The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-12-15
JESSE JAMES'S FRIEND.
Tom ROsmOnd Said to Have Been
One of the Notorious Gang.
With a Hole Through Each Lung, He
Was Almost Bullet
Proof.

From Cleveland Leader.
Many people in Cleveland thought
they knew Tom ROsmOnd (Or ROwland)
the notorious leader OF the Foster gang,
but thew did not. 1t is probable that
his wife knew but a part of his eVentful
history. He was, perhaps, the worst
man that ever graced Cleveland Ivy
dwelling in its vicinity. 1t Is said that
he was at one time member of the no
tOTiOus James gang. Two years ago
Jesse James, the blue-eyed leader of the
Western outlaws and train robbers,
visited Cleveland, and while here, went
out to Parma and paid ROsmond long
visit. The twO.men were fast friends
and correspOnded up to the time of the
killing of Jesse by Bob Ford. ROsmOnd'S
mother, is said. now lives in the vlCini-
ty of Kansas City. Charlie LOwrie, the
shooter of the Foster gang, once said to
a prominent Cleveland detective: You
think you know Rowland, but you do
not. You think you will yet get the
drop on him, but you cannot. He sery-
ed in the Confederate army and WAS
shot through the lungs, the bullet pass
ing entirely through his body" This
statement was verified when the body
was at the medical college. DR.. Carpen-
ter, demOnstrater of anatomy, found
HOLE THROUGH EACH LUNG
rs large as mans finger. Both were
old wounds. One was made by a bullet
from a pOliceman's pistol at Toledo, a
few weeks since, and the other was re-
ceived during the war. There was many
old scars on various parts OF the bur
glars body, showing that he had been
shot many times, and the physicians
say that he was as nearly bullet proof as
ii is possible for any man to be.
A few days since superintendent
Schmitt wrote to Chief Of Police COneily,
of Detroit, to make inquiries concerning
Eddie Roche, the younger of the broth
ers shot at Shelby, and whose body is at
Erie Street Medical College. Chief
Schmitt gave the substance of the story
regarding the killing of his partners by
Roche at Detroit, and asked for CON
firmatiOn Of the same. Yesterday the
following letter was received from Chief
COnelly:
About two years ago there was a
shooting affray In this city very much
as understood by you. The saloon was
at 105 Atwater street and was kept by
one Charley McCauley, who is a sort Of
a next friend to all crooks; and keeps q
place for their resort. The shooting
was done by man known as Ed. Scott,
alias Splrks, alias Little Ed" The
man killed was Theodore Patton, son of
an ex-MayOT and ex-SheTiff of this city.
ALL PARTIES CONCERNED WERE CROOKS,
and when the man was killed there were
no other persons about besides the gang
of crooks interested in suppressing all
infOI nation concerning it. Though in
the saloon where the shooting took
place most of them claimed to know
nothing about 1t, and those who could
not avoid admitting that they knew
something of 1t claimed that 1t was done
in self-defence, and from what | have
learned of the matter l am inclined to
think that case of shooting in self
defense could have been made out by the
party had he been arrested for the shoot
ing. They claim that Patton shot first,
and once or twice, before the other re-
piled and killed Patton. 1t has been
well understood here the past year who
did the shooting, but there was no avail
able evidence. 1t is now claimed here
by all interested that the man who shot
Patton was the youngest of the gang,
part of whom were killed in Richland
county, o. Herewith L enclose you
copy Of photograph of the person to
whom [ refer as having shot Patton.
This fellow has been in Detroit at Yari-
Ons times since he shot Patton, and was
always extremely reserved and seclu-
ded, paying but little, ana drinking
scarcely anything, and seemed to be
rather
FEARED BY THE LOCAL CROOKS.
Patton and the fellow who shot him had
been for some time great deal tOReth
er, and were known to be friends, If not
partners, in their line, and the shooting
was a surprise to al"
The copy of the photograph referred
to in Chief COnley's letter Is wood cut
made from the photograph of Rhodes,
taken after his death at Shelby. There
can no longer be any doubt about the
identity of this body. The police of both
cities are thankful Roche is out of the
way, for he was considered bad man.
The dead burglars mother is living
with her second husband, man named
Sparks, at East Saginaw, Mich. Super
intendent Schmitt says young Patton
and Roche were pals, and ii he is not
mistaken they did time together In the
West Virginia Penitentiary.
Fhe third member of the Shelby gang
who is now in Jail at Mansfield has been
identified as Dick Burns, a crook we'll
known to the police If Detroit and
Chicago. SO far as is known he never
operated in this city. 1t has been pret-
ty certainly determined who the fourth
man is, but for fear it might aid In pre-
venting his capture, the police dc not
II II