The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-10-03

d tniIllilE Will anu icdldu
Wechtenheiser, two more of the alleged
band of Stonycreek robbers in charge, and
lodged them IN Jail 4 telegram announc-
ing their arrest had been received the night
before, and large crowd Of people were 10
waiting at the depot and along the streets
leading to the jail, anxious TO get a sight of
two of the daring highwaymen, who have
so long terrorized the people Of our county.
The following is the story of their capture
as related by one of the officers. Recently
Sheriff Spangler learned through private
sources that the two men were working in
logging camp in the wilds Of Clearfield
county. The Sheriff deputized Mr.. T. J.
Picking to take charge ofthe case. Mr.. Pick
ing went down 10 Johnstown on Wednes-
day morning and secured the assistance
of Constable Waters and a Mr.. Nal
ri, and the three men proceeded on the first
train for Dubois, Clearfeld county.
At that point they learned that the camp
in which the men were engaged is located
two miles north OF Sabula, the latter place
being five miles above Dubois. in the pines.
After rough journey they arrived at Sabula,
which they found to be quite asmall village,
They called at the office of the Justice of the
Peace, J. c. BoueTsox, Esq; at the post
office, where they had an interview with
Postmaster W. W. Cole at the telegraph
Office, where they had short talk with Dlr.
II. NJ, Schaney, the operator, The Squire
endorsed the warrant for them; the post
master informed them that letters had re-
Gently been received at his Office for S. w
Pool and Charley Mausk, the names under
which the Wechtenheiser boys travelled and
the operator volunteered to accompany them
TO the log camp TO assist in making the ar
rests. The Squire also accompanied the
officers lie being well acquainted with
Mr.. Andrew J. Dutley, the owner of the log
camp, arranged an interview between him
and Deputy Sheriff Picking and his assist
ants.
/ Mr.. Dutley gave the officers a description
ofthe men in his employ and their names
and it was found that the Wechtenheiser boys
were among them. He warned the officers
! that the men were constantly well armed,
and said he believed they would fight des
! perately to avoid arrest. He picked out four
/ of his most trusted men to accompany the
officers, and the party, at o'clock in the
evening, wended Its way through the dense
pine forest to within about three hundred
yards of the shanty occupied by the Wech-
tenheisers and one or two Others of the log
/ gers. Mr. Dutley called at the cabin in the
hope Of being able to get possession Of their
arms knowing that when they were in the
shanty they kept the reyolyers on a shelf
near the door. But the men were not in.
They were out visiting at some OF the neigh !
boring cabins. Nothing could be done,
therefore, but wait.
Accordingly the members Of the party
posted themselves in various places about
the shanty to await the arrival of the men
they were after In the meantime the oil |
GERS succeeded in getting man in thereon
iidence who occupied the shanty with the
Wechtenhesers. He agreed TO go to the
Shanty and to notify the officers. by swing
ing a lantern to and fro at the door, when
the Wechtenheisers had gone to sleep, and
also TO obtain possession of the reyolverS, if
possible The two bandits returned about
half-past 10 o'clock At midnight, true to
his agreement, their companion in the
shanty swung the lantern back and forth. |
Then the members of the arresting party
gathered about the shanty. Ii was decided
that Mr.. Malzi should captain the outside
squad, and Constable Waters, Deputy Pick
ing and Operator Schaney shoul enter the
ca5in and make the arrest. When they en-
tered the man who had given the signal
| handed over two reyolverS, but informed
the officers that the men had another under
their pillow which he was afraid to attempt
/ to get for fear of awakening them
Constable Waters, followed by Picking
and Schaney assembled the rickety stairway to
! to bedroom where the Wechtenheisers were
! sleeping soundly, all unconscious of the tolls
that were tightening about them. Picking
carried lantern, and just as Waters placed
his hands upon the two men, aroused them
! from their slun.bers. and informed them that
they were under arrest, the light was tlrned
! full iu their faces. They sat up quickly in
/ bed and one of them made an involuntary
movement for the pillow, under which lay
his trusty revolver but tie Constable had
them completely in his power. They made
no resistance, simply protesting their inno-
ccnce and declaring hat it was pretty rough
to be thus taken from bed without any cause.
After they had attired themselves and ar
- 4
shqnty, they were handcufied and searched,
and the whole party started out of the pines.
At the farm house of a man named Lundy
a wagon was obtained and in il all embark
ell for Dubois, the desire being to make the
morning train for the West. In this they
succeeded, and the three men with their
prisoners arrived in Johnstown on the Phil
adcphia Express Friday evening. The pris
oners We're placed in the lock where they |
remained until Saturday morning, when |
Deputy Picking brought them to Somer-
se, and lodged them in Jail.
The two brothers taken to Jail Saturday |
are tall, burly looking men, possessing 1
evidently great powers of endurance. They |
talk but little and seek to avoid as much as
possible being gazed at.
The pistols belonging 10 the Wechtenheis- /
cr- are in possession OF the authorities. One
i, a smith q Wesson, 3S-calibre the second |
an unknown 52-calibre, and the third A.
ealibre Smith 4 We>son.
FUcH ITEMS.
Corn cutting is past
Fruit thieves abound.
squirrel potpie i the 60.
The boys are taking in the Somerset fair.
Low heels and broad toes are now the go.
Mr.. Jerry Larnan, the boss coal miner, is
having his mine reopened.
Mr. Levi Walker, who owns the boss
thresher, and the barns at which he has
threshed are called legion.
Miss Emma Altfather, who has been very
seriously i'll with choleramorbus for the
past six weeks, is slowly recovering.
Mr. E. L. Yoder, who has been canyassing
through the northern part Of this county
and Cambria county, has again returned TO
his fathers. where he viii remain a short
time. when he will again 90 to his old work
ofteaching