Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-12-12
CROOKS In TOWN.
rWOOR THREE sUsPICIOts CHARACTERS
RON IN BY THB POLICE.
B. & 0. News Agents Behind the Bars at the
City Hal-Nksing Newspaper Packs
ABOld Bluff at q Cigar Dealer.

For some time past it has been evident
that crooked work, in q variety Of guises,
fqurishing in this neighhorfood.
In the surrounding towns, mp and down
the river, this lawlsssness has taken the
form Of burglariss, while in the city there
has beeu q moving too and fro Of slick
looking strangers, with an occasional
petty theft or a casual 'aim-Gam' opera
ton, showing that while not operating
here very extensively, the gang were
making TIER headquarters here, and, Tor
all that was known or appeared On the
surface, were arranging for q coup in some
direction or other.
One form taken by this crookedness,
through which Wheeling people were the
direct losers, and the inhabitants Of out
wing towns incidentally discommoded was
by the frequent and persistent steal
ing ofpacksges of morning papers, intended
for shipment to news agents on the early
trains going ont of the city. These Losses
were about equally divided between the
REGISTER and H~tdligencer, and were main
" or the B. 90. road, although there have
reeu occasional complaints on the Pan
Handle ard Ohio River lines. Packs that
were known to have reached the depots
would mysteriously disappear, leaving no
trace "a to their whereabouts or the partic-
Mar manner CT their taking ell.
The rolice were informed Of the matter,
and for several days they have been on the
alert 10 capture some Of the crooks who
had evidently swept down upon this VI
einity. 1t was rot long before they re-
caiyed a POINTER, which soon developed
into what promised to be q rich lead. Thus
was worked by Officers West n SnoltS'
under orders from Chief Sml'h,
and about half. past five o'clock last even
inc thew swooped down upon two strang-
ers at the corner Of Market and Sixteenth
stIests. and landed them in the lookup,
TIE victims gave the names OF Dan NC
Donald and T. ]. Corners, the latter beng
Known a. Fatty" They have
been running IS news agents on the
B.. & O., Corners making the
Eastern run to. Grafton, while the otner
went west to Chicago Junction. Ihep0si-
tions they hold are ususlly Tiled oy Doys
of from sixteen to twenty, who receive .
commission of twenty per cent. on all stun
sold on the cars, and to find able bodied
and middle-sRed men wrestling with pen
nv drea6fuls on the trains, looks 8 little
strange. Mcdonald and Couners were LOCK-
ed MP, and will be given q hearing THIS
morning. i'll.
Thsy were seen in their cells last night
about midnight, and their entire converse
ton impressed those present with tue "
lief that they were open to suspicion:
They denied all knowledge OF any on
color manipulation of the newspaper
nacks. but one of them was seen, on one &C.
cssiop at least, to throw a pack into an outot
the way rlaCe at the B. 4 0. depot. !hey
have sIso been seen in questionable Ioca-
tons in this city, and in the company Of
reputed crooks. Mcdonald ssid his folks
lived near Montreal, Canada, but that he
had been in the United States for about
twenty wears. He said he had recently
travelled for Shelby's circus, IN some capa.
city or other, hut would admit nothing OF
a suspicious nature, although he was evil
IDENTITY often Cornered by bis questioner,
and mt ut q loss for a prompt and ht.lng
reply. Corners said he lived at Buffalo,
New York.
About eight o'clock last night a bold
blnff game was enacted at Isreaps cigar
store, on Sixteenth street, by q stranger,
who IL believed to belong to the same gang
Of crooks. This racket was p~aralyzing IN
is bOldness. About the lime named q
big stranger went into Mr.. lsreal's place
and putting his hand in bis pocket, said:
'Tye got something for you; give me two
dollars" Mr.. Isresl produced q two dol