The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-09
A TRIO OF DESPERADOES.
The Police Make a Lucky Raid and
Capture Some Good Game.
The Notorious Frank Whiting and Negro
Companion Identified as Highwaymen
Stolen Property Recovered.


when clerk Of Amman & Thomson, music and
jewelry store, No. 231 Massachusetts, avenue,
hurriedly came into the station and reported
burglary at their place He left list of goods
stolen, which amounted to about $780, Two
evenings later Ed Gardner, young man living
at No. 257 Davidson street, pale and excited from
a long run, dashed into the station and, as well
as rapid breathing would allow, said to Tim
Clarke, master Of ceremonies:
where's policeman want an officer"
'sYou want him bad" inquired Tim.
Eyes do. have been held up by footpads
and robbed of seventy cents. have been look
ing for an officer and can't find one. This is
nice police force to allow a man to be waylaid
and robbed of seventy cents"
''Who robbed you?"
IA small white man and tall negro small
negro and tall white man, don't know which
One of them was small, the other TALL anyway.
l want an officer right away up on Alabama
street. near Ohio"
''All right young man, / will tell the first Off
Ger see."
OFF hurried Gardner, muttering about officers
not being around just at the time citizens are
stopped on the highway and robbed. Two even
nings later his report was followed by another
effort of footpads to grow rich on the effects of
young man whom they stopped at the corner
of Pennsylvania and Vermont streets In the
meantime Mauer's store on Indiana avenue.
was entered by burglars and about $500 in goods
taken. This was followed by other acts of the
kind, the latest being the burglaries at Trimpe's
shoe store, on Indiana avenue, Sunday morning,
and at DR.. Daniel H. Prunk's residence, No. 368
West New York street, yesterday morning But
from the highway robbery at Vermont and
Pennsylvania streets until Monday morning
other incidents OF footpad work came in to en-
liven the interest Of the police.
All this while Captain Colbert had an idea
which he, Sergeants Quigley and Lowe and
Superintendent Lang fostered with large conf
dence in the ultimate success OF any plan ad-
justed to it to capture the robbers. There was
enough in the descriptions of the criminals as
far as any description could be had, to confirm
the officers belief that the same men were COM
hitting all the burglares and doing all the high
way robbery The officers said Frank Whiting
was the man they wanted. These officers went
out nightly, surrounded by an air of mysterious
purpose They returned every morning with
their mystery, but wanting that enthusiasm
with which their nightly service began. After
each of these trips the officers would take each
other aside for confidential communication.
Invariably after these conversations they
would feel better and swear that the thieves
burglars or footpads would be in Jail within a
week About ten days ago the two, working on
the Whiting theory, had that distinguished citi-
zen's quarters located in stable near the base
ball grounds. Early that evening each officer
discarded his uniform coat and put on that of
any citizens who would lend them one. The
rain came down in steady beat, and darkness
put even electric lights to shame. They were
gone five hours and returned without prisoner
Day before yesterday, however, the police
again located Whiting at the northwest corner of
Pine and Washington streets. At that place IS
little cottage of three rooms front, kitchen and
a small room adjoining the first on the west 1t
is occupied by a negro, Charles Rice, and here,
yesterday mornins. about Z o'clock, Superin-
tendent Lang. Captain Colbert and Sergeant
Lowe went with Patrolmen Hoefgen, Adams
Shaugnessy, Ward McMullen. Wheatley and
Thrush. The house was surrounded by the
patrolmen, when Colbert knocked at the front
door, For a minute or two no answer to the
summons came, and they were about to break
in when they heard some one inside taking down
heavy bar that secured the door. Colbert
went into the front room with his revolver ready
for use, Lang followed him and Lowe brought
up the rear. In this room were Charles Daniels
and Charles Rice, with two colored women
Passing to the door leading into the
kitchen Colbert was on the threshold when he
saw Whiting braced against the wall to his left
not four feet away with 48-calibre revolver,
frontier pattern, in each hand. Colbert, al
though he had his revolver ready in hand at his
side, could not raise it in time to fire before
Whiting had steady aim. The Captain threw
himself back in the doorway just as the criminal
at bay fired, the ball passing close to Colbert's
head and lodging in the door frame. Superin-
dart holt l.. 6nIxy Nav
the door in the kitchen and fired at Whiting,
who replied with another shot at Lang. Ser
geant Lowe, on the other side of Lang, drew
bead upon their man and also fred, and to this
Whiting sent shot in the direction of the Ser
geant He ran into the small room on the
that led into it from the front room.
Superintendent Lang then turned upon Daniels
with, $50 in there, and tell Whiting to throw
down his guns and come out. or I'll kill you"
The frightened Daniels started for the ROOM but
just at this instant Colbert quickly put his arms
into the room and collared Whiting. who was
lurking by the side of the door, with his revolv-
ers ready for the first officer that entered. The
prisoner succumbed without a struggle when he
felt the Captains grip upon his neck All his
bravado was gone in an instant Within two or
three minutes Whiting and his coored compan-
ions, Daniels and Rice, were on the way to the
station house. From there they were taken to
the mayors court, and to the charge of
burglary waived examination. A half hour
afterwards Whiting was sent for by Judge Nor
ton, of the Criminal Court. who brought him to
account for failing to keep word with the Judge
in regard to a charge of surety of peace that had
been preferred against him. Said the Judge: II
let you go On your own recognizance provided you
would leave the city,"
II did leave the city"
Eyes, but you did not stay away. / will place
you under 81, 600 bonds to keep the peace for five
years"
Whiting accepted the situation without
word, and on the way back to the Jail said that
when Judge Norton sent him from
the city he did 60 to Chicago and
stayed there three weeks and then went to Gin
cinnati where he remained day or two. From
that city he came back home
After his arrest yesterday morning he said to
Captain Colbert, II suppose you want me for
that surety of the peace AFFAIR."
Eyes, and for something more. Burglary and
other things will be charged against you"
tsXou will have tn nroye