The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-02-03
STORE BURGLARIZED
At Vaudeville tuesday Night
Last.
JOHN sT0kER MAKES A CONFESSION
That he is one Of Of the Robbers and
Jmplieates Two Others,

L hOt Ch NQt VI Wv NNSA-
nation of a good person, was not in
bed, as was not proper, but necessa
nv in order that he should carry out
a not very brilliant burglarious
scheme that was revolving in his
head. That scheme was to rob
Ridgway & Waters store. He has
been arrested for the crime
On the night in question the store
mentioned was entered by force and
robbery occurred The back door
was forced open and the thieves-it
is thought Stoker had accomplices-
entered. d. ID. Fortney is the pro
prietor of a jewelry stock which is
exhibited for sale in the store. He
is the heaviest loser But little,
aside from eatables, was taken from
the general merchandise firm. About
80 watches, a number of chains, rings
bangles, pins ct cetera of tiusel and
gewgaw were taken.
The robbery was discovered early
next morning. The ground was soft
and damp that Tuesday night and a
conglomerated general assortment
of tracks were visible at the back
door which had evidently been made
the night before. Following where
these tracks left of il was seen,
when they became fully defined,
that they had been made by three
men. Farther away the tracks Of
two of these were lost, but of the
other a clear marking was made to
the house where Stoker stayed. 1t
was learned that be had gone away
the night before or early that morn
ing. Then it was but day till it
was learned that he had been at
Greensboro and that he carried with
him great deal more jewelry than
is done by persons not regularly in
that line of business. Officers at
various towns below were telegraph
ed u description of the young man
with instructions to hold him. Not
long after an answering message
was in hand stating that Stoker had
been arrested at Brownsville and
that he had been lodged in Jail there
to await further commands from To-
cal authorities.
Saturday Constable w. J. Sanders
and John Ridgway went to Browns
vile and Stoker came back in their
company to his native county pris
oner. He was put in Jail here Sun
day morning, but not before two 9th
er men had been arrested, charged
with being his accomplicee. These
men are Madison Everley and Harry
Eyerley, two young men who have
always lived in that neighborhood.
They were not put in Jail, but kept
guard over in building at Maids
vile till Monday, when they were
brought here for hearing.
These men were arrested on infor
nation emanating from Stoker and
which preceded his arrival. When he
got here he stuck to the statement
that the two Everleys were with him,
and made a clean, full confession Of
the crime and its attendant circum.
stances. He said that while every.
body around nearly was at Davis's
at the marriage serenade he and two
Everley's went to the back door OF
the store, took plank and forced
the door open and went inside; that
they took a number of watches and
in the apportionment Of the spoils
he got IL of these; that several other
| tht,11o faE hnt hipa M
great value with the exception OF
Ijewelry save that one of the Ever
ley's took a pair of boots; that he
does not know how many watches
nor how much other jewelry exactly
the others got, only that one
Everley is the greatest criminal: that
he it was who planned the robbery
and who secured the greatest amount
of the plumber; that after they left
the store they went together and
then separated, each one going to
ward his respective home; that ht
lost not a great deal of time in leav
ing. going to Greensboro; that h'
sold one of the watches there anc
that day took the boat for Browns
vile; that he had eleven of thu
watches when be got there, anC
thinks that he was identified as tn,
man wanted because he had then
and that the officers there had al
ready received instructions to ares
him, which was done; that he bal
now turned States evidence anc
asks for mercy and clemency.
Monday the two Everleys were
brought here and an examining tria
begun before Squire Hayes. They
had retained as council Messrs. Stur
giss and Frame. Prosecuting Attor
ney Baker appeared for the Prosecu
tion. The Office of the Justice wal
crowded with people, for the mos
part being those from the neighbor
hood in which the accused lived. A
motion was made to go to the cour
house with the hearing, but it was
learned that there is some sort of pc
culiar and misguided order to thu
effect that the temple could not b
used for this purpose. So, notwith
standing there was not room for al
attorney to gesture nor witness t
: scarcely breathe, the hearing began
John Stoker, the man who ha(
confessed, was the first witness ex
amined.
He gave history of the robbery
in accordance with his confession
but the fact is that he was occasion
ally badly tangled up in his state
ments; he testified that he did no
know what perjury is and that h
had never heard of the Ten Com
mandments in answer to queries fron
, Mr.. Sturgiss. He also admitted tina
{. he had, at Brownsville, told that tw
other Everleys were the ones who as
:, sisted in the robbery, and then after
I, ward had said that that was not sc
;. and then came this confession. Their
' were some inconsistencies in Stoker'
J, evidence, and it was clear that b
was not to be implicitly relied upo
!: in anything he said.
i The examination concluded 70
that evening and the two prisoner
furnished bond for their appearance
Tuesday morning.
+. There were several witnesses fo
the state examined, and the effect Q
their testimony is that the thre
e were seen comforting together th
$ night of the robbery, aside from tb