Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-12-06
ANOTHER OF THE B. & O. R0BBER
GANG CAPTURED.

Policeman Robert F. Short and
Detective Hutchinson, of the Balti-
more and Ohio r. r. service, Satur-
day night succeeded in capturing the
fourth of desperate gang of young
robbers which has been infesting the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. So far
as known, there were five in the gang,
and four are now in custody. They
are all young men, and are from Bal.
timore. They have been doing a
regular highway business on the most
approved Western style.
On October 18th they held up Will
liam H. Williams, of Harper's Ferry.
near Ellicott City, and took all of his
money, his watch aud chain, and even
all his clothes, except one shirt and a
| pair of trousers. Williams finally
reached Mount Glare. and from there
found his way to the Southwestern
Police Station. Before this they
caught George II. Marshall, of Ha-
gerstown, and, after going through
him, kicked him off train while it
was passing LansdoWne. Marshall
spent several weeks at the Maryland
University Hospital, recovering from
injuries received by being thrown
from the train
Friday night, November q. the
band robbed car at Frederick juno
ton of enough goods to start store.
and on the following night they rob
bed the store OF William Meg ers, of
Vanclevesville, V. Va, of $3.50 worth
of goods. Officer Short was put on
the case to assist the Baltimore and
Ohio detective force in running down
the gang. He Unexpectedly came up
with them on last Monday morning
on the railroad, near the Washington
road. They passed in coal hopper
train, and when some little distance
off they left the train, and began to
fire at him.
The headquarters of the gang was
located on little island in the mid
die of the Monocacy river. The Of
ficers approached the body of men
and ordered them to surrender, which
order three of them Michael Worth,
Michael Cunningham and Harry Du-
vall-obeyed. But the other two
plunuad into tho r;xyar ood atruclr ont
for the other shore. The three men
caught were unarned, but wore stolen
clothing and had quantity of stolen
on them. The two fleeing men each
had 3S caliber Smith & Wesson revolt
vers and plenty of ammunition. The
detectives could not get across the
river, and so deputized Charles f. T.
Best, who mounted a horse and fol-
lowed the escaping men. He was
armed with a 32-caliber pistol, and
had only few bullets. AS he ascend
ed the hill on the other side of the
river the tnen saw him, and, turning
quickly, opened fire upon him.
"Ye needn't think we're firin'for
fun" said one of the men; =" we mean
to kill ye if we can"
Mr.. Best returned their fire, and for
time there was lively scene. Sew
eral of the robbers bullets passed
painfully near MIR. Best's head, but
none of them struck him. Nor did
he succeed in wounding either of the
men. About twenty-five shorts were
exchanged, when the men finally
dashed away into the woods and dis
appeared. The three men who were
captured, were taken to Frederick.
and by Magistrate Turner committed
to Jail to await hearing next week.
Frederick Junction and the surround
ing neighborhood has become q favor.
lite resort for such men as these, and
the people Whereabouts live, in con-
slant fear of molestation. There are
several secret camps along the Monoc-
acy, near the railroad, where the
thieves hid their body after raid,
and frequently hid themselves for
weeks at time to escape arrest.
Last night Officer Short and Detec-
tive Hutchinson. while going up the
road on Metropolitan branch train,
saw fire in the woods near Washing.
ton Grove. They left the train at
Gaithersburg, and going back, caught
Harry HOLMAN, alias Flick. His
companion, Archer Zepp, alias Wood
berry, the leader of the gang, escaped
to the woods. He tried to hold uI
the officers, and as they would moi
have it that way, he ran, and several
shots were fred after him.
Mailman or Flick was brought tC
Baltimore and locked up in the South
ern Police Station House. He i;
eighteen years old, and was formerly
an inmate of the House of Refuge
He talked with little concern abou,
the deeds Oh the gang, and showed
that more hardened young raSca
could not be found. He said he had
on three suits funderclothing, which
he had taken in the Vancievesville
robbery. The others were older thar
he. All were well armed, and he said
two pistols were held at Williams
head when they robbed him.
HOLMAN told of several aditlona
cases, and seemed TO take great de
light in having held up the champion
roller-skater oftheworld. The champ
ion had been playing in hard luck
and, with an old man from Philadel
phia, was beating his way in from st
Louis. The gang ran across then
near Shutdown, and relieved them o
everything they had even an old sill
yer watch.
The champion roller skater tolt
them his manager had robbed him