Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-09-06
WORSE AND WORSE.
TN BIsrELL ROBBXRIlS GROWING IN NUN
BBR AND VALUE OF GOODS.
Sold Silver, Jswslry, Silk Dress Goods Shswls,
Baby Clothes. Lacss, Infant Gaps Miscellaneous
Dry essda and Pretty Much Everything
Else Stolen and Sold.

The police put In another solid day OF
work on the Bistell rascalities, yester-
day, and last evening Chief Delbrugge
said he was only beginning to get an
idea OF the extent OF the stealing.
Every hour brings its fresh discovery OF
thefts, and valuable goods OF almost
every imaginable description seem to
have been disposed Of all over that por-
ton OF the city lying north Of the creek,
in most instances for 1.-THE OF their
real value. To enumerate the list would
be to name about all the articles oil
merchandise sold in Wheeling at retail,
but fair idea can be given OF the extent
of the offerings when IL is
stated that so far valuable
silk dress patterns, dress goods, call
cos, towels, shawls, albums, tablecloths,
white goods, baby dresses, napkins,
shoes, books, baby caps, silverware,
spoons, necklaces, rings, watch chains,
pins and fancy articles are on the known
list of stolen property. About one
hundred individual cases OF theft, or
rather OF sales OF goods which must
have been stolen, have been
traced and noted by the police,
and others are still pouring In. In one
case a valuable and fine shawl was sold
for two dollars, q solid gold ring for
fifty cents, a solid silver ladle, gold,
lined, in plush case, for two dollars, a
necklace for dollar, a silk dress pat
tern for five dollars, and other goods Mt
like rates, showing almost conclusively
that many of the purchasers must have
known, had they given the matter
a thought at all, that the sellers could
not have come into possession OF the
goods honestly. Many instances have
occurred where it was shown the child
rem, John and Ida, had been calling
at certain houses for three or four
years, selling shoes, and other
things, systematically, and taking
orders ahead. The children seem
to have told various stories as to
how they acquired the property, but
many purchasers, especially OF shoes,
say they supposed them to be regular
peddlars, as they had come TO them so
long and so regularly. One ladyi East
Wheeling told REGISTER reporter last
evening she personally knew Of ladies
of her acquaintance who had
quantities of dress goods, ETC.,
in their homes at the present
time, bought from the Bstells, and an
other lady said they had come to her
and offered dress goods, callcoeS, etc.,
but she was always afraid they were
stolen, and would not buy. She, also,
knew of acQuaintances who had been
offered silvsrware, etc, and she instanc-
ed a case of solid silver ladle which
had been offered her and lady friend,
by Ida BiStell, but neither
would buy 1t. The ladle, which
had been stolen from l. G.. Dillon q Co.,
was sold, however, as reporter learned,
together with gold necklace and some
watch charms. This firm has also lost
valuable diamond and emerald ring.
Yesterday Chief Delbrugge searched
Henrietta Bistell's house, in North
Wheeling, and found three after-dinner
coffee spoons, two of them marked
"ASe," and the third, which has pecu-
ller twisted handle, has the letter "B"
In German text, engraved on II. These
must have been stolen from private
house. The Chief was also informed
that quantity of stolen goods had been
secreted in Marshalrs old coal bank in
Fulton, and also in limestone quarry,
near by, and yesterday he got lanterns
and searched both places, but to no
purpose, although he made a long I'M
derground trip. He found fresh foot
steps, however, and evidence that the
hoA aponxfnA raanDflU
Mrs. Moore, OF East Wheeling, told
the police that she had been offered
bolt of silk, a fine table cloth and lot
Of blue calico by the girl Ida, and Mary
Glenn said she had bought pair Of fine
shoes and a gold ring for two dollars.
These are only instances. The girl Ida
was interviewed again last night, and
she gave long list of persons to whom
she had disposed of goods to, but the
details are withheld for the present, as
the Chief finds many people who are in
possession of information reluctant 20
talk for fear OF publicity. He is gradu-
ally amassing big lot Of material, how
ever, and said last night that business
men must have lost thousands of dollars
worth OF goods in the aggregate, as
scores and hundreds Of instances must
have been forgotten.
There is very good reason TO believe
that certain officials, not on the police
force, have been cognizant OF
the thefts for long time,
even as far back as two or
three years, but nothing was ever done
about II.
Yesterday Mrs. Ruth Ann Bistell
waived an examination before Justice
Ankle, and furnished bond in $500 on
two charges and 500 on third, for the
grand jury. She was released.
Mrs. Jackoway stated yesterday that
the assertion that she had purchased
shoes from the girl Ida was false. She
had made no such purchase.