The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-08-07
CAR THIEVES CAUGHT.
The Leaders of "A BAND of Desperate
Criminals Trapped Near ss Lonis.


sr LOUIS, Aug. Ga very neat piece of
railroad detective work was fittingly crowned
Saturday night at Brooklyn, q colored village
three miles north of East st. Louis, by the
capture of three leaders Of a gang OF desperate
robbers, whose depredations, continuing from
time to time in various localities among the
miles OF car tracks and the stockyards on the
oteer side OF the river, have cost the various
companies Interested thousands OF dollars
worth of property. Three weeks agoIthe chief
of railroad detectives Mr. Furlong, succeeded
ia running down. and capturing a band of car
and hog robbers in East st. Louis, who are
now awaiting trial at Bellevlle, the county
seat. About the same time an old mon, Nc
Lane ny name employed at East st. Louis IS
Il watchman by the Western Union Telegraph
-ompanv, was fired upon and severely wound
ca bY three Begroes who he detected early one
morning in the act Of breaking open freight
Car on. the track OF the Wabash Railroad be-
tween East st. Louis and Brooklyn. This act
suggested that some Of the robbers might be
residents of the latter place. and FurloDg sent
over one OF the most trusted members Of his
secret service to make an investigation. This
man succeeded in detecting the robbers and
insinuating himself into their favor; he ac-
cepted proposition to become one Of the gang
and while still trusted by them he listened to
their confessions of past roberies, and Joined
with them in the planning Of fresh undertake
ing.
An Of one night was snent in selecting and
marking cars which gave evidence of contain
iug merchandise of great value, and the next
night was to be devoted to securing the plunder
on a larger scale than was ever before attempt-
ed While this was in progress, three mem
beFs OF the gang, an ex-convict and desperate,
"Bill" Jones and the ex-convict Tom" Lind
sey, whose expertness as hog-ste8ler has cost
tho National stock yards hundreds OF animals,
and third, Ellis Rhodes, acknowledged to
the dete ctive that they were the men who had
shot McLane, the Western Union watchman
Whether the detective displayed any emotion
at this statement or from some other cause, the
robbers, from this time on, suspected him, and
on last Tuesday they ordered him to leave
Brooklyn. He refused to go, and on Wednes-
day Jones, Lindsey and some other members
OF the gang armed themselves with shot-guns
and went cunning for him after the manner
Of Southern Illinois. City Marshal Green in
terfered and the manner Of his death and the
fatal wounding Of Jones which resulted, have
already been published.
Having made his way here, the detective in
formed Chief Furlong of what he had learned,
and a plan was organized to capture the lead
ing members of the gang as soon as the excite
ment attendant upon the Marshal's murder
had blown over. AS was expected, the rob
bers left home, but finding that no steps were
beng taken to arrest them, they returned to
Brooklyn yesterday morning. At IL o'clock
Saturday night Chief Furlong, at the head ofla
party OF six men armed 10 the teeth, went to
Brooklyn to capture the robbers Warrants
had been secured in the morning, but, though
backed by the law, the party knew they had
desperate men to deal with, and took every
precaution TO give them a perfect surprise.
The house was reached about midnight, and
was surrounded before any of the inmates be-
came aware Of what was going on outside.
When they did, they found that man with
doube-barrelled shotgun was covering each
means Of exit from the house. They saw that
they were trapped, and so surrendered at dis
crelion, were handcuffed and marched TO East
st. Louis, where they were Stocked up The
prisoners were "Dck" Lindsey and his son,
Thomas, and Ellis Rhodes. Warrants are out
for other members of the gang, who will be
picked up as opportunity offers. This capture
puts end for the time, at least, TO the exten-
Sive robherias which have been sgOing on on
the other side OF the river for months. and the
railroad officers are pleased with the success Of
their secret service men.