The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-07-27
HOW SHERIFF BURNS CAPTURED
A PAIR OF HORSE THIEVES.
Pursued Them Day and Night for a
Week-On Foot, by Buggy, by Tram
Thrilling Leap From a Train.

Week-On Foot, by Buggy, by Tram
Thrilling Leap From a Train.
Monday noon Sheriff Ed. G.. Burns ar
rived In Brookville with the pair Of
horse thieves, John Henry Burgen and
Joseph Branmis, whom he had chased n
week before capturing them. The edi-
tor Of THE STAR found Sheriff Burns
In his Office Monday afternoon and from
him we got the following facts concern
ing the chase aud capture Of the
thieves.
On Saturday. 10th inst, while all the
citizens OF PunXsutawney were interest
ed in the departure Of Co. l., Burgcn
and Branmis stole horse and buggy
out of she'd The rig belonged 10 q
farmer named McTlwainc, who had
driven to town to see the soldier boys
depart. The theft was reported To
Sheriff Burns and that evening the
sheriff started after the thieves, but IL
was not until Sunday afternoon that he
got onto the right trail OF the fugitivcs.
They had driven TO Adrian, then to
Eleanora. then TO Big Run and from
there TO Bells Mills, thence 10 McGees,
on the Susquehanna river. The thieves
did not take direct route at any time,
pose Of throwing their pursurs OF
the trail. From Metiees they fled
TO Coalport, Hastings. Carltown, Indi-
ana county. Then they crossed the
main line Of the Pennsylvania railroad,
near Pleasultvile tunnel, to Elliott
and 10 Scalp Level. At this point
Sheriff Burns lost the trail and before
he regained IL the fugitives had two
days start OF him. From Scalp Level
the parties took to the mountains.
bringing up at Bedford. Pa. From
Bedford they drove into Maryland and
took down the Cumberland Valley. At
Frostburg. Md, they traded the stolen
horse and buggy for another horse and
road wagon, and the wagon they traded
later for II cart. Then they made "a
dicker with band Of gypsies by which
they secured pony. From Frostburg
Sheriff chased the fugitivcs through
Piedmont, Keyser, Lemon, German and
other West Va. towns, and during that
chase they traded the cart for watch,
sold the harness rS2.00 and also sold
the pony, but the sheriff did not learn
what they got for the pony. Sheriff
chased them from Piedmont to Davis
and back to Piedmont on freight trains
and about daylight Saturday morning,
after one weeks chase, he captured
Burgcn In the mountains in Maryland,
across the river from Piedmont. after a
thrilling experience.
Sheriff Burns got on an early passcn-
ger train at Piedmont Saturday morning
and stood on the steps TO look for Burgen
along the railroad. AT the lower end
Of the yard, when the train was running
almost at full speed, Sheriff saw Burgen
sitting near some freight cars and he
leaped oil the train. Burgen saw the
sheriff jump and he ran under the cars
and took across the river for the noun
tains on the Maryland side. with the
sheriff in pursuit. Burgen had the lead
and was better runner than the lusty
sheriff, but when they began to ascend
the mountains the officer made good use
OF his revolver, and after one ball had
torn a hole Ia Burgcns coat and famed
his backbone and another one grazed
his stomach. Us the fugitive turned TO
see II the sheriff was gaining on him,
then Burgen knew that Sheriff Burns
was In earnest, and he surrendered.
Sheriff returned to Piedmont with
Burgen and as he came to Il short turn
in the street he found Branmis sitting
there and he grabbed him before the
fellow even could think OF running.
Sheriff Burns arrived in Pittsburg Sat
urday night with his prisoners and had
to remain there over Sunday.
When the men were captured Burgen
had % cents and Branmis had 10 cents
They had sold everything saleable and
spent the money for whisky. Burgen
said he had sold his revolver couple
Of days before Sheriff Burns captured
him or he would have shot at the sher-
iff on the mountain. During the chase
these two men stole all they had to eat
and stole oats for the horse. They
caught and killed pig on the noun
talns. At one place they awakened a
man at five o'clock in the morning and
asked him for chew OF tobacco.
Sheriff Burns was not in bed from
Wednesday until Saturday night, and
the morning he captured the thieves he
had not had anything TO eat for almost
twenty-four hours. He destroyed suit
Of clothes in the chase up the mountain
after Burgen and skinned his shins
badly. Sheriff had to buy new clothing
to wear home. He spent over 10000
in telegraphing and telephoning, hiring
rigs and men to assist in the chase
after the fugitiyes.
Sheriff Burns certainly deserves
great credit for persevering in the
chase until he captured this pair OF
horse thieves. They are both bad men
and have been in the clutches Of the
law before.
Fell Against Stoye.