National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-31
BURGLARIES AND ARSON.
TWO IMPORTANT ARRESTS MADE IN
THE COUNTY.

DISTRICT-THE THIEVES DEN DISCOY.
ERED - CONSIDERABLE STuI EN- PROP.
ERTY RECOYERED-THE TRUCK-PATCH
THIEVES IN THE GANG.
The frequent occurrence Of fires in the north
western section Of the city and county iurtng The
past spring and summer, together with tbs sUs
ptcious circumstances connected with their origin
made the fact paIpable that band Of incsnil
aries were at work and operating with considers
bic success. 1t was also evident that robbery Wai
coupled with the other crime, and that the former
was used 10 cloak their p!underng deeds AtteI
several barns and dwellings had been fred and
destroyed, Lieutenant Noonan, with some OF his
officers Of the Second precinct, who had been as
siduously engaged In trying to secure the ineendi
aries, succeeded IN capturing two colored men,
named Joseph Jones and Alexander Williams,
to whom was traced the guilt Of portion Of the
dastardly work, and in the house o. the former
was found much Of the property taken away pre-
vious to firing some Of the buildings burned. It
was thought at that time that all Of the parties
predicting this nefsTiOus business had been
secured, and In the future the residents OF the
section where the men had been operating would
be safe from further danger at their hands Such
was not the case, however, for burglarieS con-
tinued to be committed, and complaints were
daily being registered at the Second precinct
station.
The lieutenant was worried and almost discour-
aged IN his hopes OF AppEenenulnE the perpetra-
tors Of the crimes, while the men were mystIheI
and completely at sea In tracing up what appeared
to be Well-disciplined working gang In the
midst Of their QuAndsry, and while laying out
new plans, they received q sudden solution to
their troubles which resulted in the arrest OF the
burglars and 4ncendinries On the night Of the
burning Of MIR. Myers barn, on Eighth street, be-
yond Boundary, there was stolen from next door.
the place Of John McEligott, covered wagon, Of
which ALL traco was Afterwards On Salur-
day morning last Mr.. McEligott, by q strange CO.
incidence, was standing on tbs pavement in front
OF the Second police precinct, when a wagon
passed. drawn by gray horse, in which was
seated colored man and boy. Mr.. McEligOtt
took casual glance ct the vehicle, and then, OBJ
serving Il closer, turned to the lioutePant and
said: THAT is the wagon stolen from me the night
Of the fire." The lieutenant Immediately had the
team brought back and the parties brought into
the station, where the man gave his name as Al
bert p. Davis, and the hoy, who is about fifteen
years Of age, that Of VIM. Davis.
Both parties were temporarily locked up IN
separate cells, and the boy afterwards taken out
and Intercepted by the Lieutenant who OBJ
tanned sufficient information to warrant him in
making search Of Albert Davis house for the |
stolen goods. The dwelling, if such it could be |
termed, for it more nearly resemblei q dIlap!- |
dated sbanty, is located on B, between Twenty |
first and TWenty-second streets northwest, down |
by the old canal, and IS most acceptable place |
for q thIeves' den. Thither Ohcer Reese, accom-
panied by some Of Lieut.. Greer's men, in whose
precinct the hOuse Is, wendell his way. On their
arrival they met an old colorod managed fifty
1--WE, named Robert JOhnson-who was taken into
custody, and the search insutoted. Here was
found large quantity OF harness and other AZ
tlces WHICH, with the man, were removed 10 the
stRuOn-hous6 = -
The origin OF the arrest came about in d rather
singular way, and through q partner Of these
men in crime, who was arrested for violating a
city ordinance. A young colOred fellow named
Adolphus Johnson alias Grayson, alias William
johnson, was arrested at the Centre Market on
Saturday morning, by one Of Lieut.. SkIppcn's
officers, while selling vegetables, for having nc
number On his wagon, and trafhcking in produce
without license. He w83 taken before Judge
Dawson, and being unable to pay the fine was
sent to the Workhouse for sixty days. While this
was transpiring Albert Davis went to the Fifth
precinct station CLieut. Skippons) and claimed
the horse and wagon, stating that he was John
sons partner In business. II sAfs receipt, and
the team was turned over to him and he was pro-
ceeding out Ninth street to Coles row Of houses,
near Howard University, when arrested by Lieut..
