Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-06-19

One of the most serious TODpeIieS
taking place in this city for good
while back was perpetrated last even
ing, about a quarter to six o'ci0ck, at
the residence OF Paul Winsieffer, NO.
1906 McColloch street.
The thief, who is safely in custody,
obtained certificates of deposit and cash
to the amount of seven hundred ana
five dollars, all Of which was recovered.
The screams of Mrs. Winsleffer, who
caught the thief in the act of leaving
the premises, were Interpreted to mean
that the house was on fire by some OF
those in the vicinity, and as result
an alarm was sent in from box No. 8,
at McCulloch and Thirteenth streets,
which brought section OF the fire de-
partment to the scene.
Mrs. Winsieffer was alone in the
house between five and six o'clock and
about twenty or twenty-five minutes OF
six she went to the house of a neighbor
for few minutes. While she was alb
sent stranger, whose name had not
been aScertained up to ten o'clock last
night, but who appears TO have been
begging money or articles of clothing
In the eastern portion OF the city, prob
ably as a cloak to his real business of
robbery. entered the house. Finding no
one at home, he made very rapid but
extremely thorough search Of the
premises down stairs, upsetting furnl-
ture, and overhauling all the down
stairs rooms, and then proceeded up
stairs. He made like complete job
in that part OF the house, opening
trunks, drawers, ETC., and in dressing
case found two pocketbooks. In one
were two certificates of deposit issued
by the Gsrman bank, one for $500 and
the other for 500. In the other pocket
book he found ninety-five dollars in
bills, a five dollar god piece, and A
twenty franc gold piece, or $105 in all
in cash. As he secured this money and
was about to descend the stairs Mrs.
Winsleffer returned, and on entering
the lower portion of the house she at
once saw that something was wrong, as
the furniture showed unmistakable
signs of having been overhauled and
searched She at once ran up stairs.
but was met by the thief, who BRAN
lSuCu q Slilell nun pOh~4 anu otNCihpS-
ed to strike her. He succeeded in get
ting past the woman and ran out Of the
house, while Mrs. Winsleffer ran to a
window and shouted murder and fire,
the latter cry causing the fire alarm
box to be pulled.
When he left the house the thief ran
up the hill to alley H, and then along
that alley to a cross alley connecting
with McCollOch street. He turned
down this alley and at once jumped
| over a fence, hiding behind an out
building which was only separated
| from the fence along the alley by a
space of few feet. Officer Michaels
was in the vicinity when the thief ran,
| and he at once took after him, but
| missed the fugitive when the latter
| jumped over the fence, and went on
down the alley as far as the Elm Grove
! track, across McColloch street. He
| failed to find the thief, and retraced his
steps, when a girl, who had seen the
man jump over the fence, informed the
| officer of the fact, and on looking over
the fence, the thief was discovered He
was taken back to the house, where he
protested his innocence, saying he was
waiting for a companion who had en-
tered a house along there. He was
| identified, however, and about the time
he was captured the two certificates of
deposit were found on the porch, where
| the thief had thrown them as he ran
out of the house. Michaels took his
| man to the City Hall, where he still
protested his innocence. He was
searched and the two gold pieces were
found in his pockets, and the ninety
five dollars of paper money in the toes
of his shoes, where he had placed it
while hiding between the out-buildlng
and the fence. He was locked up.
The fellow steadfastly refused to give
his name, but said he was from Chi
cago. and had been in Wheeling four
days. He was tolerably well dressed,
in soft hat, dark suit and black shirt,
with a string tie, and appeared to be
about twenty-five years of age.
All the indications point to his hav-
ing had some previous information
about the money kept in the house, for
he appears to have searched the prem
| ises thoroughly with some definite OBJ
| ject in view, and as soon as he found
the money he ran.
Another chance! CSC Ladies Vests
| Of 11c Friday and Saturday only st