Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-16
POSTOFFICE ROBBERS.
A Rtview OF tie Gang That Int sted
West Virginia.
How They Successfully Robbed the Country
Offices and Disposed Of Their pIuuder
through a New York Agency.

NLW lUHK, August ia special to the
Times from PaTkersburg. West Va, reviews
the recent pos,oilice rob5eries as follows:
For the est yGaI and half an organized
gang Of burglars have been successfully
operating through West Virginia, Western
Pennsylvania and Southern Ohio. The
postoflices in the small country towns have
received especial attention from the mem.
bers OF the gang, and few in the section OF
the country named have escaped n visit.
1t is understood that a majority OF the
thieves are from New York, aud il has been
remuuerative business for them. The
postage stamps taKen found ready sale
through sgents In New York. In February
last the gang received "omething Of
A setback
through the exertions OF Inspector New
come, OF New York, and Detective BIOnk,
attached to the postoi'ice in that city.
Then William Hart, alias William Ray.
mOnd. John 0'Neil, alias Frank jerome.
and JEFF Tanning ALA. joseph Fields, all
we'll known New York burglars, were ar.
rested for rohbng the postofiice at Central
Station W. Va, and the evidence secured
against them resulted In each being sen.
renced 10 five years' imprisonment For q
month afterwsfd the b2rg!ars discontinued
their operations. and when they renewed
their work IL was asccrtained that their
local Headquarters had been moved from
Pittsburgh TO Cincinnati. the main head
quarters being in New York. Two more OF
tie gang were arrested thyosgh Inspector
Newcome snd Detective BlonK, and on
trial were convicted.
On the night of the sth ~ April the post.
Office at Pennington, w. Va vas broken
open aud large amount OF
Stamps secured.
and other valuable property was taken
from the store connected with the Post
Office. ON April l2 Chief OF Police Mehens,
Of ParkersbuTg, arrested two men as sus-
picious chhI acters who gave the names Of
J. Hines and Frank Bowen. Upon search
ing then number Of ten and fifteen cent
stamps, a number Of pocket knives and an
incon etc set Of burglars tools were found
in their possession. In the meantime the
news Of the robbery OF the Pennington
PostUfiice had reached Parkersburg. and
suspicion at once attached 10 the men un.
der arrest as having been connected with
H.. Inspector ShalicrOsE, Of Washington,
wrote 10 Inspector Nevcome Of New York.
that be was satisfied that the men under
arrest were connected with the Pennington
robbery. and with many Others in adJoin-
ing towns. He also said that he had rra,On
10 believe that they were members Of q
gsrg OF travelling Postofiice thisve. having
bssdq nsrters at No. l73 Stanton street, in
New York city.
The Eyidssee
sgsinst the men was considered sufficient
70 hold them to await the action OF the
grand jury, and after further correspond.
ence between inspectors Shsllcross and
Newcomb, the latter placed the matter in
Detective Blonk's hands. He first called
q, No. l73 Stanton street, where asI
Schwartz keeps a cigar store. Schwartz de.
MED any acquaintance with the parties
named. Mr.. Rottenberg, OF No I62 Stan
ION street, upon whom Detective Bionk
also called. volunteered toe statement that
he bad received quantity OF stamps from
West Virginia fron Hines, whose real
name was Hertz. Among these were 100
sne. cent. 6s3 two-cent, ~ five-cent, 81 fif.
teen cent and 10 ten cent stamps. The
ten and fifteen cent stamps he bsi return
ed. at the same time sending the face vaias
Of the others.
Detective BIssk
learned from Alice Sanford that Hertz,
sliss Hines. alias Frenchy. was known s
leading man of the gang. she ssio I
'.Frencby" was well fnoxn ss thief, ana
tbat previous to leaving New YORK che Lad
bought him q ticket and given him an out
fit of clothing. She bad also assisted 70
prrcbase bis burglars tools Bowen plead
euiIty and xss at once sentenced TO Two
and q bsif years imprisonment Hines
was sentenced to Eve years.
Px-EsrsIs,sG local agents wanted in teis
toxn for sn srficIe that h sure 70 se'i.
Live druggists and grocers preferred; Al,
Sr.t, H,n.ision FoJd PreserEaiiTs Co, u
u.tl. .,.<.s Roafnn