The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-07-22
HARRY ENGLISH.

Saturday morning, April II, 1880, at
Caledonia, Elk county, an attempt
was made to arrest English on charge
of forgery. Tom. Burke, District
Attorney Wurzell, Constables War
NTH and Vollmer were the arresting
party. a reward of 5000 offered by
Bradford parties was the stimulant
that urged with greater zeal the de
sire for Euglish's arrest
The story of this unsuccessful at
tempt AZ arrest is current gossip, the
shooting and killing of Constable
Warmth, the almost mortally wound
ing of Constable Vollmer, the flight of
the slayer, and the great excitement
caused throughout the county by the
recital of the particulars of the crime,
are still fresh in the minds of our peo-
pie. The commissioners of Elk 90.
offered O reward of $1,000, and this to-
gether with the 5000 before offered
made an aggregate reward of Sl2OO,
which was certainly sufficient induce
ment to cause the arrest of the fugi.
tive. The widest kind of wild stories
were current at the time in reference
to the matter. English was in the
mind of the people a terrible character
outlaw and desperate, armed with his
Winchester rifle, supplied with plenty
OF ammunition and ever Oh the alert
to murder in cold blood any one whom
he thought approached aim with the
intention of causing his arrest. No
character in the annals of great crimes
ever occupied a more prominent place
as a desperate man, or inspired the
mind of the populace with greater
dread. Mothers could hush to sleep
their restless infant, while children Of
larger growth clung closer to their
mothers knee at the mere mention of
the dreadful name. In feet, reign
ofterror was inaugurated with Caledo-
MIA, the scene of the murder, as the
centre which grew wider and wider,
until it embraced ALMOST the entire
county Of Elk. Hunters in the woods
were startled at the least sound, as
with hair on end and bated breath
they expected the appearance OF this
terrible man fearing the next Instant
to feel the bullet from his unerring
! Winchester.
A posse from Ridgway, composed
of the best shots here, Went to Gale
donia to assist in arresting the terrible
Harry. They reported that he was
hiding in the woods adjoining the
scene Of crime, and that in the early
morning, and at evenings twilight,
strange men were seen to take to the
woods with knapsack OH back filled
with provision which they were car
rying to the ever hungry English.
\ week or so after the commission Of
the crime the fugitive was said to have
been seen by one in the pigeon woods of
! Tiones)a, by another he was seen on
the Allegheny river silently padding
! down the stream on a raft, again he
was hiding in a cave i'll the wilds
of Mexican county. Here and every
where was he seen by persons who
were a. familiar with Harry English as
| they were with their own father and
mother. All the parties to these alb
| surd storiC' were willing and anxious
to swear to the truthfuness OF their
statements. In all the wild stories
! he was always represented as armed
! to the teeth with his Winchester
rifle in hand ready to shoot down any
one who might make an attempt
at his capture. Time flew on and moth
| inT definite was known Of English
! until one day SherifT oyster received
telegram from one BOrst ut Cedar
! Springs, Mich, to the effect that
| English was there and asked if he
should be arrested Sheriff Oyster
was ab.ent at the time, bat Deputy
Weusei telegraphed in reply an atiir-
native answer. Nothing more was
heard of this matter, and nothing
x,p l;.,h l,s.t
week when news was received that
he had been apprehended at Cheboy-
gan, Mich.
This latest rumor was ascertained to
be correct, and the District Attorney
went to Harrisburg where the neces-
sary requisition was made by Gov
ernor uoyt OH Governor CrosWell, OF
Mich, for the body of Harry English.
In the last issue of THE ADVOCATE
we intimated that the prisoner would
arrive here on Monday afternoon. On
that day great crowds of men, women
and children went to the depot to
catch glimpse Of the now notorious
Harry English. He did not come,
however, and the people went home
greatly Disappointed The statement
was then noised around that he would
be here on Tuesday afternoon for sure
and certain. Tuesday crowds again
went to the depot, which multitude
was swelled by large delegation from
st. Mary's all anxious even to impa-
tiCnce to catch even one glimpse o!
THE great State prisoner. Sheriff
rOyster met the train contained the
prisoner at Kane, and made arrange
ments to have the train stopped at the
Osterhout road, where IL team was in
waiting to convey the party 10 the Jail.
\ few minutes before the train wa
due the crowd smelied large sized rat
and made haste TO run from the depot
along the railroad track to the place
where they thought the train would
stop. Many, especially the ladies,
We're disappointed. As the convey
ance conteining the captured man and
his captor came into town on the way
to the Jail great crowd of men and
boys followed to the Jail entrance
and even endeavOred to enter in theil
anxiety to catch a glimpse of the pris
oner. He was safely placed in hi,
cell, the crowd dispersed, and al
hands Joined in talking the rest of the
evening about Harry English, hi,
crime, escape and capture.
j. r.. Thomas, one of PinkertOn':
detectives, medium sized man, per
haps IS years of age, with a clear blue
eye, light moustache, and light com
pleXion Was met at the Hyde HOus'
and he very readily and clearly gave
a description of the way the prisone
made his escape, the course he tool
| aftprwar1 tO.s fhar with the particu