Smyrna times., 1883-05-16
The Camden Burglars.
CAPTURED AFTER TWO YEARS PLUMBER
ing AND GETTING $4,000 WORTH OF
PROPERTY.

For two years past the citizens of this
county and especially of Camden and Wy
oming have been in terror by reason OF a
gang of burglars who were committing ut
very short intervals, serious night robberies
Their last raid was on Friday night which
led to their arrest, causing a general re-
joicing. They were two negroes of Will
mingtOn, Bob Allen and Henry Reason
On Friday they went down to Wyoming
on the Delaware train, lOafcd around there
all day, and at night succeeded in burglar
izing four houses, as follows: The drug
store OfThOmas Simpson, at Camden, where
they got about 50 in small change; leaving
there they entered the shoe store of Steph-
en- Miller and stole lot Of tools; finding
no money there they entered the tailor
store of Joseph Mcbride, but that gentle
man missed nothing.
The last place entered Wa the farmhouse
of VIM. ID, Webb, situated on the road
| leading from Camden to Dover where they
made big haul. After gaining an en-
! trance they proceeded cautiously, with Il
candle in their hands, and succeeded in
! getting his watch Sl3l in notes and silver,
and started to go to an adjoining room
where s., 500 in gold was hidden in chest
Mr.. Webb was fortunately aroused by the
noise and the thieves made good their cs-
cape. Mr. Webb went to Wilmington
-
watch that Wa> taken from the thieves by
! Detective Jones on Saturday.
The Protective Association were imme-
diately notified of the robbery, who, in turn
notified detective Jones in Wilmington,
who arrested Bob Allen and Henry Reason,
as they boarded the train for Philadelphia.
Monday morning eX-sherif' Frank Dunn,
Chief of the Kent County Protective Asso-
citation, in company with Hiram Reedy, II.
l.. Cannon, and Constable Hutchins, OF
the Association, and about fifteen victims OF
recent robberics, arrived in Wilmington foI
the purpose of identifying the stolen good,
which had been recovered by Mr. Jones.
When the prisoners were searched on
Saturday, each one was in the possession o
a. watch, revolver, pocket knives and con
siderable money, Webb's watch was il
the possession Of Allen, ard Reason had !
gold plated watch on his person. The re
volvers and pocket knives were identified
by one of the party as belonging to Wal
, ter Butler, cigar dealer in Dover wht
was robbed about two months ago.
From all accounts Allen and his ganj
have been working the State for some tim
' and many thousands of dollars worth o
=. goods have disappeared. The evidcnc
: against the prisoners is dead certainty
G and the prisoners were taken to Dover an,
!, lodged in the Kent county Jail.
RObberes in the towns and country dis
=. tricts of the State have been unusuall
u numerous within the last two years an
Il within the last six months the burglar
t have been extremely active, among tn
n most daring being the robbery of hOus
h near Camden, when n bridal trousseau wa
: taken half dozen smaller burglarcs i
!. which chloroform is supposed to have bee
n used, and the recent rObberies in 5
T Georges, when from $500 to $1,000 wort
e of property was stolen. 1t is believed tn,
e Aliens gang is responsible for most
# these crimes, and that the conviction ,
S Bob and his accOmplice will add greatly
:, the safety of homes.
" Allen, it will be remembered, broke ia
J some months ago at Chestertown, Md, W;
e arrested by Jones, locked up in the Cit
Y Hall, but mysteriously made his escap
st He was afterwards arrested in Philadelph
l. and taken to ChestertOwn, but did not r
\ main long before he again made his cscap
= Both men are well-known throughout il
II State as being hardened criminals.
: ALLEN CONFEssEs.
q A special to the Erery EUening of We
- terday says:
/, "DorcT May 15H.-Charles Temp
III was arrested last night at Camden on sll
picion of being an accOmplico Of ALE
IS lie was brought over here about 10 o clOc
Is but Allen would not recognize him. 1t
g believed by the Camden people that he
~ one Of the gang. Allen consessed Ia
. night to Chief of Police Hutchins that
a. committed several of the robberies that
was charged with. He said that there W
n negro named Jack, in Camden that W
with him on the night he robbed NJ
W6bb's house, Jack has not yet be
found, although the officers are on |
mt track. Allen said that no had one accol
ia plice in Camden and two in Dover N
an Hutchins would not reveal their nam
-. ~ lest they take alarm and escape"