St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-05
Excitement on College Ave-
nue. Attending the Chase
and Capture.
The Dedolph Case Transferred
From the Medical to the
Civil Courts.
County Commissioners Care
for the Lake Gervais Cy-
clone Sufferers.

The police, with the aid OF prompt
and vigorous action on the part OF some
private citizens, have got the best of
one of the most dangerous and daring
gangs of young crooks that ever in
tested st. Paul. The gang has bothered
the authorities for more than three
years, and though they were known to
have committed robbery after robbery.
they never could be caught and suffi-
cient proof brought against them to Sc
riously injure the gang. All its men,
bers, however, have spent more or less
time in the wOrkhouSe, and the ring
leader is now in the county Jail, having
been arrested for a robbery committed
some weeks since. Yesterday three
more of them were caught in transac-
ton which will probably send them to
Saltwater.
They are most of them well-educated
and respectable-appearing young fell
lows, and are the more dangerous on
this account. One of the headquarters
of the gang has for some time been in a
vacant house at 4S College avenue. Last
winter, when the house was occupied,
the ringleader, now in jail, boarded
there. Another member of the gang,
WIN Wdo CoPbulO0 JOobSLooJf oOetA w.
next door in the house kept by 0. b.
Robertson. Since No. 49 has been I'M
occupied the gang has made it regular
rendezvous. In the attic the two hou es
are separated merely by a board
partition, which does not reach
within six feet of the roof, leaving
ample access to an agile climber from
one house to the other. Last Wednes-
day afternoon, at about O'Clock, Mr..
Fisher, who boards in No. 46. met a
well-dressed stranger in the hallway.
The stranger asked Mr.. Fisher which
was the room of Max Stenger, one of
the boarders. He was told and each
one of them went on without further
notice. Shortly afterward two suits of
clothes, pair of gold sleeve-buttonS
and a gold watch and chain were
missed, and the stranger, who had been
recognized as a former boarder, was
suspected Of having something to do
with the theft.
Yesterday afternoon Miss Robertson,
daughter of the man who owns No. 46,
heard noise in the attic and reported
it to her father. He Investigated and
found the door leading to the stairs
locked. He had key to tue house
next door and he entered it and went
upobdltSs HI Ii6 dttlC IO lOuHu tulCO
of the gang sitting on the stairs talking.
He exchanged few words with them
and walked down stairs again.
They Followed Him.
He slammed the outer door and called
to some men across the street that he
had some burglars in the house and
needed help. They all declined to give
it, which occasioned some delay. In the
meantime two of the crooks were
seen by the people in the house to Jump
from back window in the second story
and run away. Presently some men
came to Mr.. Robertson's aid and a
thorough search of the house was made.
In coal chute in the cellar the third
crook was found. He had 38-calIber
revolver pointed toward the opening,
and he threatened to shoot any one
who laid hands on him. Mr.. Robertson,
who is an old soldier,
Yanked Him Out
in short order. The crook. fired
three shots at him, all of
which missed him narrowly.
The patrol wagon had been sent for and
the crook was taken to the lookup. He
gave the name of Frank Donaldson.
This, however, is said to be a false
name. The police have the other men
under their thumbs and they will be in
custody soon. Donaldson will appear
for examination in the municipal court
to-day. He is about nineteen OF TWEEN
ty years old, spare and sinewy, and
very well dressed. He is evidently an
old offender and conducts his talk with
the police with much shrewdness and
circumspection. 1t is SAID that he has
respectable and weli-to-do relatives in
the city.