The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-17
CAUGHT In THE ACT.
ONE MAKES A DASH FOR LIBERTY
I've Youthful Cfiminals Pound On the
Fire 1scape-One Caught There,
the Other Soon After.

John Moline, alias Walker, and Clarence
Sheldon attempted to burglarize the
Grand hotel last night as 10 o'clock, but
were prevented from carrying their de-
signs into execution by the timely arrival
OF Waterman A. K. Synnerholm. who
gave an alarm. Moline was captured on
the fire escape at the third story by Police
man John Kelly, and Sheldon, after es-
Gaping through the hotel, was caught .
half an hour later by Captain Willard.
Synnerholm, who is employed by J. NJ.
Colman. was passing through the alley in
the rear of the Grand hotel when his at
tention was called to the FIRE escape on the
hotel by grating sound. He looked up
and was surprised to see two persons, one
at the second story and the other at the
third standing as still as statues.
What are you doing up there :" said
Synnerholm.
''Oh, nothing" replied Sheldon, who
has peg leg. I'VE have . friend in the
saloon and thought it was IS easy to go in
to see him through the back way a. the
'front.'"
Having delivered this impromptu speech
Sheldon was about to enter the door at his
landing, which had accidentally been left
un ocked, when the Waterman yelled out:
Hold on there till find out about this
case"
Then he blew q whistle and windows
commenced to be opened. From one of
them was stuck the head of. Thomas
Guinean. the proprietor of the hotel, and,
when he was informed of the situation,
he donned his clothes and went down
stairs to the Office as fast as man with
the idea of burglars and thieves can 90.
Word was telephoned to police headquar-
tiers for assistance and then the proprietor
told one OF the bell boys to lock tho
kitchen door, as he thought he had heard
some one In there. and not allow any one
to come out from that direction.
Meanwhile there was fun in the rear on
the fire escape. Patrolman John Kelly
had heard the police call and answered 1t.
When be saw the figure on the slender fire
escape. he saw the situation at once, and
concluded that, while one of them might
have friend in the house, the real object
OF the visit was burglary, and he con-
cluded to take them In custody. He
started up the iron ladder. and Sheldon,
thinking it was time to get out, shot into
the house through the door previously
mentioned and disappeared. Officer Kelly
kept on climbing and, as he approached
Moline, the latter. penned on a small
stand about fifty feet above the alley, COM
menced to tremble. He did not say
word when the officer grabbed him and
commenced a laborious descent. The
task of getting to the bottom of the chain
work of ladders was no easy task but, hav-
ing accomplished it, the gentleman who
visited friends at 10 o'clock at night
through the back way by means of fire
escapes was taken to the police station
and booked, but the charge was left blank.
peg Leg. Sheldon, who disappeared
through the door when things became too
warm for comfort. made good use of his
opportunity. He made for the stairs and
at the top stumbled. This called one of
the bell boys to the scene, who asked him
what he was doing. He explained that he
had friend in the hotel who had peg
leg like himself, and that he desired to see
him. The belt boy told him that tho
friend was down stairs, and he could see
him, but his main object was to get to the
front door, and when he reached the
ground floor away he went through the
big archway door. He disappeared. but
his description was in the hands of Detec-
WV SOV0 ouN SoPt0Iu VIhoSus 0uU tu0
latter caught HIM before II o'clock and
took him to police headquarters, where he
was booked in . similar manner to his
partner.
Clarence Sheldon, although not moro
than p years old. 10 one of the most dam
gerous men in the Northwest. He was ar
rested here several years ago by Capt. Will
lard on the charge of burning a lodging
house on Post street, in which an old man
lost his life. He was eventually sent to
the reform school and got out. Then he
was arrested for larceny in Tacoma and
sent to the reform school again. He next
went to Colorado, and was beating his way
on the railroads when he had his leg cut
off. Within short time he has served .
term in the Salem penitentiary. Both
Shelton and Moline were released from the
city Jail yesterday. where they had been
confined but short time on the charge of
being disorderiy persons. They were to
have left town, but their course shows for
itself.