The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-02-10
A BATTlH WITH BURGLARS.


Three Thieves Eater John Gavih's Store,
on the south side, and are Ready to Blow
his safe Open when he Appears-Ten
Shots Exchanged.
One Of the most desperate gangs OF
burglars who ever operated in Wheeling
are evidently at work here now, and the
description given Of them does not leave
much room for doubt as to the identity
Of at least two Of them. They are not
amateurs, but are old timers wanted in
almost half the States Of the Union for
burglary or worse crimes. John ConneIs
was one Of them. The two men with
him when he was captured by Officer
Donnelly in the act Of entering the
Wheeling Beef Company's storehouse,
are almost as surely known.
Yesterday morning three men entered
the store Of John Gavin, on Eoff street,
south OF Twenty.eighth, by way Of the
rear door. Ahole was bored through
the door, and piece then sawed out,
making hole large enough 10 admit .
mans hand. Inserting his hand, one OF
the men then shot back the bolt which
held the door, and pushed It open.
Entering sort Of recessat the rear Of
the store, two OF the men went ID
work drilling holes in the door OF the
safe preparatory to blowing 1t open with
powder. The third man stood in the
rear end Of the hall with revolver in
his hand, keeping guard.
Mr.. Gavin was awakened by the noise
and, listening awhile, became sure
something wrong was on foot. He rose
and started down stairs. When about
half way down, the guard at the end OIL
the hall called 10 him: "Go back there
| Won -W
Mr.. Gavin obeyed tho order and went
back. He only remained upstairs loni
enough 10 get q revolver, and ther
came down sgain.
AS soon as he appeared on the stair
way the second time, the thief begat
firing, and fred six shots. Mr.. Gavir
aimed as well as he could by the flash o
the other mans revolver, and responded
with four shots. BE kept two loads II
his pistol, fearing the man might max
a rush on him. None CT the ten shot
fred took any effect, except TO max
holes in the walls.
While the shooting was going on tn
4 Two men at work on the safe gathered
up their tools and effects and got out BY
the door they had come in at. The sen
tinel then also retired.
It is barely possible that Mr.. Gavil
hit the sentinel. Near his place lives
Mrs. Snider, who heard the shooting
and going toher window, saw three mel
run past. One was a tai, heavy man
who bad a peculiar swagger as he ran
Another was tall, but not 80 heavy
while the third was short, heavy-se
man, who ran rather slowly and appaI
emily with difficulty, as II he had beef
hit.
Two newsbeys saw the same thre,
men and gave the same description.
In the room by the safe were found
red bandana handkerchief and pin
whisky flask half fall Of gunpowder. j
, the yard OF A. ]. Sweeney & Sons four
dry the empty shells from six-shot II
yoiyer were found. The men doubles
stopped there to reload the revolve
which had been emptied In the hal
, The shots were not fired at MIR. Gavir
as they all pierced the wall nea
the point where the burglar stoo
when firing. He simply did th
! shooting to hold Mr.. Gavin back till b
and his pals could get out.
There was over $500 In the safe. It !
seldom that so much Is left there owe
Sunday, and 1t seems strange coinc
dence that the thieves should max
their visit on that particular night.
About half the burglaries in Wheelin
, in recent years, including the maske
Z robberies that attracted such wide atten
ton, have been committed by gangs i
which were always large, heavy mar
who walks with an indescribable swal
ger, and q short, heavy-set man. In
great many cases these two men hay
acted alone. 1t Is morally certain tina
they are the same two men who attacke
Officer Carney in the Hempfeld yard
one night. They were probably con
cerned in the killing Of Policeman 10
Glenn. They are well known and ough
to be apprehended. They are "slick,
and it may be will not be brought t
justice until somebody kills one Q
them.
In this mornings issue several rob
berries are reported at Bellaire and on
at Martins Ferry. II is evident tina
there is regular school Of burglars II
the vicinity. It is not cEeditable to tn
authorities that so many crimes ar
committed and so few arrests made.