The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-02-23
RAILROAD ROBBERS.

GANG OF FREEBooTERs IN oHIo-THE
RINGLEADERs CAPrURED-FRANKLIN THE
SCENE OF OPERATIONS.
The Dayton Democrat of the 10th inst.
gives the following account of the arrest OF
band of railroad robbers in that vicinity:
For the past year the officers of the Short
Line railroad have, from time to time, been
called upon TO ray Tor quantities OF goods
shipped by their road and stolen while in
transit. The skill of the officers and best
trained detectives was baffled for long time
to find even at or about what point on the road
the goods were ttolen, let alone catch the
thieves. Some months ago, however, it was
pretty satisfactorily concluded that the
goods were taken from the cars at Franklin.
This station affords very good opportunities
for the business, as all trains stop
there for water, and beside the depot
is somewhat out of town, and
there Is generally no night operator there
Employees of the road were set to watch the
thieves, but were unable to catch any one
and, indeed, when men were on the watch
there was immunity from the rascals, but
just as certain as bad night came, and the
men were not so vigilant as usual, car
would be broken open and robbed. On the
night of the 9Th OF November last quantity
of goods were stolen from MERCHANDISE Des-
patch car from New York consigned to firm
in Cincinnati. No trace of the thieves could
be found, but the theft was committed, and
after a time was entrusted to George A Cas-
we'll, of this city, and Frank Mitchell, de-
tective employed by the c., II. q ID. railroad.
After obtaining slight clue to the matter
they followed it up for weeks, and a few
days since turned up part of the goods.
THE STOLEN GOODS RECEIVED
consist of carpet, thread, coffee, tobacco,
ETC., altogether, $500 or $500. The carpet was
or is of very peculiar pattern, and led to
the detection of the thieves. They had not
disposed of any of the stolen plumber about
Franklin, but taken it to Germantown,
Farmersville and out in that direction
Some of the carpet was found on the floors
of some of the best families of German
town, where it bad been bought in good
NJ. Dachtler, the marshal of Franklin, when
all the plans were laid, arrested Garrett A.
Schenck, butcher of Franklin, while the
detectives clapped down upon Thomas w.
Smith, of Germantown, who were the
ringleaders of the gang who did the
stealing and rum the goods out of the neigh
borhood and sold them. Schenck had his
preliminary examination before Esquire
Lockwood yesterday, and was held in the
sum OF 81 900 for his appearance before the
Court Of Common Pleas to answer the
charge of burglary and grand larceny, and
in default OF bail was committed to Jail.
Smith was brought up here by Caswell last
night and lodged in jail. he will be taken
down again for trial. The Short Line Com
pany estimates its loss during the past year
from this source at at least 5000. At the
trial yesterday the state was represented by
Hon. ID. w. Iddings, who is the regular at
torney for the Short Line Company, while
the Hon. J. Kelley O'Neal appeared for the
defense. The gang is said to have been very
large and thoroughly organized, but Is is
now completely broken up and democrat
iZsd