Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1893-09-22
A GOOD CATCH.
They Have Robbed Five Postoffices in
This State Since July.

lhey nave Robbed rive PostOmces In
This state Since July.
Argus eader.-Postal Inspector M.
c. FOssness and Deputy United States
Marshal Frank Wade arrived on the
morning Burlington with Frank Ran
dali of Kentucky and James Burke of
Illinois, two bold, bad men who have
robbed five pOstOtficeS in South Da-
kota since July 10, and who have an
excellent chance to spend good long
time in the penltentiary.
The robbery for which the men were
arrested took place in EStelline, in
Hamln county a few days ago. The
pOStOtfice is located i'm the jewelry
store of LOhr & LOhr. The burglars
secured S4OO in cash and $500 worth of
jewelry from Lohr & Lohr, and $33 in
cash from the postotfice. When ar
rested near Spirit Lake the officer Sc
cured $50 in money and all the jew
elry. The men talked very freely to
the officers about the robbery and
seemed to have no cOmpunctiOnS Of
conscience about going to the peniten-
tiary. Inspector FoSness says these
are the same men who on July 20 rob-
bed the pOstotfice at Krangbury, Cod
ingtOn county: who about the middle
office at AltamOnt, Deuel. county;
who on August % robbed the Office at
Willow Lake, Clark county, and the
same night went through three stores,
and who September went through
the Office at Goodwin, CodingtOn
county. They are a hard crowd and
the inspector is mighty glad they are
safely in Jail.
The following dispatch from Spirit
Lake to Minneapolis Journal, gives an
account of the arrest: Failing to Sc
cure any clue to the marauders the
deputy gave Conductor ShOop of the
Burlington, Cedar Rapids and North
ern road, an imperfect description of
the men, telling him to keep an eye
open during his afternoon trip into
northern Iowa. On his return trip to
Iowa the conductor noticed two fell
lows climbing into the smoker at a
small station near the Iowa line, and
intuitively suspected that they were
the men. He tclegraphed back for a
full description, which was found,
when'received, to tally with that of
the two suspects. ShOOp then tele-
graphed to Sheriff Nary of Spirit
Lake to meet the train. The sheriff
boarded the train when it came
through. When it was well out on
the road he made his way into the
crowded smoking car spotted his men,
and, drawing his revolver, called for
"handS up.' The men submitted
quietly to arrest and were taken back
to Spirit Lake. After the capture
Sheriff Marcy asked:
"Well, boys, have | got the right
chickens 2"
Look in the grip and you will soon
see that you have" was the cool re-
sponse of the older of the two men.
On opening the grip an interesting
sight presented itself. Fifty watches
eighteen of which were gold and Of
fine make, lay in the bottom of the
grip, partially hid from view by some
fOrty-tive watch chains, numerous sill
yer thimbleS and set of safe blowers
tools. Some 5000 in cash and two re-
volverS were found on searching the
prisoners. The haul at Estelline
alone was about $1,000.
A Journal man visited the prisoners
Immediately after the capture. They
gave their names as Frank Randall
of Kentucky, and James Burke of H.
linoiS. Both are evidently old Jail
birds, although comparatively young
in years. In speaking Of the robbery
Randall remarked that the post
master at Estelline must be a green
one to buy safe like the one which
was robbed, and added that he cracked
the safe in less than twenty minutes.
Then turning to the sheriff he said:
'There is something that you didn't
get when you searched u.s."
what was it?" asked the sheriff.
"Well, we got away with just 81, 900
in certificates and a $1,000 share on
bank, which we hid. You will never
find it," Randall then went OF to say
than he and his companion were in
only the one job. but there was a gang
that did the other work.
The sheriff of EStelline appeared with
a warrant this morning and took the
prisoners back to stand trial for the
poStotfice and jewelry robbery. Other
charges will be brought if necessary
but the confession of the man Ran
dali removes all doubt as to convic-
tion. The total amount of goods
taken in the three towns will amount
to over $4,000. Officers are searching
for the remainder of the gang. Sher-
if Marcy and Conductor ShoOp get
5000 reward. The arrest was kept
secret, it is claimed, to see If a larger
reward couldn't be obtained. The
fact that the pOstOtfice was robbed
may lead to trial in the federal courts"
The robbers had hearing before
United States commissioner w. III.
Lyon, of Sioux Falls and were bound
over to the y. S. court.