Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-18
Gang Of Horse Thieves and
Post Office Burglars
Run Down and Broken Up BY Sheriff
Norton Of Waldo.
Several Arrests Of Suspected Parties A Hear
ing at Belfast. Today.

OF morse thieves ana pOStOmce burglars,
which has been operating in the vicinity
of Waterville had been broken up by
Sheriff Norton of Waldo county.
For nearly two weeks gang Of horse
thieves has been at work in the vicinity
of Waterville. During that time breaks
have been made In Palermo, Montville,
Searsport and other towns in the imme-
date vicinity. The police in Waterville
have been hard at work on the cases but
have been unable to locate those who
have had hand in making the breaks.
There has been strong suspicion
among the officers of kennebec county,
,liat there was regular gang of crooks
at work in the county. The Waterville
officers have been In communication with
the officers In this county asking their
aid dim IN locating &c the people who have had
A week ago Saturday, a break at Ben
ton, when horse was stolen. started the
officers hard onto the ira. of the often
kennebec county but the officers were
unable to find the author of the deeds
Finally word was sent to the officers In
this county, the Waterville officers hav-
ing suspicion that the alleged criminals
might be in this county, to locate them II
United States Marshal B. 0. Norton
went to work on the case at once and
during the latter part of last week went
to Mercer. Before he went he disguised
and seating himself in an old team drove
to Mercer. There he passed himself off
as a broken down horse jockey. His
strong suspicious that gang of horse
thieves was located in that vicinity led
him to believe that Dwight knox was
among crew of people in that vicinity:
He tried to trade horses with several
people there but was unable to do SO. He
was finally directed to Knox who was
said to have horse to trade; Knox
said lie would like to. trade. He was
finally asked to step into Deputy. Nor
tons carriage in order that he might see
the speed of the Norton horse.
In few moments the horse was flying
down the road at q good rate of speed.
The conversation drifted onto horse and
finally Knox said: Il like your horse
first rate
Il like your horse too,' said Deputy
Norton, land | want him. But come to
think of it l want you more than 1 do
the horse: You will consider yourself un-
der arrest"
Knox offered objections but finally gave
himself up to the officer who placed the
man in safe. keeping. While it is not
known: positively. it is understood. that
Knox has made admissions that will i'm
plicate other men who are supposed to
i In n the the meantime 1"s Sheriff Norton has
been at work on the same case. He re-
ceived word during the latter part of
last week, that some of the members of
the supposed gang were located near
Burnham He at once went to work on
-
tnat part of the gang were located in
tnat vicinity. From conversation with
different parties in that locality he
learned that tall and short man had
been in Capt. Fle,.ners store. Here they
had bought crackers and cheese. When
they paid for the goods they had bought
one of the men took out handful OF
change, from which ne paid for the pur-
chases.
Sheriff Norton had been looking for
just such men and he then began to
trace them. 1t rained hard, Saturday.
men by their tracks. He followed the
men for miles, sometimes by team, other
times on foot until he came to a barn in
Marsh's corner. Here permission was
given to search the barn, another man
having been enlisted into the services of
the officers. When the barn was searched
two men were discovered. Ihey put up
fake story. that they, lad travelled a
were placed under arrest and gave their
names as Henry Wiley and Judson Will
ley. After being taken in charge by the
officers they acknowledged that they. had
not told a straight story in regard to
their manner of travelling.
The men were searched but the officers
were unable to find any money on them
in spite of the fact that they had short
time before a large quantity of small
change with them.
The men were brought to this city, Sat-
urday, by Sheriff Norton and lodged in the
county Jail. They will be arraigned,
Tuesday. on the charge of brea king and
ity of Palermo.
The men were first located in what Is
known as Yorktown, a place which is
quite a favOrite resort of men of Ques-
tionable character.
In the meantime Deputy Sheriff Nor
ton had been at work on another end Of
the case. Complaint had been made to
the officers that gang of burglars was
at work in Kennebec county and that
breaks had been made at Albion and 9TH
err places. Also that horses had been
stolen. The deputy at once started in on
the case and during the latter part OF the
week, Marden Horne, a man accused OF
knowing much about the affair was 10
Gated near Yorktown in barn. A man
was employed to assist the officers. Per-
mission was given to search the barn and
when discovered, Marden started to run;
Gent to cause the man to son. He was
finally placed under arrest.
1t is the opinion of the officers that
through the arrests made the gang of
burglars making breaks in the towns
surrounding Waterville has been broken
up. This theory is strengthened by the
report of store keepers in the vicinity of
Burnham that these men have had an
unusual amount of small change wiz
them.
The captures by Sheriff Norton, Deputy
Norton and Deputy United States Mar
shall B. o. Norton, are decidedly clever
and are worthy of the highest praise from
the fact that it looks as though gang of
crooks Is broken up.
Or. Nancy again Remanded.