The Benton weekly record., 1883-03-03
WOMEN CAPTURE 4 THIEF,
Selling the Mans Legs ana Pull
Ing Him into Custody
Joe Gleason. Being Caught by Miss
Norris i'm Her Room la d BOARDING.
school. Umluckily Puts his
Linn BIS i'm Her SISTERS Reach.

Miss Mary Ii. Norris is lhe principal of
private boarding school for girls at 40
East Fifty-elght street. The structure Ia
one OF row OF handsome brown-stone
houses, with four floors and basement.
Two tall stone pillars support broad cor
nice above the outer door. Adjoining Is IA
| picturesque two-story structure of real
brick and gray stone, set off with grote=~
que carved figures. This j. Cornelius
Vanderbilt's stable. Prof. Rernar,lus
Boekelman, the instructor in music, call
ed and rang the bell ut IL o'clock on
Tuesday evening. He noticed in the twi-
light the 1ignrc Ola man seated upon the
stone easing ota window Immediately over
the door, with his back toward the street
and his legs apparently In the room. He
concluded that it was mechanic, who
was probably repairing Il broken window
sash. AZ he removed his overcoat he
heard q loud scream on the second floor,
and Miss Carrie Norris, the principals
sister, came flying down The stairs.
''Thief. Thief she cried. There ls
thiefin the window of my room.
The principal came running from the
library. Following her were Mrs. ;. VIII
liams, IA lady friend who resides in the
building, and Miss Anna Schneck, daugh-
ter Of William e. schneck, proprietor Of
the estminster Hotel. Tho party of five
rushed out upon the doorsteps. Hanging
from the corniee were the legs of man,
who was evidently preparing to jump.
Prof. Boekelman and the ladies seized the
extended legs with such force that the
figure ofa man came tumbling down upon
the steps, the head of the man receiving II
cut from stone corner.
He struggled TO get away, an1 two
strangers sprang up The steps and attempt
ed to pull him ont of the crowd. At the
same moment Robert Douglas, the color
ed porter, sprang out Of the front door,
and two well-dressed men, who were pase-
ing, ran up the steps. The men who had
attempted to rescue the intruder beat "A
hasty retreat, and were not seen again.
The captured man attempted to get his
right hand into his coat pocket, but the
negro porter pinioned him, and, with the
assistance Of Miss Norris and the strang~
ers, dragged him into the outer hall, where
he was laid flat upon his back, while the
two willing strangers who had come in
from the street sat down upon his feet and
hands. 4 messenger was despatched for 81
policeman, and returned in Il few minutes
with one, followed by two detectives.
The man was taken to the East Fifty
first street station, where he said he was
John Moore, aged 40, of 240 East Thirty
first street. He was recognized, however,
from his picture, which is No. 512 of the
Rogues' Gallery, as Joseph Gleason, one of
the best known of a dangerous class OF
criminals called by the police sssecond-
story burglars who climb through the
second-ffoor windows of Il dwelling, usual
ly while family is at dinner, lock the
door on the inside, and, if discovered, ef-
feet their escape by leaping to the ground
Gleason was convicted Of burglary in 1870
and his picture was taken then. lie served
a term Of live years. 4 Misunderstanding
revolver, with every barrel loaded, was
found in his coat. Four skeleton keys OF
the latest pattern, jimmy, and chisel
were also found upon him. He is believed
to have sneakcd through Mr.. Vanderbilt's
stable, climbed out at second-story win-
dow. and walked through the coping to
Miss Norris school.
The prisoner was arraigned yesterday
afternoon In the private examination room
in the 1orkyille Police Court. Miss Nor
ris was the first witness.
Il had just seated myself in the library
on Tuesday evening" she said, ito con-
duct prayers for the young ladies', when
| heard my sister crying on the stairs.
thought it might be fire, and ran into the
front room and into the hail. Everybody
seemed to be going entsiae, and ran our.
A mans legs were hanging from the por-
tico. seized hold Of them. Prof. Boe-
kelman and another man also seized
them, and the colored man came lmme-
diately after. | held on until we had
pulled the man down anl dragged him in
on the hall floor"
Miss Carrie Norris saia: .Atter dinner
left the dining hall. and Went up staira.
passed through my sisters room 10 nay
room, which is the hall room. AZ did
80 | noticed that the air W4s cold, az If
there was Il window open somewhere.
had left the gas burning very low in my
room, aud ii was in The same condition
when | returned. As | entered I saw
mans face In the window. 1t was so dark
| could not see It distinctly. | shouted,
s'He made motion toward me with his
hand, and said something which sounded
"Tm'a ran down stairs shouting. Nv
window was closed when went to dinner.
and no servant had occasion to open 1t. -
Justice Herman held the prisoner IL
$5, 900 bail for trial. Il person who was
present at the capture said last evening;
Nobody held on more persistently and
earnestly than the ladies, and but for them
the prisoner would surely have escaped.
And yet, when he was on his back in the
hall, he called for a glass Of water, and one