The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-02
THIEF HUNTING.

SHARP AND SUCCE5SfOL bhAlhL
PAINTER ON HORSE THIEVES.
A team worth 81 900. so said, was stolen
from Mr.. Ellsworth, of Bloomtown. Sugar
Creek township, near the Illinois line. The
story of the chase and capture, as told by the
Terre Hacte Gazette, is pretty bright. 1t
began at Terre Haute. The first thing done
by Chief Shoemaker was to telegraph in
every direction. Convinced that the thief
had taken an essterly direction, he and
policeman Vsndever, accompanied by
Den. Standard and "Sonny" Nelson,
set cut in buggies. driving rapidly towards
Brazil A few miles this side Of that city
| they came across some movers, and from
them learned that a team answering the de-
scription given had passed along the road
early that morning. At Brazil, Chief Shaw-
maker was obliged to discontinue the chase
and return to the city. The pursuit, how
ever, was continued by Vandever. who roGs
/ rapidly across the country, occasional Y
hearing of the object Of his pursuit, Oft
changing teams and once riding on the cars
| 10 Plainteld, where he thought he would
lead him. When he reached that place, how
ever. he found that the thief had been cap
tured and was already there await
exs Marshal ]. r. Painter. of Brazil,
who had made the arrest. In response to the
| telegram received at Brazil in the morning,
Painter started in pursuit of the man. He
rode on horseback at a furious rate; so
rapidly, in fact, that he was obliged to
change horses six times before he finally
caught up with and captured the rapidly fly
ing thief. He heard of the team at several
places along the road. At Stilesville he found,
from the blacksmith, that he had shod one OF
the horses. Three miles beyond Plainfeld,
and one mile this side of what is known as
L. - knt,, fka M
wagon road and the Terre Haute & Indian
apolis railroad, he came in sight
of the object OF his search. When he
observed the officer in pursuit, the thiei
whipped up his team, and an exciting race
/ ensued. until tiLally. overtaking him
Painter ordered him to halt. Not doing So
Painter shot at him twice. Not relishing
that kind of sport, he OF the stolen team
turned his horses heads sharply around
upsetting the buggy. Climbing the fence
he made across the fields, getting clear
, 900 wards the start OF Painter, whose first
work was TO secure the team, so as 10 pre-
vent them from running away. There
ensued a race of about mile aud hal
across the fields, when Painter caught VI
with and
CAPTURED HIM,
completely exhausted by his nights ride
the wound he had received from the pisto
{ shot, and the hard run he had had. He wal
3 brought to this city on the IL O'Clock train
: by ex-Marshal Painter, of Brazil, his cap
turer. and policeman Vandever, whose mis-
fortune il was to reach Plaintield after al
+ the"fun" was over, and inst as captive anC
captor were driving into town. To Ga
zette reporter who interviewed him shortly
!, after he was lodged in Jail, the horse THE
f gave his name as Charles Brown. III,
says he was born near Wheeling
w. Va, but has lived lately in New Orleans
Q having followed the river as a roustabou
for several years past. He has walked
across the State of Illinois from st. Louis
trying to make his way to Cincinnati. Gu
of money and unable to get anv work. b.
was tramping it across the country, making
! his way as best he could. Tuesday night h
: reached Bloomtown, and went TO sleep il
o Ellsworth's barn. Hearing the horse
neighing in the stable, he says he got t,
studying about how he would like to hav
them and ride TO Cincinnati and star
into the express wagon business. Tn
: wish grew into a determination, ant
a up the team as easily as he could, he started
q off on the road east, making pretty rapi'
8 time as can be we'll imagined by the distanc
4 he travelled. He is a yOungsh lookin
man, only 10 years old, he says, and he can
be much older,-of fair com lexicon. Hi
i features are good. and altogether he is
o rather handsome looking fellow. and thoug
= poorly clad he looks as il he had been accus
= toned to a better mode of life than tramp
!, ing over the country hunting for work an
stray teams. He was shot in the right arm
little above the wrist. No bones wer
: broken, and the wound is not dangerous.