Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-02-20
HE 'FESSED Up.
]. ". M'MILLAN THE MAN WR0 IMPERSGN-
ATED AN OFFICER
And Exhorted twenty-five Dollars From Jacob
S1obsrl of LaursliOn-He Made Comics
sion 10 Chief B,nus Last Night
Playing Detective.

Yesterday morning the Register con-
tained a brief account OF the pretended
arrest of Mr.. Joseph Shobert, Of Lau-
reton, Ohio, by two men, who said they
were officers, and that Mr.. Shobert had
been indicted for selling liquor without
a license. In that publication it was
stated that the bogus officers had not
obtained any money from their vic
tim, but that was an error, arising
out of the fact that Mr.. Shobert
does not speak English very fuently,
and therefore could not make himself
understood. Yesterday there were
additional important developments in
the case, and out Of them grew the ar
rest Of one OF the bogus officers, who
was confined last night at the City Hall
with charge of carrying concealed
weapons against him. Last evening
the prisoner made a confession TO Chief
Bennett, in the presence OF Register
reporter, freely acknowledge his
guilt, and that he had acted without
any authority.
The name of the prisoner is j. w.
Mcmillan, of Maynard. where he has
been engaged in business as store
keeper. When arrested by Officer
Bauer be was wearing a false goatee
and was carrying loaded revolver in
bis pocket. a charge Of carrying con-
Cealed weapons was placed against him,
aud the Ohio authorities were commu-
nicated with. Mr. Shobert, the victim
of Mcmillan aud mis- companion, was in
formed OF the arrest, aud went TO the
City Hail, with TWO friends. All three
positively identified the prisoner as one
of the men, but Mcmillan stoutlY denied
mis- guilt. Mr.. Shobert told Chief Ben
nett that he had been cut TO Wheel
ing Creek mines 10 see his brother
in-law, on Sunday. and that he was on
his way back TO Bridgeport when be
was aCcosted by two men, who asked
him his name. He at once told them,
when one OF the two asked him il he
had not been selling liquor. He an
swered that perhaps he had, or some
thing TO that effect, and they at once
Informed him that he had been in
formed him that he had been indicted,
and that he was under arrest. He said
that was all right, and that he
was ready TO 90 with them TO
Steubenvlle or anywhere else. The
men said they did not care to take him
of then, but II be would pay them
twenty-five dollars it would be all right.
Mr.. Shobert did not have that amount
OF money in mis- clothes at the time, but
gave the men an order on his wife for
the money. One OF the two men then
brought Mr.. Shobert over TO this city,
while the other went pOst-haste ont TO
Laurelton and obtained the money from
Mrs. Shobert
When questioned yesterday afternoon
by Chief Bennett, Mcmillan denied that
be was the guilty party, or that he had
been impersOnatlng an officer. Last
evening, however, the officials made
tour of inspection through the prison
er's clothes, and there found certlti-
cate from the National Detective Blu
reau, of Indianapolis, dated February
., 1895, issued to }. w. Mcmillan. A
badge of the Association was also
found uDder the lapel OF his
Vet. OO0IIOulbU Win LubSo CYL
dences of the fact that he had been ly-
ing, Mcmillan broke down, and con-
fessed that he was one Of the two men
who had held up Shobertio for the money.
Asked as to whether or not Mr.. Sho-
bert had been indicted, Mcmillan at
first said that be had, but under per-
sIstent questioning al last stated that
he did not know whether he had been
indicted or not, but had heard that he
had been indicted twice.
Isn't it a fact, Mcmillan, that you
Just saw a chance to make twenty-five
dollars, aud took advantage of it,"
asked Chief Bennett.
well, | guess it looks little that
way" was the reply. That was the
way OF it," he added, land | would not
have done it If l had not been drink
ing"
What did you do with the money!"
asked the Chief.
IL guess | blew il in for whisky"
was the frank admission.
who was your partner
"a man named Matthews.
There was some further talk on the
part Of the prisoner, in the course OF
which he admitted that he had acted
wholly upon his own responsibility, and
without any authority, and that he
had no means of paying back the mcney
until he could get out Of the trouble
here aud back TO Ohio.
Chief Bennett was in communication
with the Ohio authorities again last
evening, but just what will be done
on the other side OF the river
is uncertain. The amount extorted
from Mr. Shobert is ten dollars snort of
grand larceny under the Ohio statutes,
AID whether impei sonating an officer TO
extort money is felony over the river
is a question which could not be answer
ed a police headquarters last evening.
Mcmillan is good looking young
man, OF apparently more than ordinary
intelligence, and his very bad break is
therefore the more inexplicable'