New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-09

NEW-ENGLAND'S BICYCLE HIGHwAYMAN
CAUGHT AT LAST
CAPTURED BY TAUNTON POLICEMEN AFTER A
DESPERATE RESISTANCE AND FULLY IDEN-
TIFIED-HIs VARIED CAREER
OF CRIME.

Taunton Mass. Aug. s.-The police this morn
Ing arrested Herbert Willis suspicion of beinG
the noted bicycle thief OF Southeastern Massa-
chusetts and Rhode Island and all-round des-
perado He belongs in Taunton, and IL about twen-
tytwo years old. There Is little doubt about his
being the person who shot the two men in Provi-
dence. then stole a wheel from one OF them
and escaped the Stearns bicycle taken in Provi-
dence has been found here also a Wavery wheel.
and II Is known that he recently gave woman :
safety to girl In this city. He is employed In a
fish market here, and his description is complete
His hand shows the Of the glass received
when he dashed through the window In Dawson $
place in Providence. and they were dressed by a
doctor in this neghborhood soon after that oc-
currence.
For two or three days he has beer watched
knowing his desperate courage five officers went to
his fathers fish market early this morning. When
told that he under arrest. Willis whipped out a
revolver but Officer Bolton grappled with him, the
rest closed In and a fight followed One re-
volver was grabbed from him. and he quickly
pulled another which Officer Briggs caught by the
muzzle and turned aside. just saving his life by
striking Willis with his club. officer Powers was
flung against the wall with great violence as the
five tried to disarm Willis. Ills hand was
badly injured Willis also got Officer Briggs :
| thumb in his mouth and chewed 1t like piece OF
meat lie finally downed by the five powerful
/ and lrOned. 1t Is marNel tndt none OF tnem
were shot. az the desperation of the man was
showr r. his violence and his bulldog courage In
iacl1s and holding at bay for several minutes five
Of ,rc strongest and most courageous men In the
city j. seemed at one time like of killing or
being killed Willis did not ask why he was taken.
He seemed TO expect arrest and was prepared FOR
battle.
After he was locked up the bicycles before men
toned were found In many ways Wills answers
the description OF the murderer OF Fred ~ strange
in this city and II Is evident that the police nave
In his possession bears the number of the wheel
that taken from the man in Providence when
the desperate fleeing from the scene or the
shooting in the bicycle shop and the street Pierce
whose store entered in Raynham. was unable
to identify him. he did not get good view OF the
fellow at that time -
In searching the quarters occupied by Wills the
police found a bushel OF cigars, belt ana Dirk
and other articles which would seem TO connect
stores in this neighborhoo1. Further search by
the police has unearthed large quantity OF goods
which were stolen from Reads store at North
DightOn. Witherells store at Oakland and m"
Pierce Hardware Company at Taunton. Thus the
crime of burglary is fastened surely upon him. The
goods recovered are numerous and varied enough
10 stock a country store. Several valuable pistols
are among them, also articles OF women's wearing
apparel. ~
The Providence man in whose store Willis
smashed the window and escaped identified him
at the police station here this afternoon. That set
tied his completely in bcycestealing two attempts
to kill and highway robbery In Rhode Island as well
as burglary, thefts and possible murder In Massa-
chusetts.