Delaware gazette and state journal., 1895-12-12
CAPTURED IN PHILADELPHIA
Suspected New Castle Burglar
Arrested in His Store.
NEAT WORK BY THE DETECTIVES
The Prisoner is Well-known
to the Philadelphia Police.
The Quaker City Authorities Are Confident
that lie is the Man Who, with Others,
Was Seen In the Act of Robbing Robert
shaw's store sunday Night Week.

William Brown, q man who for years
has been known as one OF the most
notod crooks and dangerous characters
in the country, was arrested early last
Wednesday evening by Detectives Tare
and Ulrich on suspicion Of having been
implicated In the attempted burglary
in New Castle on Sunday night week.
Between midnight and o'clock next
morning, Policeman Michael Tobin of
that town. found two men iimmyinG
the door of the general storo of Robert
Shaw. As he approached, third
man, who was standing on the opposite
! sido of the street, gave signal of dan
ger. One of the men who was at work
on the door Immediately pulled out a
revolver and opened fire on the police
man. The other also started to fire,
and the policeman got out his gun.
Tho three men then started TO run
down the street. Policeman Tobin ran
after them, shooting as he ran. He
hit one of the men in the wrist and
finally caught up to him. After a
desperate fight the burglar was over
come and the officer took him to the
jail. He gave his name as Eugene
Brown.
On Monday Mayor Boyd Of New
Castle, sent letter to Superintendent
Linden Of Philadelphia. Detective
Tate was sent down to this city, where
he mot Detective Witsil. Together
they went to Now Castle and identified
tho prisoner as Luke Burns, whose
picture has adorned the Rogues' Gal
lery in Philadelphia for many years.
Burns ia known to the police as a Clar-
ing thief. Some years ago he broke
jail at Mt Holly, N. J. He was after
wards rearrested in Philadelphia and
served term in the Eastern Peniten-
tiary.
While in New Castle the two detec-
tives found some papers lying on the
street near tho place whero the
burglary was attempted, showing that
Burns had rented store at 522 South
Tenth street, in Philadelphia, about
the middle of November. The agent
from whom he rented the store, I.
Martin of Seventh and Walnut streets,
had receipt for months rent in adj
vance. Wednesday afternoon Detectives
Tate and Ulrich, and later Detective
Witsil, watched this store. Between s
and 8 o'clock last night their patience
was rewarded. A large man, who tai
lied in description with one of the men
wanted in New Castle, came up. He
had key for tho door, and walked
into the store, which had tho appear
ance of an old clothing mart. \ num-
ber of pairs of suspenders were hanging
in tho window, together with a lot OF
old coats and vests.
The detectives followed the man in
and arrested him. He proved to be q
noted crook and dangerous character,
by name William Brown. He served
three years in Baltimore for burglary,
and did operations in Washington and
other cities. Brown was taken up to
the Central Station, where he said be
had been with Burns in New Castle on
Sunday, and that Burns wanted him
to do job with him that night, but
he had refused. His statement was
not believed, and ho was locked up to
4 await Identification by the New Castle
authorities.
The detectives think that the store
on Tenth street was fence for stoler
goods. Inside the counter was mes
senger call, and it is surmised that
when thieves came there with goods tc
sell, whoever was in the store rang this
alarm. The thieves thinking the police
were being called, would drop theil
goods and run. From all that can be
learned, the two men are part of gang
who have been Systematically robbing
country stores, and kept this store as
a headqua, tors, While the detectives
were watching ii, several men with
bundles came up to the store and trieC
TO get in.