The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-17
BROTHER" BRIDGEMAN
Was q Prominent ohurchman and
is Now in q Coll.
He WAS 4 CLASS LEADER

gagged to be Married TO One Of tho
Prominent Young Ladies' OF the
Congregational Timely Discovery.
CHICAGO, Dec. lG.-."on next Thurs.
day evening" announced pastor'W. f..
Black Mt the Central Church OF Christ,
when the Sunday evening services were
in progress, "0n next Thursday evening
Brother William a. ~Bridscman will
lead tho excrcises..of the Christian En-.
dcavor Society. You all know Brother
Bridgcman and that you will have a
glorious moctingunder his active leader
ship is assured"
Brother Bsidgcman sat in u front seat
tho cynosurc Of NIL eyes. Modest and
unassuming, handsome and energetic,
Brother BridsemOn was the pride OF the
flock, and the heart OF ono littlo lady in
the congregation beat q triilc faster at
tho pastors words Of commentator for
the popular brother, and her eyes drop
ped modcstly, us they had when, but Il
lew short evenings before, he had wills
pCred L few short words to which she
had answered that she would DO his
wife.
But Brother Bridgcman will not lead
heThurgdayerening meeting. His time
will DO otherwise occupied and the
church people vii! have little time 10
spare to listen TO . substitute, or little
interest Tor anything but tho scandal
which Brother Dridgeman has brought
upon them.
"DRoTuER" mlDGEMAS7l a CELL
For Brother Bridgcman is in il cell at
the Hyde Park police station, while the
police axe investigating humorous bur
elarics in the ~neighborlood OF the
church and going back III tho record
which shows that September 10 Bridge
man finished II term Of seven years in
Joliet fora series OF burSlnries OH the
North side. Scarcely ten weeks have
elapsed since Bridgemau changed his
black and white stripes for . civilians
suit, but in that time he has not been
idle. He had been out OF the penitcnti-
airy less than Il month before heattrac.-
cd notice in tho church at T%hirty-scy-
cnth street and Indiana avenue, and
six weeks agohe PROPOSED religion and
commenced to take a leading part in
tho church services.
No voice was SO melodious az his, no
hymns were sung as clearly rs those
which heled and no prayers SO earnest
rs those he said. His face WAS always
clean shaven and decidedly clerical
looking. Ills eyes, behind Il pair OF
costly .old-rimmed glasses, looked like
the windows Ola soul that was certainly.
opposed TO the world, the flesh and the
dcvil. His hair OF raven black was al
ways brushed back from his forehead
i'll 4 very becoming manner. His saint
ly wiles were not in vain by any means.
He was received into tho host families
and welcomed at their homes. The
pastor regarded his new convert rs n
very promising pillar, and looked ior-
ward TO the time in the near future
when Brother Bridgemal should take
upon him the labors OF the ministry.
Especially was Bridgcman Il f~avoritc
with the young ladies liz that flock. No
party or social gathering was complete
without Brother B~ridgelnan. His coun-
Sc! was always sought when any cloud
darkencd their horizon, and the church
members stroyc to outrival each. other
in lionizing him.
HE MADE AN ELOQUENT APPEAL.
"Only 10 think" says one good sister.
'two weeks ago he made an address in
the meeting OF the Endcavor society
on tho Development Of the Christian
Character BridGeman was no novice
ut making 4 speech, and his earnest
and eloquent words on that occasion
sank deep into the hearts of his hearers,
who concluded that living 4 Christian
life would DO comparatively easy when
associated with such exemplary andsin.
cere young men as Brother Bridge
man."
All his little games havo been frus-
trated, however, a sister is minus 4
lover and another leader will have to be
secured for tho Christian Endeavor so.
ciety.
Last Thursday evening tho ladies OF
the church gave Il bazaar. Bridgcman
was there with his neat Prince Albert,
gold-rimmcd glasses and sanctimonious
smile. EARLY in the evening to the sor-
row OF the young ladies Bridgeman dis.
appeared very m~ystcriously. About
1880 o'clock Officer Brundage, OF
Hyde Park, noticed him coming out
from between two houses on Madison
avenue, near Fifty-third street. He
looked Bridgeman sQuarely in the face
and let him pass II About twenty
minutes later he saw him in 4 yard on
Greenwood avenue. He placed him
under arrest.
HAD BURGLARS TOOLS.
While thcy were taking him up to
Lieutenant O'Neill's room in the sta
ton it was noticed that Bridgcman
throw something out of the window.
A search was made and a largo bunch
OF skeleton keys was found out in tho
yard. He was given q hearing by JUS
tice Porter the next morning and his
case continued until yesterday.
Inspector Hunt was satisfied that the
man was u crook, and yesterday morn
ing ic cross-examined him sharply.
In the meantime Officer Andy Rowen,
OF tho Central, had been sent for.
Officer Rowen instantly recognized
Bridgcman as a burglar ho had assisted
in sending to Joliet seven years ago.
Bridgcman then weakened and acknowl-
edged his true colors. 1t WINS learned
later that he had made his headQuar-
tiers at Harry Fox's saloon, on the cor
nor OF Thirty-fith and State streets.
Hi, on;co on ~Forty.thirl stpnet 10 ra-