Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-19
STINDLHRO.
How a Notorious Gang Was Brought to
Grief.
{ Wiuoaa Rupublican.l

NiuOla Lupub1can.
The notorious three-card monte swind-
lers who have been engaged in roobing
passengers between st. Paul and La
Crosse, on the River division of the Chica-
go, Milwaukee g ST. Paul road, on the Mad
ison division of the Chicago s. Northwest
ern, and on the Manitoba and other rail
roads north of st. Paul, for some months
past, have finally been captured. Their
names are Tom. Devine, Ed. Smell, j. d.
Gibson and n. Allen, and they passed
through this city this morning in
charge of Chief of Police Frank
Hatch. of La Crosse, and some dele
gates en route to Red Wing, where they will
be arraigned for robbing ia passenger a
few nights ago of $500 in cash. The VIC
tim, whose name is for the present with
held. was also on the train, returning to
Red Wing to appear against the prisoners.
It seems that Immediately after the thieves
had relieved tbs Red Wing man of such a
heavy sum, Officer Byrne, the Chicago, Mil
waukee u s.. Paul railway detective, and
members OF the police force at La Crosse
were notified of the robbery, and the assis-
tance of Officers Duncan, Clark, Fisher,
Stoughten5er5 and Parke called into requi
sjtion. Ea night train WAS watched. 1t
5 said the mon got on board at Winona
and went through to La Crosse.
Upon ths arrival of the train at La
Crosse. as appears by the report given by
the Eserjiiela-Le Leader. the police were IN
formed that Tho men were aboard. One
man was positively identified IS belonging
to the party. The other two were not so
readily spotted. The former rose from
ms seat. vllsa in hand. and was walking
out OF the car. O.4Cer Duncan, fearing ne
would escape. arrested him 81 once, and
conducted him to The police station. He
cave the name of OF. Hall. When searched
he was found 20 have S142.S5 on MS
person. besides q large amount of pocket
effects. $50 bin which was missed on
the first search was found by
Captain Lit.lejohn in small side
pocket IN his overcoat. The search
and registry of Hall had just been com
pleted when the other officers returned,
having failed to secure their men. Con-
tInuing the search, however, the officers
ran down their game about Il O'Clock at
the International.
Their men were down on the register as
Thomas CoIman OF Detroit, and G. F.
White. of Chicago. The third was no less
tran j. b. Gibson, or ''Newsy" Gibson, the
young lad who sells ne, VS., candy, peanut,
ETC., on the Chicago Milwaukee Il St.
Paul train, well known here. and at other
stations on the line, one branch of his trip |
being west to Fairmont, but most of his |
time being spent on tho line between st. |
Paul and Chicago. Night |
Clerk Leprohon directed the police |
officers to number fifteen, double room |
with two beds. After waking the men up, |
the door was opened and the officers en-
tered. Both men submitted to the arrest, |
but under verbal protests. Force was sub
sequently necessary to prevent resistance.
Handouts were produced and the men |
walked to the station. They were equipped |
with No AZ revolvers. and bogus money, |
cards, DISCUSSES, ETC., the usual accompani-l
ments of sWindlers of that character. A |
part of the money that they carried was
concealed in little pockets in their
large cravats. The arrest of
young Gibson was not effect
ed so easily. He showed fight and
was determined to hold the fort against
any intruders. By producing two revolV
ers and bringing them 10 bear on Officer
Parks he kept the cops" at bay for time,
but he was subsequently knocked down,
disarmed, and carried away with the rest.
The cuuntenances of the four men ar
rested were recognized as having been seen
on the streets and at the hotels of Winona,
frequently. Their Identification was rem
dered complete by the little newsboy who |
runs between this city and st. Paul. few |
evenings ago they offered him $3.50 if he
would not pass through the train |
so as not to wake the passengers up,
that they might the more easily |
work the victims whom they had selected, |
while the other passengers were sleeping.
In order TO find out their game the little
fellow consented, and after witnessing |
them rob their victims the boy reported |
the facts to the officers of the road, and he
was called to La Crosse on Friday night |
for the purpose of identifying them, which |
he did, although he says they change their
clothes very frequently. They have stolen
thousands of dollars from passengers on
the railroads in this vicinity within the
past year, and it is not little singular
that a newsboy has outwitted detectives
and police officers in effecting the arrest of
this notorious gang Of gamblers and swim
dlers.