Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-27
TRAPPED.
A Notorious Gang of Thieves Run
Down by Detectives.
The Leader and His lieutenants Cornered
in Hancock County and Taken
to Pittsburgh.

PIrTsBURGH, July 26.-For over a year
past the neighborhood in the vicinity OF
Braddock, and, in fact, the line of the Bal.
timore and Ohio and Pennsylvania rail.
roads between Pittsburgh and that point,
has been the scene of operations Of band
Of "men of the road" who, from the man.
ner and method of doing their jobs, proved
them to be highwaymen of the Jesse
JSmes class, only that they had not so far
progressed in their profession as to
add murder to it. 1nsomuch as the
numerous highway robberies, burglar.
izing stores, ETC., had become so frequent in
and around the localities bordering on the
line of the 3. & .. and 7. railroads, the
home detectives were placed on watch to
endeavor to ferret out these marauders,
but it was only when the outrageous knock
ing down and robbing at Hawkins station
OF Mr.. Robert p. Duff, on the night OF the
3Oth of June, within some three hundred
yards of his residence, that the extra effort
was made to discover
The Robbers.
Mr. Duff called III United States Secret Ser.
vice Detective G. B. Perkins, and placed
his particular case in his hands. Detective
Perkins having obtained the necessary au-
thority and leave of absence, took hold of
the case, and with United States Detectives
D. Fl. Giikinson, Joseph Bleener, Guy Jud.
son and CitylDetectiyes Friel and Coulson' s
assistance, he went to work, aud from data
and pointers secured from the parties who
had been victims of memb bers Of the gang
IN their assaults and robhaa6Y6e"a 'Effig
that made it ve'y apparent that on the line
of the Baltimore and Ohio road somewhere
thara uas bpaluuartprQ fnr n Z
ically organized gang Of highwaymen. De-
tec;lve Gilkinson was deputized 10
Work tue Case
in its details, and the outcome OF the we'll
laid schemes and well mapped layout OF
the detectives, the game was shadowed and
yesterday the arrest of the alleged leader
and two of his lieutenants, was consum.
mated. John G. Gordon, the "bos," aud
his con fidential pal and first assistant. K
NJ. Geary, we're captured, after great deal
of strategy, at point near Sir johns run,
Hancock county, West Virginia. They had
been shadowed for over week past, and
the pair had been day or so at Berkeley
springs, undoubtedly in the eyes OF the
GtiiCers, working up Job. They were
closely watched however, and tracked to a
dense woods at Sir Johns run, and out OF
the way station between Cumberland, Nd,
and Hancock, Va. When the train ap
preached the station Gordon was seen
across the run and on the margin OF the
wu ds
SuspiciousIy watching.
apparently for some one 10 get oil the train
of whom he bad been previously advised
Of. Detectives Perkins, Gilkinson and the
others cautiously waited an opportunity,
and by each taking diverse ways complete
~ threw the willy Gordon off the track for
the time being. After short consult tation
with his colleagues detour was decided on
by Perkins, and as Gordon was man who
IS, as has been proven in the past. desper-
ado of the first water, it was decided to get
him, dead or alive. Perkins and Judson
went down the road, so as to get in the rea
OF their man, while Gilkinson and Friel
took the opposite direction. Cautiously
working their way, sometimes craving,
through a cornfield, that served as blind
for them. They succeeded in
Covering Their Game
in good style. Gordon and Geary, con
cludipg that their course was clear, come
out of their hole crossed the run and start
ed up the track, followed in the rear by
Perkins and Judson. The pair evidently
suspected that they were being trailed, for
they took their revolvers out OF their hip
pockets and placed them in their side coat
pockets, holding their hands closely cover.
ing the weapons and ready for immediate
action. Detectives GiIkinson and Friel
confronted them so suddenly, and upon
and being ordered to throw up thands they
did so, with the remark, What do you
mean" Ehe revolvers of the arrestiag
officers were too much for them and they
suCcumbed. The nippers were placed on
them and they were prisoners.