The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-18
FIGHTING THIEVES
THEY STEAL AN OyERCOAT
Make a Hard Fight With Officers
Yesterday

There was a smaIl-sized battle yester-
day afternoon in front of Fulton's cloth
ing store on Douglas avenue between two
thieves and Detectives Cairns and Car
roll There is an organized band of petty
thieves who came into the city Wednes-
day afternoon. Among them are two or
three cripples. After Ed Gould closed his
resort just across from the Carey at mid
night Wednesday the rear window was
broken open with a fence post. The
thieves entered and obtained about SO in
nickles and dimes which they found in
the money drawer and in the slot machine
The detectives were suspicious of the five
who were arrested about four yesterday
afternoon.
During the morning this gang visited
several resorts about the city and bought
beer, paying for it invariably in nickles
and dimes. During this time they were
being continually Swallowed by the detec-
tives. Along about $3.50 two of the gang,
James Wilson and Fred Connors, passed
Jimmy Cairns while he was standing in
front of Jack Davidson's. He told Mr.
Davidson 10 stand where he was and
watch the two as he thought they were
going to begin work In the meantime
he walked across the street and stood in
the doorway of Mr.. Emil Werners store
50 that he could see what they would do.
Both stopped at the stairway just this
side of the Golden Eagle clothing store.
Wilson, with cool elaboration, unbut-
toned an overcoat which was on form
and in the twinkle of an eye threw it to
his pal who was standing in the stairway.
Connors started toward Market street
with the coat under his own. AS soon as
Cairns started diagonalIy across the
street to head him off, Connors turned
his head and saw him coming. He broke
and ran with Cairns at his heels. Up
Market to the alley, then west across
Main to Water the two few. Cairns at
last caught him by the coat tail and over
the two went. Both were up in a second.
Wilson showed fight and put up a good
battle officer Kerwin was soon on the
scene and he escorted Wilson to the city
Jail, while Cairns went back to find Con-
nors. lie came up the street and was
arrested by Cairns in front of Hettingers. |
He was turned over to Officer Brown, who |
took him to the station.
Shortly after Connors was arrested the
two cripples came out of Davidson's and
were standing on the edge of the side |
walk Detectives Cairns and Carroll |
stepped up and tapping them on the !
shoulder said they were wanted. One of |
the men, II. Thomas, only has one leg, |
the other being a wooden stump. Nc |
Donald has a club foot and walks with |
crutches. Thomas is a man who will |
weigh at least two hundred pounds Car |
roll had Thomas walking in front of |
Cairns and Mcdonald. When they got in !
front of Fulton's Mcdonald raised his |
erutch intending to hit Carroll over the |
mead. Cairns caught his arm. To this |
Mcdonald objected. Then the fight be- |
gan and five hundred people witnessed it.
The two cripples fought like demons and |
gave the detectives all they wanted. |
Neither of them wanted to hit them be-
,ause they were MANNED. At the out
Freak of the hostilities Carroll jerked his
nan off his feet and left him sitting on
he pavement and stood over him. Nc
Donald in the meantime was striking vic
ously at Cairns. Cairns kept logging the
blows but received three short arm blows
n the stomach. Thomas sat on the pave
nent and kept urging his pal on by say
ng:
Fright EN-. Crippy! Fight EN-. Crippy!
Don't letem take you!'
Mcdonald at last delivered a blow on
,airn's ribs. and then some one in the
rowd said: Hit him. Jimmy"
Cairns right shot out like a streak of
lightning and landed square on McDon-
IDS jaw It was all over. The two were
aiken to the station.
Later the treasurer Of the gang was ar
ested. He had his arm done up IN
ling. He gave lis name as Harry Wall.
Wall is known among thieves as a bug
nan" That is he busters his arm which
as an awful look. and will then solicit
Inns on the sympathy racket.
All of them will be given a hearing this
1oruing Before Judge Hatton.