The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1891-09-25
NUMBER 8.
HID In THE HILLS.
ALBERTSON AND CHANDLER THE
BANK ROBBERS CAPTURED.

| DAMN hObbERS CAPTURED.
After Desperate Fight In Oregon Noun
| tains-A Brattleboro Boy who Recomss
| fatn0us All over the Pacific SlOue as n
| Gambler-And Writes Particulars OF Ills
| Crimes to a 81 Louis Mistress-A Thrilling
| Detective Tale.
Fred n. Chandler. a former Brattleboro
boy,was captured last week In the mountains
near Gardner. Ore, after a desperate tight
together with Edward Albertson the default
| Ing cashier OF the Fidelity bank of Tacoma,
wash. The particulars come through the
| Thiele Detective Agency of st. Louis which
had charge OF the chase and the st. Louis
Post Despatch which gives full account of
It. Embracing, as the story does. a detective
investigation that extended from Tacoma,
wash, through Oregon. California. Vermont.
Virginia, North Carolina and Connecticut,
and with strong clue found at East st.
Louts,i is full Of dramatic interest. Albertson
whose confederates were Chandler. who the
| Post Despatch says, Is IA gambler well known
throughout the entire length and breadth
OF Pacific SLOPE and "Jack" Calhoun and one
Perkins who were arrested several davs ago.
Albertson took from the bank vaults S900,OUO
In securities and $4,000 In cash. Through
| Chandler he had lost at cards about 80 600 Of
| the funds OF the bank. The loss was folio wed
by bold criminal stroke. Albertson
took $1l ZOO additional 10 cash from the
bank vaults and 100000 In securities, which
he intended to use as lever in secur.
| Ing release from prosecution for bis cash
| shortage. The million dollar steal was &c.
complished on SATURDAY. and Albertson,
changing the combination of the bauk vault
so that the institution could not resume busi-
ness on the following Molday, disappeared.
Soon after absconding, Albertson, through
Chandler, made proposition to the bank 70
return the 100000 In securities If the bank
would release him from prosecution for the
$4,000 theft. The bank agreed to this.
First Vice-President Wallace met Chandler
by agreement, and the securities, which had
been buried In the woods near Tacoma, were
returned upon Wallace signing formal Da-
per OF release for the $20, 900, the paper hav-
ing been drawn up by r B Albertson Hav.
Ing regained the securities, however, the bank
officials promptly turned the matter over to
the Thiele Detective Service which at once
began the chase.
The st. Louis Office was kept advised Of
every development owing to the fact that
former mistress of Chandler, the gambler. is
now living In East St. Louis. and 1t was ex-
pected that the capture might be effected
through developments at that end.
The detectives wired In all directions where
there was any knowledge of the parties ever
having been known. Albertson had once
lived at Council Bluffs. Iowa, and detective
was placed on the lookout there. He was
originally from North Carolina, and several
points In that state we're watched. Chand-
er sent registered letter to brother living
In Brattleboro, and detective followed the
letter, saw the man who received 1t, and
learned Its contents. The St. Louis Office
watched the woman In East St. Louis un-
ceasingly. Mrs. Albertsop, the jefaultinE
cashiers wife, received In Tacoma letter
from her hushaud In hiding, postmarked at
Spokane Falls and Portland, Oregon,
Aug. 80. aud the St. Louis Office now
has a full copy of that letter. Chandler had
also disappeared preceding the opening Of
the detective work on the case, and both
ne and AlbertsOn were traced to Seattle.
They went across the hay, and for five or six
miles along the bay shore, making for Seattle
In canoe. Every point along the coast
where escape by water could have been made
was also watched. AT last a definite cIew
was obtained through mistaken report of
deputy sheriff which for time threatened to
throw the detectives off the trail. Deputy
Sheriff ". W. Cochran Of Eugene City, Ore,
wired that Albertson and Chandler had
sailed In schooner from Gardner. Coos Bay,
Ore, for South America ard had been iden-
titled by means of a handkerchief bearing Al.
bertson's name, which was found In valise
left behind. Detective Lambkp was at once
hurried to Gardner, and his first discovery was
tDat Alberlson and Chandler had not sailed,
but we're hiding In the mountains near the
little port. II was known they intended to
make desperate resistance. as they had pur-
cb ased two shot guns at Florence and had
gone into their hiding place heavily armed
with plenty of ammunition. But posse
was organized. and. armed to the teeth, pro-
ceeded to their lair. The resistance was q
peculiarly desperate one, as AIbertson was
known to be determined to evade arrest even
il he had to shoot his way through the off,
GERS sent after him, and Chandler was equally
game" The country in which they were
in hiding is described as very wild and
mountainous. and 1t Is probable that the two
men at bay had every advantage in the fight
against the attacking posse. They fought as
long as there was ghost of chance. Al.
bertson was shot and seriously wounded.
Considerable of the money was found ia their
possession.
Shortly after Albertson's absconuing. the
woman at ST. Louis received letter from
Chandler telling her about 1t, and stating that
they were going to Alaska. where be would
write to ber In two or three weeks. Had the
two men been enabled TO escape to Alaska it
is more than probable that they would have
been apprehended there by means of letters
received by the woman now In East ST. Louis.
They were taken back to Tacoma for trial.
Chandler is well remembered by our pec-
pie, being the son of George Chandler. 4
most estimable citizen, who had a house In
Esteyville and died some dozen years ago.
The mother and one brother live here vet, and
the detective when here and Capt. Childs hads
long interview with the brother, who showed
hem a number of letters he had received
from Fred. In this way tbev got track Of
another girl of his 10 Boston. and the detective
went there. There Is still another brother In
Illinois. When Fred left here be went to
Boston and into restaurant with his uncle.
But be rapidly grew ''tough," and spoiled an
EXCELLENT chance. He was as a bov regsrded
Is unusually bright and promising.
Smoke the .'CBron,cle'' cigar. 5.wtf