The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-11-16
THE true STORY
OF a Famous and Successful Gang Of
Daring Thieves
Who for Months Preyed Richly on
Wheeling Merchants
And Robbed Private Houses with Per-
feet ImpuuIty
ONE OF TIE GANG CONFEsSEs
And the Story Is for The First Time
Made Public
Through the Efforts Of IN Intelligent
Ger Reporter.
Wheeling Parties "InplIcated III thu
Series Of Grimes.
IA Portion OF the Stolen Goods EasiI!
LgCattd.
A Portion OF the Stolen Goods EASILY
Located.

In the early months Of the year 1881
business men and residents Of Wheeling
were the victims OF q series Of bold and
successful robbsries and burglaricg, tho
gross amount OF goods and valuab!ea
stolen reaching far up in the thousands.
fell upon certain parties, hut
no evidence Of their guilt could be obtain
ed. Drygoods stores and private dwell
ings we're visited in close succession, and
a cousiderabIOamount Of plumber obtained
at every place the burglars called. These
operations following 30 closely upon the
heels OF tho masked robberiea at Elijah
Marling's and old man WorkenRuer'B
almost created q reign OF terror, APP
parently the thieves INDUCED In any sort
OF operations with perfect immunity, and
the officers seemed powerleEg to detect
the Offenders or prevent the recurrence
OF the crimes,
The significant fact that the burglarles
ceased when certain suspected parties
left The city was all the confirmation TINT
was ever obtained OF the guspiciOna oil
their guilt, until a month or 30 after their
departure, when a gang was arrested for
burglary at Cleveland, and discovered TO
be the parties who had recently left here.
Even then tho evidence OF their connec'
ton with tho Wheeling robberies was
purely CiTCumstantial, and would not have
been sufficient to indict them.
THE TRUTH AT LAST.
This morning the IETELMGEScER is able
10 lay before lis readers for The first time
the authentic and connected narrative Of
the crimes, a description OF tho gang
which committed them, and the disposi'
lion made by tho thieves Of the plumber
obtained. The parties connie! ed with
ths operations are among the most expert
aud dangerous professional "CroOkD" in
the country, and have operated with com.
parstiyo raicty in almost every city east
Of tho MihkissiPpi, uptil brought up with a
round tufn at Cleveland. The true story
Of their career, and especially tho inter.
csling expose Of their operations In this
city, which follows, was only obtained
through q falling out between members Of
the gang; and as usual there 10 o woman
at the bottom OF the trouble.
The facts given below do not rect en-
tirely upon the statements OF one man,
although the original information was evi
IDENTIFY straight and reliable. Care has
been taken to CorroboTRte bis story In
every detail possible, and the result hal
been to establish bis Credibiliiy beyond a
question. The story Eeads like a romance
and would furnish material tpT a very sen
saiional play, though the indications are
that the curtain has not yet risen on the
last act.
MURDER WILL OUT.
"When ,ogues fall out, the devil getl
his DUE" is an old ssyirg iorcibIy illus
trated by tho history Of this CRse. Over
month ago Mr.. Z. ]. Stone, Of the firm o
Stone & Thomas, whose store was one Of
those robbed at the tine alluded TO, re
ceived letter from one OF THO officials o
the Ohio Penitentiary at Columbus, cay
ing that convict confined In that prison
wGs possessed OF knowledge rs to the
whereabouts OF tho goods stolen at that
time, and thought he could give iniorma
ton by which tho stolen goods could be
recovered. Mr.. Slone went out and found
the convict to be the man known here
when the party was here as Harry Lowell
Lowell said the silks and other yaluablel
stolen from Mr.. Stone and his partner
could yet be recovered, but he wanted 9
large reward for the information he might
furnish.
10 this proposition Mr.. Stone objected,
on the ground that the goods might have
been 90 kept as to be entirely valuelesH by
this time. Finally Lowell suggested on
arrangement like this: That he would
cause the stolen goods to be recovered and
returned to their oVnere, on condition
that the Grm would pay 70 bin the one.
fourth OF their present cash value, 10 bs
sscertAined by an appraisement by three
competent and disintercsted parties.
This proposition Mr.. Stone promised 10
consider. He was given letter ready to
be mailed 10 q man nGnlGd MoDavitt. In
Washington City, represented 70 be a de.
tictiye, which, when mailed, was 10 lesd
to the restoration Of the goo3s on the con.
dit!ous agreed upon. This letter Mr..
Stone hill has in his possession.
FORMER ELUSIVE CLUES.
The reason he hrs not mailed 1t Is two.
fold: in the first place DO did not regard
the transaction as a very Equare one, 10
say the llcaOt, and secondly, he did not
have much confidence In Loyells ability
to re store the property, having twice be.
fore been miSleRd by information to all
appearances Just as Trustworthy as this.
Shortly after tho men were arrested at
Cleveland and cent 10 tho pcnitentisry at
Columbus, Frank Stanley, o Unknown
crook from this city, who was also In the
same prison, wrote to friend here re.
questiIg him 10 have Captain Tom Ben.
nett, who was at that time Chief Of Police,
come to Columbus. Captain Bennett
went, and Stanley told HIN no had pro.
cured from Lowell information OF the bid.
Ing place Of the silks stolen hero from
Stone 4 Thomas and l., 8. Good 4 %, Ho
offered 10 divulge II the Captain would
draw up an agreement guaranteeing
Stanley half Of any reward t6Gt might be
paid for the recovery Of tho goods. This
Captain Bennett did, and the written
agreement was given In charge OF tho
Waiden Of Tho penitentiary.
STANLEY told what he kuew aud the di.
ectiohs Wero followed ont, No goods
we're recovered.
Several months lSteF Detective Murphy,
1 Columbus, and one Of tho guards al The
)hio penltsntlAry, Camo hels and were
net al the b. 20. depot by Capt. Bennett
nd Mr.. Il. ]. Stone. They had In their
osseBBlon q carefully prepared and maths.
latlCally correct diagram Of tho same
temlse6 which Capt. Bennett had pre-.
iously searched. A second and more
lsiul exploration had no better result
lan Tie Ont.
TIM MARgED HIDING PLACE,
shAnley'O iniorpPuop and the plan
Foughtby Detective Murphy both point.
| 10 hiding place neat Ihe river bank {
the Second ward, tue open Bp1cs 10.