The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-07
On 81 Charges Has Wheeler
Been Taken Into Custody.
HE WAS CONVICTED ONCE ONLY
For the SIrt. Third Time an Accusation has
Been Made Against Him and He Has
Fled 10 The Mountain

Rutland, VT, oct. 7.-Wanderng about
in the mountains east of Manchester,
pursued by sherins posse. Harvey
Wheeler Is trying oavoid what threatens
10 be his siXty-third soJourn behind pris-
on bars
Wheeler has for many years been
thorn in the flesh OF the law officers of
Bennington county Sixty-two times
within the past fifteen years they have
arrested him and siXty-one times he has
managed TO escape CONVICTION.
" heeler was born in Sandgate about
thirty-two years ago, his father being
hardworking farmer. Young Wheeler
early in life showed the traits of char
acter that have since marked his llte.
Those who We're boys with him say mat
he frequently pounded and thrashed chii-
dren smaller than himself.
lie was first arrested when seventeen,
charged with larceny. There was not
sufficient evidence 20 convict. year
later he moved TO Manchester, ana be-
fore he had been in that town month
he went into the barn of a neighbor at
night, yoked up the oxen and started
west. Reaching a small town in New
York. he sold the cattle and returned 10
Manchester.
Wheeler was promptly arrested but no
body would testify against him, and the
case went by default
CONVICTED ONLY ONCE.
The only time that Wheeler was con-
| victed was in March. 1896. Al that time
| he was arrested for beating "A boy and
| was sentenced TO fourteen months in the
state prison in this city.
The charges on which he has been ar
/ rested include drunkenness. breach OF
| promise, larceny. burglary. arson. va
| grancy liquor selling and disorderly con,
| duct. lie is now wanted for an alleged
| assault upon his stepson.
| Wheeler. about i've years ago. married
] "A widow with two children. one OF the
| children, a boy about eight years Old
| has been beaten and abused by Wheeler,
| il Is charged. until his health is broken;
( the hoy and was arrested by Deputy
! Sheriff NJ. j. Covry. He hitched up his
team and wei the sheriff and Mrs.
| Wheeler drove 10 the lookup.
| The justice before whom he was ar
| raigned placed him under $500 bonds 20
! appear in court Monday. Wheeler said ne
| could not furnish that amount and pre-
I pared to go 10 cell lie then asked
| permission 20 unhitch his horse for Mrs
| Wheeler This was granted and Wheel
| er went to the shed where the animal Was
| hitched, darted out Of the other ehd oil
| the building and took 10 the mountains
FEAR TO TESTIFY AGAINST HIM.
states Attorney Frank Archibald. OF
| Manchester, who has prosecuted Nheelei
| over thirty times. said:
"There is not a man i'm this vicinity
who would not like to see Wheeler II
prison. but nobody can be induced TO tes'
| tifv against him. They are all afral1
| OF him lie has often threatened 10 xii
| people and he would commit murder u
he could strike his victim i'm the back
| but he Is a coward
| farmers cattle would be poisoned or MS
barn burned before Wheeler had been ire'
! "a week.
| Wheeler In the number of times arrested
| IS John shannon. of Rutland. who has
! been arrested over hundred times.