The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-28
CORRALING A BURGLAR.
lie Gets In a Bedroom, Gathers Some
Swag, and His Escape is Cut off.


Swag, and His Escape is Cut off.
There was some lively excitement at
Mrs. Buncher's residence on Seventh
avenue and Twentieth street at 1890 this
morning. P. r. Wilhelm. route agent of
the American Express company, with his
invalid wife and her nurse. Miss Lizzie
Huber, board there. At about the time
stated Miss Huber went up stairs and as
she passed the open door of Mr. Wilhelm's
room she saw man in there whom she
first thought TO be Mr.. Wilhelm. Then
getting better view of him she saw that
il was stranger. and she, womanlike,
shrieked for help. Mrs. Buncher went mp
stairs and asked what was the matter, and
then to satisfy herself looked into the
room. He had gone into the wardrobe,
and she saw his feet protruding around
the corner She al once went down stairs,
called in some passers by and woIkmen
to guard both the front and and back
stairs, and then went to DR.. Plummer's
residence near by and telephoned to Mr.
Wilhelm at the express office and the
armory. Mr.. Wilhelm grabbed revolver
and jumped in hack which was at the
corner and was driven rapidly to the
house. When he arrived there he went
up the back stairs with Mr.. Smith, one of
the drivers of the express wagons, who
had followed from the office, and with
his revolver in his hand, hunted for the
burglar. He found him at last behind the
head of the bed which had been pushed
out from the wall sufficiently TO
admit of his body. He was huidled in
as small space as was posi-
bic, and came out smilingly when COM
manded to, with the revolver pointed at
him.
Meanwhile Constable Eckhart had been
met and taken to the house. He took
charge of the prisoner AMI took him to
Jail. A search of the prisoner revealed
only few photographs, bunch of keys,
and some pieces of paper of no value.
Marshal Miller and Officer McCabe were
at Mrs. Gallagher'S when the telephone
message reached the police station. When
they returned and heard of it they jumped
into the police rig and rushed up to Mrs.
Bunchers, but the burglar had started on
his way to jail, and they went down there,
arriving as soon as the prisoner did
As the two were going back to the sta
ton, son of Mrs. Buncher met them
and said that a quantity of jewelry had
been stolen. Marshal Miller Immediately
turned back to question the burglar, who
gave his name as Frank w. Fleming, and
Officer McCabe and the reporter of the
ARGUS jumped into the police rig and
went to Mrs. Buncher's residence. The
officer knowing that the jewelry could
not have been taken out of the house
without the assistance Of pal, at once
began search for the missing "swag," as
no other suspicious person had been seen
around. He looked in the wardrobe
where the burglar had been seen and
soon found three rings, two bracelets, two
necklaces with pendants, and breast pin,
tied up in silk handkerchief, and an,
other ring and gold watch in different
corners This comprised all of the miss
ing articles, which belonged to Mrs.
Buncher and her daughter.
The burglar had entered the front
door which was left Unattached, gone up
stairs, looked through Mr.. Wilhelm ;
room, and then gone into Mrs. Buncher's
room. There he found the jewelry in two
different boxes, under the tray in trunk
When he was discovered he was evident>
" afraid to make a break for liberty
which he might have obtained with case.
Afterward it would have been more diff
cult for the yard was surrounded. with boys
with stones in their hands, and at the
foot of each of the stairs were two Of
three men. He is young man, not more
than % years of age, about 5 feet II in
ches tall, awkward and country looking.
He slept at the public station night beN
fore last, and had partner with him
then, and this morning when he was seen
by the police. The partner has not been
caught.
Fleming plead guilty before Squire
Chopper at quarter past 4 o'clock this af :
terncon, and was bound over under 5000
bonds