The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-01-17
4 DIAMOND ROBBER
Makes a Daring and Foolhardy
Attempt Here yesterday.
THE DARING THIEF CAPTURED
After an Exciting Chase, Participated
in by Men and Boys-He Proves TO
DO Fred Morris, Of Pittsburgh or
Homestead-An Examination DO.
fore Justice Arkle-Hold for Court.


One Of the most daring and iooIhardy
attempts at diamond robbery ever
enacted in this vicinity occurred
yesterday afternoon.
About o'clock q man who appeared
to be about thirty years old, aud well
dressed, entered Hebranks iewelry
establishment on Market street, above
Fourteenth, and said to the clerk,
young Hose that he wanted to buy q
diamond stud, He was shown several,
none OF which, he said, were big enough,
so Hose took two studs out Of the case,
one valued at sos and the other Ut $l05,
both very fine diamonds, After
examining them a few seconds and
commenting on them, the man suddenly
started on q run for the front door, and
went down Market street. The clerk at
once took in the situation, and got
around the counter and out after the
daring thief in short order; and as soon
as he got out on the street he saw the
latter going down Market street on
dead run.
"Stop thief!" cried Hose, going after
the man. His peculiar appearance
without hat, and cries attracted the
crowd always TO be found in busy Mar
ket street, and in an instant o score Of
men and boys were sprintiug after the
flying thief, who, upon reaching Four.
tenth, turned down that thoroughfare
to the alley between Pollack's mill and
Neill & Ellingham's. Turning down
the alley no fled, followed by tho howl.
ing mob, which got bigger every step
taken. Unwary pedestrians wero rude
ly thrown aside in tho mad rush. The
pursued man proved to be quite q
sprinter and was gaining rapidly on his
pursuers. He kept on down the alley
to Sixteenth, and then dashed over to
tho Baltimore & Ohio freight yards,
where he crept between two freight
cars and was seemingly safe, but ono OF
the pursuers, Mike Biedenbach, got
within reach and headed him of in the
yards, when Officer Lee Buch came up
and collared the robber, who, seeing he
was overpowered quietly submitted and
was taken to police headquarters.
Here he was searched, and several
papers found on his person, indicating
that his name Ia Fred Morris and that
he lived at Pittsburgh or Homestead.
Shortly before 6 o'clock Morris was
taken before Justice George Ankle for a
hearing. Seeing no was caught up
short, he confessed having attempted
the robbery, and was bound over to the
next term OF circuit court to answer to
tho charge Of grand larceny.
While Justice Arkle was examining
the papers found on him, Morris turned
to Officer Buch, who was standing near,
and said:
"Put up q pretty good sprint. didn't
l? Don't believe you could have caught
me-"
aNo, 1 don't believe I could" said
Buch.
The squire on looking over the papers
found number Of monthly commute.
ton tickets Of the Pennsylvania rail.
road, good between Homestead and
Pittsburgh, also O bill from q Pitts
burgh ieweler for q $3.50 diamond ring.
On discovering tho latter, Justice Ark
10 remarked TO Morris that he seemed
to have a mania for diamonds,
Eyes," said Morris, "but l didn't
have to run for that one"
Among the effects found in his pocket
book was q gas bill from tho Pittsburgh
Low Pressure Gas Company to Fred
Morris for $l4. There was also silver
medal won in a regetta at Geneva park,
near Pittsburgh.
Morris said he was q bookkeeper, and
in connection with the Communication
tickets and gas bill, it would seem that
he has been working at Homestead and
lives at Pittsburgh. The gas bill would
seem to indicate that he lie a married
man, The January railroad ticket was
about one.third used SO he must be 4
recent arrival in Wheeling.
Morris was very reticent and would
not soy why he attempted the robbery
ut the time OF the day whrn the streets
are crowded.
From the direction he ran, it is evi.
dent that no was trying to evade his
pursuers aud got aboard the five o'clock
Baltimore & Ohio train which goes
north. Had he succeeded in reach.
ing tho passenger station a minute or
two ahead OF his pursuers he could
have secreted himself and escaped on
Tho train