NOonan.
-. In one Of thS h9Eses in tie rqY resided John
sons wife, and L d PRESUMED hs intended to VISIT
her and give information Of her husbands whore
sbOuts, but it is more than probable that would
be matter Of little consequence 70 her, for some
two months ago they quarTeled and he broke her
arm, and then took up his abode at Davis rancho,
knowing that she had procured EarrOnt for bis
arrest, and that he went there to evade the vigil
lance Of the police. It Will be remembered by
the readers Of THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, that
accounts have been published from time to time :
Of the robbery Of truck patches in the county. 1t
now appears that these parties would go out dur
l.
and then enter some vegetable garden, load
the vehicle, come to market and sell the products
or their plUnderiEg. 1t was this wagon, which
has somewhat Of an eTentful history, that the
thieves on being hotly pursued left one night in
cabbage patch near town. 1t was Afterwards sold t
and bought back. The horse they failed u get !
anq instead purchased an old gray. near the ba-t
Easf for tl1. The wagon, which Mr.. Myers reeog-
nized was badly dishgured about the body, and
the cover completely removed from the top. it '
lrilS evident that the F9Rps(s wished to place It
beyond recognition # possible.
After these developments had been made, Ser !
geant RedWay went and made second search OF !.
Davis house and found some articles that had
been overlooked at the first visit. The man r
johnson, who had been sent to the Workhouse, I
was brought back and confined at police head z
quarters, TO await hearing With Ds7is today, '
He says that the elder Johnson did the firing Of
the buildings, while he stole all he could, and !
Davis did the disPoslng OF the articles On the f
other hand, the old man asserts that the younger
Johnson was the incendiary, and he only stole, y
Davis, Of course getting rid Of the stud best i
he could. I
Mr. J. W. Buker has recognized a fine set Of
light carriage harness, stolen from him when his :
barn 1t Mount Pleasant was burned, the night .
Of August a. - =
Mr. Maurice Chase recognized harness belong I
ing to him, taken the night the barn Of Messf5. I
Fitch Fox, corner Of Fifteenth and Boundary j
streets, was fred. !
VIM. Thofnpson, colored, recognized harness :
and other property that was appropriated on the /
night OF the burning Of his place. corner Of Thr-
teenth and Boundary streets.
The arrest is an Important one, and the officers !
are deserving Of credit for the faithful manner IN
which they have stuck to the case and the sue I
cessgu result obtained. 1t is very probable that
the arrest will break up arson aad bGrg!arles in
the county.
TIER BURGLAR ARRESTED.
PHOTOGRAPH GALLERIES HIS FIELD
FOR WORK.
Yesterday morning, Detective McDevitt, while
taxing A walk over portion Of South Washing
tor, espied ahead CT him man that he thought
he had been in search OF for some time, but whom
he thought had left the city He overlook and
accosted the individual, who proved to be John {
W. Deton, Just the person wanted. The accused !
in his meanderings appeared 10 have fancied
operating against photograph galleries, but the
purIoning Of pictures did not accompany this
strange taste. Other more valuable material
was searched for and captured. He is charged
with entering and TobblnR the gallery Of W. J.
Armstrong, No. go Pennsylvania avenue, on July
y, OF a quantity Of clothing, and the same ,
night Johnson's gallery, No. $40 Market space,
Of $50 in money. He is also charged with rObbng
the shoe store Of Thornton II. Sadler, No. 40
Fourteenth street southwest. The robberes,
shortly after being committed, were reported and
entrusted to Detectives Miller and McDeyitt to
work, but they were unable to obtain any salts
factory clue for some time OF the mans where
abouts, and finally heard OF him in Indianapolis,
Ind. He returned to the city only last week, and
Detective McDeVttt came upon him unsuspecting
Of his advent into the city. Judge Dawson will
give hin hearing this morning.
FOUND SENSELESS ONTHE PA YE-
HENT