Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-07-10
NIPPED A BURGLAR.
A WELL KNOWN YOUNG OHIOAN CAPTURED IN
THE ACT
OF Burglarizing Store at SisterS7ills-A Bold
Gang Of Thieves Broken Up-State Health
Board Condemns Wheelings Water
Supply-Sta!e News.
SPECIAL telegram to the REGISTER.

SPECIAL Telegram 10 tie Reltster
SIsTERsvILLE, w. VA. July "a
daring attempt was made at o'clock
this morning to blow open the safe of
\. Il 5. Thistle. The burglars effected
an entrance to the store by putting up
long ladder to the attic window. Mr..
and Mrs. John Dare, whose residence is
very near the store, gave the alarm,
Mrs. Dare, who first heard the noise,
aroused her husband and awakened
Charlie Thistle. 1t is supposed there
were four in number, but all made their
escape except one, Albert L. Stewart,
and he was only captured through the
bravery of Charley Thistle. Stewart
made an attempt TO escape through a
back door, and Charley discovered him
and began firing his revolver, and after
firing some four or five shots he brought
Stewart to halt square from the
store. Stewart, however, did not pay
any attention to the firing, and would
have made good his escape had Charley
not out run him and took
him by the collar of his coat
and tripped him to the ground, where
he held him as II In wise until assist
ance arrived Charley undoubtedly run
a risk of losing his life to follow Stew
art as he did through dark alley, and
after discharging all the loads in his re-
volver to collar him, as Stewart is
much larger and stronger man. Char
lev is receiving numerous cOngratula-
tions for his untinching bravery. Al
bert =, Stewards name is very familiar
to many readers of the REGISTER, as
this is not the first trouble Of the kind
he has figured in; that is he has served
one term in the Pen" for stealing He
is a son of William Stewart, Il prosper
Gus farmer, who resides two miles above
this place on the Ohio side
of the river and who has the sympathy
or the entire ncighborhoOd, in behalf OF
his erring son. The people here feel
greatly relieved at the capture OF Stew
art, as they now firmly believe he was
implicated In numerous attempts, in the
past year, to burglarize both private
residences and stores here. The burg
lars put in one blast but did not sue
ceed in forcing the safe open, but may
have done considerable damage to pri-
vate papers contained in the safe. At
| tnlS WTIllHB MI. lulSlic Has HoU btcH
able to get the safe open on account Of
the powder damaging the lock. Had
the safe not been a very large and
strongly constructed one, the thieves
would have blown it Sky-high the first
attempt, rs the powder scorched the
floor at the bottom of the safe, which is
good evidence of an immense amount Of
powder put in the keyhole. The bur
glars left dark-lantern, half pint OF
rock powder, three feet Of fuse, a lot
Of gun powder, which the thieves took
from Il powdcrhorn hanging near the
safe and belonged TO Mr.. A. Thistle: a
pair of scissors, several chiselS and a
lamp near the safe and some bits and a
brace. The bits, brace and chiselS were
taken from tool chest In the store.
The town was In wild confusion all
the after part of the night, the citizens
having turned out en- mdSSC searching
for the rest Of the gang. 1t was learned
this morning they had made their es-
capo to Ohio. Mr.. \. Thistle, the sur
viving member of the firm, says there
was no money in the safe, hence the
thieves would have received nothing.
| Stewart was handcuffed and taken to
Parkersburg on the late train this even
! inn