Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-10-27
FOR PLUMBER.
AN ORGANIZED BAND FOR BURGLARY AND
ARSON IN INDIANA.
Night Waichman Strands Pointer Prevented the
Success Of Schema to Rob and Burn The Town
Sumitvills-A Desperate Battle, in Which One
Of the Robbers Was Killed.

MARION, IND, October ga band
organized in civil community for plum
der and destruction, an attempted raid
on a mercantile establishment, des-
perate battle between two determined
and armed men facing each other at a
distance Of less than thirteen feet, with
three others contributing bullets every
second, and the accompanying details,
have occupied the attention OF the citi-
zens Of SummitVIlle since o'clock yes
terday.
Summitvllle Is town Of 1900 inhab-
itants on the Cincinnati, Wabash and
Michigan division Of the Big Four, lG
miles south Of here.
To that place, six weeks ago, George
Stroud went from a neighboring town
and secured position as night watch
man. Ten DAYS ago he notified the
merchants Of that place that an attempt
was TO be made at wholesale burglary
by an organized band OF thieves, in
Guiding dozen or more among its mem
bers. One date had been fixed and
abandoned. Last night an attempt
would surely be made to plumber and
then to burn several establishments.
The first was to be the wilkins dry
goods store. In this place Deputy
Sheriff Coburu, Pat Hannah and Au-
drew Fennimore were stationed. Coburn
was armed with two revoivers aud the
OTHERS WITH SIMILAR WEAPONS.
At2 o'clock Dick Goodman, one of the
members of the gang, appeared at u
side window near the rear Of the BALD
ing. He raised the window and went
10. At the order to throw up his hands
he began to shoot. Coburn responded,
and Hannah and FennimOre also joined
in the fusilade.
Tom May, another member OF the
gang, appeared at the window and took
part In the ARRAY.
Goodman, directly facing CoburD in a
room eighteen feet wide, emptied his
revolver, and Coburn emptied both of
his. Goodman received shot in the
abdomen, from which he cannot re-
cover, but succeeding In backing out OF
the window and running several squares
from the building, when be fell to be
captured and taken to Jail at Anderson.
Coburn received a trifllng wound in the
side. Just back OF where be stood, 10
a space of six feel, are nine bullet
holes. Over twenty shots were fired
in the room, most OF them at a distance
OF less than the width Of the room.
May, the companion OF Goodman, was
captured by members Of the Summit
Vile Horse Thief Detective Association
who had been patrolling the streets.
Before his capture, however, over
seventy shots were fired, all of which
were harmless. The other members of
THE GANG ESCAPED.
The organization OF plunderers is sup
posed to include not less than dozen
men. But four of them are known to
them are known to have been connected
with the attempt last night. Officers
are in pursuit Of the two escaped and
others will be arrested. The gang in-
cludes members of reputable families
south OF Summitvile, and is credited
with having recently burned saloon
and dry goods store at Dundee, village
a few miles from SummitVille, after hav-
Ing carried away quantity OF goods.
A part OF the dry goods were afterwards
found In a straw stack on the Goodman
farm.
Iunumberable other depredations
within a radius of 90 miles from Sum-
mitville are attributed to 1t. Stroud,
the night Waterman, has been admitted
TO the inner councils for some time.
There are different theories as TO why
Stroud sought the position OF night
wstchman aud then divulged the
schemes Of the gang. The latter is
supposed to have been in existence for
| Several wears.