The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-03

This despicable gang appears soon AFTER
wards on Front street and this is what
Mrs Peters says: "Some] time after
twelve O'Clock heard voices and looking
out saw two men and woman right In
our front yard. One man chased her ana
she ran further into the yard as II 10
avoid him. My husband being aroused
by the noise came down stairs and went
out on the piazza and the woman salo'
Protect me from these men, She then
ran up my front steps into the house ana
the two men after her, One man stepped
up and demanded that we let the woman
out. She replied: Il don't know these
men, The man said: You came over
with us, come out of there The smaller
man who had been standing on the lower
step then drew a revolver and pointed it
at my husband. In the meantime my son
had been awakened and seeing what was
going on he took his gun and yelled out
to the crowd: Get out of here or I will
blow your brains out My other son then
go6 to the scene and in a graf rome of
voice said: Get out of here. The men
then left, but the woman remained in my
house until the arrival of Constable
Fowler who took the woman and placed
her in neighbours house for the night.
1t should be mentioned right here that
early in the morning the woman was
takenofrom the house and placed with the
authorities in Knightville for safe keep
ing. Shewas afterwards released on as
+r1,, h. liv,ac
to appear as witness and after giving
her whereabouts Ito the officers of the
town.
After short rest the burglars resumed
operations and the scene of the last act
was in front of Elliott's grocery on High
street. 1t was about one O'Clock when a
party of three young men were returning
from the city on their bicycles and the
two in the lead on reaching the grocery
store, just mentioned, saw light in the
store and at once concluded that 1t was a
proper subject for Investigation. They
slowed up and cautiously went to the side
of the building. Folose to the window, and
saw man ransaoking the desk drawers,
counters, etc. They concluded to dc. moth
ing until the arrival of their companion,
who was known to be man of nerve,
older and of more experience, who at the
time was known to be "scorching" 1t
down Broadway.
Thus REINFORCED one Of the party
grasped his bicycle wrench, the only
weapon available, and stepping up to the
window said to the man inside. who had
just picked up a basket filed with pro-
visions of all kinds: "Put up your
hands" 'I will show you my nerve"
replied the burglar, 81 don't give did
for your weapon About this time one
of the gang who remained on guard out.
side the store was heard to say: "Come
outside the store, this Is no place for you
now" Acting upon this advice the man
leaped through the window and went off
at break neck pace. In the meantime
two of the bicycle party had hurried of
to notify Mr.. Elliott and his clerk, Mr..
Innes of wha. was going on. The burglars
might possibly have been brought to bay
had it not been for one of the gang who
dealt a stunning blow with sandbag on
ground. The young man, although con-
siderably dazed did not lose consciousness
but before ne could collect himself the
burglars had escaped.
Mr.. Elliott and his clerk soon arrived
on the scene and on entering the store
with no money and that the provisions
which they had carefully put up in
bundles had been left behind, owing to
the hasty retreat which they had been
obliged to make owing to the opportune
arrival of the bicycle party.
Constable Fowler was aroused about
one O'Clock by Bob Nickerson who told
him that Burglars were at work in the
village. Mr.. Fowler, said IT turned
out as quickly as could and at once be-
gan to search the village pretty thorough
". I then went home to quiet my folks
and started for Knightville to head the
party off If they should start for Port
land. remained there all night and got
home Just in time for breakfast. heard
about g. Is O'Clock yesterday morning that
the burglars had just passed through the
village. rushed down to the ferry boat
and caught them at the end of the ferry
slip. The boat hid just. touched in and
the gang were getting ready to 60 on
board. Tbs men had been described to
me and easily identified them. There
were two in the party which arrested,
one of them being the one armed man.
They were dressed in working suits. l
was sure of the men, but tor fear there
might be a flash in the pan took them
to some of the places that they had visited
the night before, where they. were at once
identified. I then took the two men to
the city and lodged them in the police
station" -
Mr.. Fowler did clever work and his
captures will be brought before trial
Justices court in South Portland today
for a preliminary: hearing. AT the.station
in the city one man gave his name as
James Keegan and says he belongs in
Dedham, Mass. the other claims Provi-