Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-09-02
GARDENER SCORES AGAIN.
A Good Capture Of a Persistent
Thief.
Walter Williams. Colored, Has
Been Robbing a Store Right
Along, But He Went Once Too
Often and is Now in Jail.

Yesterday morning just before six
o'clock officer Gardener made a rather
importan, arrest the prisoner being the
thief who for months pas. has been rob-
bing the meat shop Of F. Weimer &
Sons, al the corner of Tenth and Marke.
streets.
This store mas been the prey of thieves
and burglars for years. AS long ago
as four years it was robbed OF money
two or three times, the safe being blown
once, and since then there have been
a large number of mysterious theIts, It
being a common occurrence when Mr..
Weimer or his sons opened up n the
morning, 10 find few cans OF lard, or
a ham or TWO, or some fresh or salt meat
missing. Several parties have been IN
der suspicion at differ IL times, and y
police under different administrations
nave put in a good deal Of their spare
time watching the premises, but |nlie
the officers watched the house The thief
watched the officers, and when ne latter
turned their backs the stealing was
continued.
\ few days ago Officer Gardener de-
termined 10 catch the thief ii he had
to live at the store, and he procured
key. he spent some time in and out
Of the place, but Notwithstanding his
vigilance a couple Of hams disappeare!
last Saturday morning, CT rather aSous
7;tYN,+ IL
Ger took TO staying in the store more,
and yesterday morning, after he had re-
ported of and was supposed TO have
gene home. he was in the store room
waiting for something TO turn up. And
he did not wait in vain.
4 little after five o'clock, while Alex.
was sitting in The rear Of tae store, he
saw man come into the doorway and
press his face against the glass. After
looking inside in.ently for a moment,
the man went away but in a few min
utes he returned. and with the dizziness
born Of long experience he climbed 10
The TOD Of the door, drew himself
through ,ne transom. and dropped insiGe
so noiselessly thai if tna officer had not
been watching him he possibly would
not have heard hin. no sooner had the
intruder Strengthened up after his jump
tina. he saw the officer, and called out:
rs that you, CeorSe? They want
you over 81 the mari q, right away
While talking he was fumbHng az the
door latch. and as he finished speaking
he threw the night latch back and
dashed out OF the door, The officer fol-
lowed. but wh5n he reached the street
the thief could no. be seen. The officer
ran to the bridges and posted he toll
keepers. and ascer,ained tina, no one had
gone over Then ha EegaN G search.
Gardener had q pretty good notion thai
the thief was q cClored man nam 4
Walter Williams, living a. No. IS Indi-
ana street, Island, and he notified head
quarters, and Lieut.. Supler came up.
The two officers ,hen stared for VIII
Jams stable. a Tenth and EOff streets,
and found Il locked Supler climbed IN
10 The hay nov and descended inside.
a short search resulted in finding
fifty-pOund can Of lard, wijh F. Weimer
& Sons name on Il. and a nice nam. As
the officer saw thu goods he called GU.
to Gardener:
Break the door opea, Alex, here's
the stuff
Gardener accordingly forced the door,
and The goods wena aiken TO Aeadquar-
ters. Then they Went 10 Williams
house on he Island. and found thir-
teen more lard cans. all bearing me
name Of Z. We.mer & Sons AID decided
evidence of other ,hef,s. Williams YVES
found on Tenth street. in company with
another man. and with the most limo
cent expression On his face.
Use after YOU Walter" said Garden
er. Il wants you. honey"
"W-v-why- why! What's do matter?
amt done no.hin'," s,lmmered Will
Jams.
Deed you amt. Whaffer You got
dat lard can IN your stable fen? What
yer dom wild all dem cans ober al de
house? Whsr dye get dem hams.
n.ggah? Oh, no, you aim dun muffin.
You didn't 60 ting! Bu. I want Yer,
honey, an / want yer bad, 50 come
along" and Williams was toJed off 10
The City Hall
Later in The morning he was arraigr7d
before Justice Phillips andsen, % Jail
for a hearing. when Mrs Williams
hrard of what had happened she was
considerably astonished. and said:
Deed, | wondered what took Walter
over to town 50 early in the morning
] axed him about iJ, an says ], deed it
ainc that you bring home so awful
much money Sometimes he'd get up
an ! wouldn't know it till daylight.
Deed. | nebr knowed a thing about
what he was doin'.'