The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-12-09
A Former Sedal'al Giving
the St. Louis P0lics
Trouble.
Breaking Up of a Bad Gang
Of Burglars and Safe
Blowers.
Arrest of st. Louis Detectives
for Tamperjug With
the ais.

The ST. Louis Lolice are "ail brokon IA"
over the recent exploits of one Cusrles
Colem ,n, aiias Clark, the leader OF one of
the most dangerous and daring bands of
size blowers ever o gaoizpd Ia his cOahtIy.
! Coleman, In 1880, sided In this
! city. and worked Tor go he time In the
Missouri Pac. DC spo"s IS a machinist.
Shortly after leaving this city he turned
up In Hannibal and was married TO q
young lady of that city. A rev days after
his marriage he was arrest by Chief Fur
long of The Missouri Pd1i6c detec' i've
forc- ior buTglarizing cars belonging TO
the <. & L. road. To this charge he en-
tered plea Oh gu'ltv anu YVES nt of with
a two-yea- tel On While en- route TO The
peni entlafy, % charge of the deputy
sheriff OF Randolph county, he was placed
IN the cool r here 10 await the arrival of a
train. Shortly AFTER his iucar eeraiiOu, he
1gether with five o,her prisoners who
were also on he road to the pen made a 3
escape. He was ca1tured fAw DAYS
later whie IN tue act OF COM
mittiug a burglary in little town near
Fort Scott. Kss. He was I.turnc 3 10 this
city and taken ID the pen, where be was
released under the three -fouribs rule.
On be ng released from prison lie re-
turned 10 This cily where he rename q
few days After leaving here all track IF
HIN was Iost until it was learned by Chief
Furlong that he had committed several
burglsrIes In ST. Louis. The detective
placed the matt ,r in tn hands OF The ST.
Louis police and conveyed them 10 the
residence occupied bs Colemsn's lie.
Three Of The Offices stayed there several
days, keening Mrs. Coieman a prisoner In
her own mouse, hoping hat her husband
would turn up. his be did not
do, bat several lie ters from him
we're inte copied and read. They we're ds-
ted at SDr ngfeld, Mo, aud stated hat he.
assisted by the gang, had cracked sev-rs
safes in That locIiily, bui in peaily every
Instance haC made waler-h ;ul.
The officers re cas- MIS-. Coleman from
custody and proceeded % Springfield where
they expected u capture Coleman. On
their arrival at hat point, however, their
bird had flown, and after mskiEZ a trip
around hrousG the southern part OF the
state. lhev rel urned d St Louis.
They had No sooner arrived at tneir home
than At as learned hat Coleman had re
turned to Springfield, where he was are =
ted and fued for carrying concealed weap
ons. The officers returned 10 Springfield
and Coleman was turned over to them aud
taken back to st. Louis.
In the meantime Mrs. Coleman has OBJ
tanned warrants for the arrest of the officers
who were working up the case charging
them with opening sealed letters addressed
to her. They were arrested and released
on their own recosnizance 10 await an ex-
animation. which they claim viii, resu
iu their discharge.
Coleman is iue appearing man, about
80 years of age, with dark blue eyes and
gene ally dresses we'll. 1t is said that e
was raised in Chicago and that he has
served a term in the Chester, ILL.,, peniten-
tiarv. He is credited with heIn> che
sfckest gopher" on the road.