Omaha daily bee., 1895-09-22
CRACKSMEN ARE CAUGHT
Police Confident They Have Yesterday
Mornings Safe Blowers.
FOUND THEM SOON NEAR GIBSON
One Attempted to shoot nm Omccr, but
His Cartridge FniIcd-Bclicved
to He Clumsy Hands Mt
IL the business.

1t is confidently stated by the police that
at least four Of the crooks who attempted Il
blow the safe in the Office OF Porters Bros.
company, fruit commission dealers, at Eighth
and Jones streets, yesterday morning, are
behind the bars at the city Jail. 1t is
thought that there were not more in the
gang, although another mar was arrested or
suspicion, as he was found in the company OF
one Of the others about a week ago.
The four men arrested gave their names
as Earl c. Burton, John Black, Charles Ed.
wards and John Miller. While they all pre-
sent the appearance of tough men they look
more like a lot OF Migrants than expert
cracksmen. The other man under arrest is
much of the same appearance and gave the
name Of Charles Smith. He was seen in the
company OF one Of the others about a week
ago, but 1t is not certain that he took any
pert in the safe blowing. The Waterman Of
the building, Worthington, does not believe
that there was more than four In the gang.
The men were captured in little more than
On hour after the deed had been attempted.
A dozen policemen were at once sent out on
their trail and they were easily tracked
to the point where they were found, a spot
on the river bank about half a mile north
OF Gibson. They were sitting on the railroad
track facing the river when Detective Hof,
Oficer Godola and two specials came upon
them. Hoff covered three of them with a
revolver and they surrendered without a
struggle.
The fourth man. Burton. however, was
not so easily handled. Godola ordered him Ia
surrender, standing in front of him with a
revolver in his hand. Instead of complying
Burton sprang to his feet and leveiinE a re.
VoiVer at the officers breast, ordered him 10
ieaVe. The two men stood facing each other
FOR some seconds and finally as the officer
ana not move Burton pulled the trigger.
fortunately for the officer the trigger drew
back but The point failed to explode the
cartridge. Godola then fired at Burton. lie
dropped, but 1t was found that he had not
been hit. He was then easily disarmed
Two OF the prisoners, Burton and Black,
were arrested about a week ago on suspicion
by Oflcers sullivan and Vanous. They had a
pair of ladies' shoes in their possession. which
were supposed to have been stolen, but the
owner was not found. A tallow candle. re.
volVers and a large quantity of cartridges
were found on their persons. They were
sentenced by Judge Berka to the street gang
put several days ago they made their ESCAPE,
Whoever the men really are they ire am
ateurs in safe blowing, to Judge from the ex-
hlbltlon that they gave yesterday morning
In the first place they did not choose the
best place to drill into the safe door, and
secondly they were evidently unacouainte1
with dynamite, the explosive they used. This
was very plain from the amount that must
have been used to blow the door of the safe
a distance of twenty-five feet and to break
all the windows in the office with a dull crash
that was heard for blocks.
The tools that were used, a sledge, a drill.
two punches and a crowbar, are supposed IN
nave been stolen from some blacksmith shop.
although as yet no one has put in a claim for
them.
The safe contained about 800 in money and
a considerable quantity of valuable papers.
One thing that connects the men with the
attempted safe cracking is the fact that one
Of them, when arrested, had a quantity of
the greasy explosive upon his face and hands.
The door of the safe which was blown off
was covered with the same explosive.