The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-27

a perfect athletic looking fellow. He
looks like he could run with a race
horse. Quick, active and ready, des-
cribes him
Some weeks ago he came to Charlotte
/ and remained some time. He went to
| w. F. Dowd's bicycle shop and rented
i bicycle for a stated time. The wheel
/ nor the man ever came back any
/ more till a few days ago Officer Cum
| ningham brought them back from
| Charleston, S. c. The story told by the
/ officer goes this way: As soon as Mr.
/ Dowd became alarmed about his wheel,
! the officers were notified; the news
| papers wrote it up and ere long Valid
/ was captured d. Charleston by detec-
| tive The detective went to where
Valid was giving a performance on
wheel He was riding with his head
on the saddle and his hands on the
| peddles. The detective found his man
and the wheel. The bicycle trick-rider
| was the man wanted in Charlotte.
| Valid was at once arrested and Char
| lotte officers wired.
! While Valid was at large the officers
| had gotten information from Virginia
| that a man of the same description
| but under different name, was want
y
| But the name there was j. B. Felber.
Officer Cunningham was at once dis
| patched to Charleston for Valid on re-
| ceipts of the telegram here. The de-
| tectives had tried faithfully to get
some confessions from the captive, but
no. he was too shrewd. He would tell
| nothing He would not tell where he
| lived, where he boarded or anything
else. But detective Hogan did steal
| march on him and get him to tell
where he boarded. officer Cunning
! ham knowing of the jewelry stolen in
| Petersburg and the name j. B. Felbers
| told the detectives to search for it.
| They did not search in vain. The jew
| elry was found in his clothes. Also
| letters to J. b. Felber were found. He
| was brought here and bound over to
court On the way here he talked
| fiuently to Officer Cunningham. He
warned him to keep his eye close-or
| his prisoner would fly. He told the of
| ficer to give him five steps and all the
| hounds in Mexico could not catch him.
Some time ago Valid went to Rich
| mond, Va, and there girl became
| infatuated with him and gave him her
| diamond ring to wear. Soon he slipped
| and sold the ring. Then he secured a
| job with A. ID. Harding jeweler, of
| Petersburg, Va. After he had been
| there some time friend of the Rich
mond girl told Mr.. Harding that Valid,
| then known as j. B. Felber, had done a.
| bout the ring He got after Valid but the
| slick tongue of the young Dutchman
| bluffed Harding. That night Valid and
| about $400 worth of jewelry disappear
| ed. The next time Valid was heard of
| was here.
/ Monday he was tried, found guilty
| and sentenced to the penitentiary for
| three years. The sheriff had to bring
him from the jail in carriage as he
claimed his feet were sore. But in the
afternoon when the trial was over he
was nimble enough to walk back. The
| sore feet seem to have been a bluff
game.
VALID would have no lawyer. He
said it was useless as they were all
block heads after his money. He said
he preferred keeping his money and
going to Jail. On the stand he was
asked if he had been in jail in the old
country. He said many times. Without
| much ceremony the judge gave him
| three years. Valid sprang to his feet
| and told the judge that he had not
been dealt with fairly. He said the
! ! Judge was too nar1a on him. He was
| pretty cheeky in court. He is now in
jail waiting to go to Raleigh.
HIS STORY OF HIS LIFE.
The reporter called on Oscar Valid
| in the jail yesterday morning. When
| asked to tell all that he could about
| himself he said: 81 was born in Ger
many &c years ago. About seven years
| ago / came to this country. BY trade
/ am matchmaker and jeweler. Be
| fore leaving Germany / attended the
| high schools and then went to serve
year in the German army. But only
serveGbeight months. had duel with
one of the lieutenants with swords and
| then left. / went to Amsterdam, Hol-
land, and there taught bicycle school
| for about two months. From Amster-
| dam / went to New York and joined
| fellow named Hensler, in the bird bust
| ness. We bought and sold all kinds of
birds, canaries, parrots, etc. Hensler
| burned his store and we went to
| Africa and caught parrots and took
| them to Mexico and sold them. From
| Mexico we went to Rochester, New
| York Then I started in business for
| myself. / sold watches and jewelry
| and German birds. From Rochester
/ went to Buffalo into bicycle repair
shop-and also gave physical instruc-
/ tions there After this 1 was travelling
over the country for bicycle companies.
I travelled from Chicago to Mexico
and all between and to the west and
east. Then went back to Germany,
then to Holland, then Japan and
China In China received for bicycle
| trick riding six gold medals and one
silver; in Japan three. do all kinds
| of tricks on the wheel. Ride on my
head and anything else.
When I came back I joined Buffalo
| Bills show in this country. I remained
with him three months riding the
| wheel and doing other acting. From
| him I went to Barnum's circus and
| played clown and trapeze performer.
| Then I went, after awhile, to Rich
4 Z 4 f.