The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-29
A GIRLS BRAVE ACT,
She Succeeds In breaking Up Gang OF No.
\ 10 Ha I0Floua Robbers, .4-.


80 I0Floua Robbers, aa
LEHRayILLB, Pa, Dec, 2s,-The greatert
excitement prevails here over numerous
outrages committed by q gang Of tramps
who have infested this psighborhood dur:
ing the past few months. The mlsCrsants
entered the residence Of Jaspar Smith and
secured q large amount Of cash, ieWelry
and clothing. Every room in the house
with but one exception had been pIllaged.
The occupant Of this room was q sixteen,
year.old daughter, who was awake and
heard the tramps going through the house,
but wss so overcome with fear that she
was unable 10 move or give an alarm.
The girl coon recovered her courage and
suddenly remembered that an old revol.
yer belonging to her father was In the
bureau drawer, This she quickly secured
and then awaited the trampa' entrance 10
her room, The door was quietly opened,
when the brave girl lred two shots at the
burglars. General confusion followed, and
the girls parents hurTiedly rushed TO the
dauRhter'a room 10 find her lying across
the bed unconscious, The tramps had
escaped, but an examination disclosed that
the shots were not without effect, The
girl room recovered, and then related thp
tha story OF her exploit with the buTglart
Blood stains marked the bedroom floor
aud the stair RtHlls. "A bottle oil Chloro-
tolm was alsgf m ahA hall way, which
saay ,,S syiSeRPt s,nPI r. making their
GsvIrsi Il ~ tg aa.A, H. q ham, m nm ooad
couple, living some dlstapee from here,
was entered, and, alter forcing the old lady
10 prepare something to eat, he trRmps
demanded money or their lives. The old
couple begged the Tuttians TO spare their
lives, giving them five dollars, all the
money there was In the house, Similar
stories coming from all parts Of the valley
an indignation meeting oil citizens NAa
held here and protective association was
formed, Information was received yester.
day that the tramps' rendezvous was sev-
erA miles outside OF tho town, and the
memhsra OF the Protective Association re.
solved TO raid the place. Ontho way they
encountered suspicious character whom
they took In charge, Preparations were
making TO lynch him, when the tramp,
which he evidently was, begged to be
heard.
ONCE a WALL STREET BROKER,
Phs stranger said his name was Berger,
aud that his homo was in New York State.
"At one time he was prominent specu-
lator on Wall street. lost and won, but
ill.luck overlook me- Dissipation follow
cd. Absolutely penniless, sought Conso-
latiou In the Far West, but miSfortune
continued. l came East again with no
better luck. ! contemplated suicide, but
rather than have q hand in my own death
decided to live out my miserable exist
enco until It terminated In the grave. At
Elmira joined gang of trampS who
were working their way through to Penn
eylyania. We arrived here two months
ago, D and, trembling with fear, he &C.
knowled that they met with unusual sue.
cess. Continuing, he said: II took no &C.
tive part In their crimes, but was
deputzed by the leader Of the gang
to- keep q record ,ot what was done each
day. For the performance Of this
duty l got plenty TO eat and any
quantity OF stolen clothes to wear. The
extent Of the robberies In this neighbor.
hood would foot up many thousand dol
lars cash, to say nothing OF the iewelry,
clothing, ETC., stolen. Our rendezvous 10
located three miles from here, but the
place Is now deserted. Every member OF
the gang has disappeared. Their sudden
exit was brought about through the fatal
shooting Of one of the gang while bur-
glsrizlpg a dwelling In the neighborhood,
and, lest the occurrence might lead to
their detection and arrest, they left. The
gang was principally composed Of pro-
fesalonals. l deserted and am now en-
route Tor New York"
"A visit to the rendezvous corroborated
the story, which was iptelligently re-
lated, Berger was o man Of education but
was total wreck from dissipation. He
was therefore permitted 10 60 his way. A
feeling Of relet now prevails at Lehtsvllle
and other tramp.ridden towns. The or
ganization, however, remains intact for
future emergencies.