Towanda daily review. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1879-1921, 1881-10-12

The last Elmira Telegram gives picture
OF Chief Of Police BURNS. Of this place with
the following biographical sketch:
In u pleasant valley at the foot OF Elk
mountain, in Susquehanna county. Pennsvl-
vania. the subject If this sketch first saw the
light, September Is. 1889. His mother came
of good old Puritan stock. and was a woman
Of strong and noble charac er. His father
was OF ScOtch-1rish descent With the mus
cles of an athlete he had the courage Of the
pioneer. Until twenty-one years of age,
Burns lived and worked on a farm. To his
active outdoor life he owes In measure the
splendid physique and iron constitution that
ave 40 vel It ed him to p rform Il Q
irving duties OF his after years. In d {.
cember. 1872. Mr.. Burns, who was living on
farm in Smithfield. was solicited by the
Burgess to come TO Towanda and perform
police duties for four months. At the expi.
ration Of that time he was offered the position
Of Chief OF Police. which he accepted. For
nearly nine years he has proved himself
faithful and efficient officer. There were diff
hcutics attending discharge Of the duties
Of the Office. at that time. that have wholly
disappeared. Fires and robberles have grealv
diminished in frequency. II is significant
fact that three times AS many arrests were
made in 1872 IA in 1880. Towanda il now as
orderly town Is any OF it's size in the State.
Ohicer Burns courage, perseverance and
success in following and bringing criminals
TO justice, have become almost prOverbial.
He has been instrumental in hunting up and
returning about fifty stolen horses, and near.
ly alwa,s succerded in bringing the thieves
to trial. In 1872. Officer Burns arrested the
notorious "butter thief" named Rogers alias
Caswell, who had committed II series Of dar-
ing depradatiOns in Southern New York and
Northern Pennsylvania Rogers went liter
ally ARMED to the teeth'' and grew so bold as
to defv arrest. One horse and buggy stolen
bv Rogers. was traced 10 Bradford county,
Pa, and found in possession of JOSH" the
Gipsev King. The latter who passed through
TOwanda occasionally, has since cherished
wholesome respect for Officer Burns ilitv
to detect the receiver OF stolen property
The ''butter thIef'' WAS confined to the Ai
burn prniientiar! for twelve years. On the
4th Of July. 1877. while quelling riot in the
streets OF TUwanda, Chief Burns was assault
ted by 4 drunken and Infuriatpd mob. In
self-defence. and in protecting the lives and
property OF law-abiding citizens. he fatally
shot one OF his assailants and slightly wOun.
d"d another. The rogues who had hereto
fore run the town" on circus davs. were
taught a valuable lesson No such Disgrace
full riot has been attempted since that time.
In April, 1876, Officer Burns was commits
stoned by Governor Hartranft, as Railroad
Police. on the Northern division of the Le-
high Valley railway. He has been very sue.
ceSsful in guarding the interests Of the
COMPANY and IL deserving the confidence OF
railway officials. In November. 1878, Chief
Bnrns was appointed Deputy Unifed States
Marshal for the Northern District of Penn
syvania. His skill IN detecting counterfeiters