Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-11-14
Indications Are That the Fort Sidney
Gang viii Guido
THAT FAMOUS ORGANIZATION.
Hearings Begun Before the United
States Commissioner at Park
ersburg - Witnesses Confess
Their Guilt and Implicate Many
Others Not Yet Arrested-A
Story OF Wholesale Crime.
SPECIAL telegram 20 tie H.vsn~.

PARKERSBUR0, w. VA, November
13.-The United States Commissioners
room in the Custom House was literally
tammed and packed to-day with wit
nesses summoned by the United States
against the captured members OF the
notorious Fort Sidney gang Of Forty
Thieves" an account OF which appeared
in the REGISTER day or two ago.
The men tried by Commissioner Tav-
enner were Henry Belfor, Ed. Bailey,
John Pyles, Mack Bailey and Z. l..
Shamblin. Among the witnesses pres-'
ent were Sheriff Dan Reynolds, OF
Peasants county, aud number OF citi-
Zens OF st. Nary's.N Others were from
Sistersville. Friendly, Hayes Station.
this city and other points In West Vir-
ginia, Cochranville, and the neighbor-
hood OF Newport, Ohio, where post
Offices and stores had been burRlarized
and robbed by the same gang, were
present.
Piles OF clothing and other stuf
stolen by the gang aud recovered by
Deputy United States Marshal Mehen,
In his raid on the Suspected Shamblin
boat at Letart, Ohio,
WE'RE PRODUCED AND IDENTIFIED.
The Court with It's array Of men,
women, and sQualing infsnts, resem-
bled very much an old time Webster
county Court, during the regime OF
ex-Audltor Pat Duffy, as sheriff
may add here by way Of additional
interest, that John Brook, tho alleged
chief OF the gang, has been captured AZ
Point Pleasant, and an officer has been
sent down after him. Brook professed
to be q United States detective, and II
is said, that by that means has so long
evaded the officers. but kept them of
the track OF the real culprits.
AmonS the witnesses present were j.
w. Boyers, OF Paden's Valley. whose
store had been burglarized and robbed
on three different occasions, presuma-
bly, by the same gang. Four hundred
dollars worth OF goods we're stolen.
Mr.. Boyers' store contains tho post
Office.
DC. Deucher. postmaster at Deuch-
er, o., who also keps a sscye In the
same building, was witness Mr..
Deucher's store and postotiice were rob
bed. Stamps, asmall AMOUNT OF money
clothing,
SHOES AND JEwELRY WERE TAKEN
A. V. L. Imley, ST. MAry'G VIM.
Hughes. Ravens Rock; Jas. Tice,
Archer's Fork, o.; Alex. Brewer,
Ravens Rock; Il. G. Chapman, Cochran
Vile, o.; Abel Long. CochrAnville, O.;
Henry Belford, CochranYIlle, o.; Eve
lyn Sewers, Newport, o.; Birdie Wills,
Newport, o.; Alice Shamblin, G. w.
Reynolds, Washington county, o.; w.
v. Bell, ST. Mary's; ID. w. Reynolds,
Peasants county. Mr. j. w. Col
lett, OF Newport, ohio, were pres
ent as attorneys for Zeke ShamblIn.
Frank Bailey, one Of the prisoners,
was put on the stand. He said he ia.
tended to tell nothing but the truth,
"The fellows. Jim Pyles and another
fellow, went TO HutchiHson's store az
Cochran Vile, Ohio, and broke In. Thcy
came out with shoes, guns, Jewelry and
other things. They said they would
Kill me II / betrayed them. don't
know anything about the robberles AZ
ST. Mary's. Psden's Valley or Sisters
VILE"
Mrs. Bailey. mother OF the prisoner,
broke down and cried, bat she begged
the prisoner To tell the whole truth.
Although young Bailey said he had no
connection with any OF tho other hob
berries, the shoes he wore were identified
as having been stolen from Hntchin-
sons store and postofiice At Cochraa-
Vile, Ohio.
Miss Birdie Willis, Washington,
county. Ohio, saw stamps, shoes aud
,ewelry on Zeke Shanblen's boat. Jim
Pyles, Ed. Bailey and Nels Shanben
were in the gang.
The property mentioned was stolen
from different places
While the preliminary trial Was Ia
progress Marshal Mehsn received 3 tel
egrsu from United States Inspector
Soloman at Cincinnati
TO HOLD THE PRISONERS
mill An officer arrived, As they are
wanted ia Ohio. a government Of
ficer from Marietta, Ohio, 10 also here 20
take charge Of any Of the prisoners who
NAV be discharged BY the authorities on
this side.
One Of the witnesses this afternoon
ItnpIIcated another government witness,
Malls Shamblln, who was already under
suspicion. Ths implicated man quietly
stapped out OF the court room aud ran,
naring his escape. The officers say
thew will have no trouble 70 captufs
him.
The examination Of witnesses con-
tInued through the day and VIII not %
concluded before sometime to-morro~.
one witness after another identified
goods stolen from postoiices 10 Ohio
snd West Virginia Other Witnesses
,estiaed 70 having seen sacks fol- Of
good, brought 70 the shanty boat ~ Al
! times Of night End gave names OF p>I-
,ie. who have not yet been arrested.
In brief. there 10 20 question thai tne
80 now IN pfIson are members Of tnid
notorious gang, who nave rooOeu ~ ~ is
and left along the ONO lne 80"
Virginia authoritisfwill have no &C.,
.,on at present % brn over Any oi ~
prlsoners 70 the Ohio authofities' VIZ
are anxious 10 get them. -
lin Pyles, one Of tbe prisoners. ~
o.,h having been duly sdmislsieIeo.
-, On the stand and confessed thss
- AT RsIley aud Henry Belfofd. roo
~, n.,chlnsoo's store and the posloiies
os1 1cnhrsssyIIIe. Ohio. "a. Bailey. az
a. 49,. soon, n,ssouef. also confessed 10 open
osns. - ,he robbery Of Hutchlesees
courh - me postofIce. de said Slm
psl,. ard Hepry Bsliose 80 .,,s- 49,
nd Both prisoner. 's,s ssa.s es~. The
ue5 800 rss adjoarned antl 'o-
, 4~ A o'clock.