Of
$500 or $500. As they came out with
the "swag," Green remarked % the
waiting officers that they had got II
pretty good pull this time"
Away they all went to place agreed
upon to divide the plumber, when the
officers arrested their men and took
them to Jail about daylight yesterday
morning.
1t was clever piece of work, ono of
danger and requiring dexterity, cool
ness and address, and we must cougrat-
ulate Capt. Conant on its successful is
sue, and accord the highest praise to
Officers Detwiler and Reed for as clever
a piece of detective work as ever was
"put up"
b,; man pay q