Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-07-20
GOT 'EM At LAST.
Chicago Police Catch the Bold
Gang Of Bandits.
THREE MONTHS REIGN OF TERROR


Man-Robbers Who Looted schrage Also
in Limbo and Fart of Their Booty Re-
covered-Othcr Chicago Crime.
CHICAGO, July so.-At last the police Of
this city have run down and captured the
bold thugs who for three months have
been tcrrorizing the people and battling
the officers The gang WINS also connected
with the robbery Of Christopher Schrage,
nm old German, who was robbed Of over
s5O.0W in bonds, mortgages and other
D. Cd rty mt I'll South jefferson street last
spring. and the police have recovered part
of the "swng" Saturday at / q. IN. n
couple of detectives from Chicago cap
tarci at Detroit Michael Monahan and
James Williams, alias James Dempsey.
Seven hours later In the same city the
same two policemen arrested John Orme,
alias William Milton. This John Ormc
Is the leader Of the criminals who have
plundcrcd the city since March. lie IL the
"long man" so many people met with
great financial loss to themselves, and the
man who devised and planned the crimes
for which the Chicago police have now
under arrest every guilty person but Jesse
Thames.
Graduates os Ueforn,atory.
Monahan and Williams, arrested with
Orme in Detroit, are boon companions Of
his, associates In the robbcrics which he
planned and carried ort in Chicago. The
three men are graduates Of the Pontiac
rcformntory and have been free on the pa
role system. They are members of a secret
society organized by Ormc last year while
in Pontiac, and whose object was robbery.
The rules Of this organization provide
death rs the penalty for any member who
bctrays comrade, and include tho laying
aside Of u fund from the proceeds II rob
berries for the legal defense of any one in
the society caught by the police. Every
arrangement had been made for the rob-
bcry ut noon of the Stevenson Valve com
pany's works mt Detroit. and but for the
appearance Of the Chicago police, the rob
berry would have taken place, almost pre-
ciscly in the same manner as the New
York Biscuit company wns robbed In Chi
cago week ago last Saturday.
Tile Robbcrs or Old Man Schrags.
While the police department was doing
this good wo:k in Detroit there was som,
equally good work being done in this city
and detectives were running down ant
bringing to the station the men known Of
suspected Of having robbed Christophci
Schraqc, I'll jefferson street, on the nigh
Of March - last. The men arrestc,
were: Edward ". Smith. proprietor of tn
rond house at Fifty first street and Cottag
Gruvcavcnut; Alfred alias sleepy Burke
Joseph Gordon. John Mclean and Chri
t,phcr Strook. alias "Rcd Chris" Thrc
other men interested in this Schragc cas-,
and badly wanted by the police. ten
porarily l-ut away. From what can he rs
ccrtaincd os smith II does not look like
euod cnsc against him. His reputation
good and he claims that his conncctio
with the case was simply the purchase q
some of the bonds which he did openly
having taken first the advice of n hank.
"Iscd" Sullivan Gave Them Away.
a week ag,o the police rounded mp Red
sullivan and some others whom they ha
suspected Of the dcviltry that has kcI
Chicago In trcn bic for SO many months
sullivan l. the friend of Ormc and WI
with him In the rubbcry of the New Yor
Biscuit company. He also has been int
mate with ''Slccpy' Burke. SlturdG
night a week sullivan shot Police Sc
giant Snucr. This was ten hours after b
had robbed the New York Biscuit col
pany He was member Of the crimin
secret socicty which Ormc had organize
This man sullivan is rcportcd to ha
told the whole story. Then sleep.
Burke supplied some Information nj
finally the police had perfect case.
IL was from Burke that the facts abo
the Schrarc robbery were obtained. l
told where part Of the bonds and 9th
ynlunblcs coald b. found. and in all soI
s,s.uoo Of the $50. 600 stolen Is now In {
possession Of the police. smith is stat
to have had 600 Of the bonds ana III
is what got him into trouble. One 81
meet knows where some of the rcmaind
il. but so far he has refused TO admit {
charge. There are half n dozen suspect
accompiiccs Of the gang whose connccti
may never he made plain or receive Its d