The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-23
LOOKS LIKE BIG CATCH.
Curious Chain of Circumstances Lead
to Arrests at Fl Reno.

Guthrie Q. T.. Feb. 22.-The authorities
at Fl Reno believe they have broken up
a nest of looters who has caused much
trouble IN that city The American says:
= he officers OF the city think they haze
aptured the gang of thieves that has
Leen operating IN III Reno for some time.
. hoy iaade ri raid On one OF The little
negro nuts on Choctaw avenue back of
The Kerfoot hotel, yesterday morning.
and dragged seven of the inmates up 10
the city jail. And it all came about in
queer manner.
About o'clock yesterday morning
Night Watchmen Stone and Chance ran
across a man on Bickford avenue. who
was nursing pretty juicy Jag and some
wounded feelings. lie was run in as
plain drunk When they ept him to the
station. he begged the officers not TO put
him in Jail. saying that if they would let
him go he would tell Them something
worth knowing. He was made to tell
his story and was promised that if what
hes had said was correct he would be re-
leased Tie mans name Was Lon Rob
erson. lie told the officers the Turf sa-
loon had been robbed that night, and
that he had helped to carry away
the booty. He said that he>accidently ran
across the negroes in the alleyway in the
rear of the saloon. who had robbed the
place and they had asked him to help
them carry away some of their plumber,
They went down Bickford avenue TO one
of the little shacks back of the Kerfoot.
and that after he had gone there With
them they had robbed him of his hat,
s.. 50 in money and then kicked his
pants out Of there.
The mans story was evidently correct
The officers went To the saloon and found
the back door opea and saw where the
negroes had tapped the till. They then
went to the place on Choctaw avenue
where the gang was said to be. and raided
the place. They got three women and
four men. lined them up on dress parade
and marched them to the police station.
Then they went back and searched the
place. They found three bottle of the
stolen whisky in the cellar of the place.
and four bottles in the house. They went
into "a trunk and found two guns, one Of
which was later identified by Mr. lie
Breton the owner Of the Turf saloon.
While the officers were working in the
house negro who works al the Capital
cafe came stroning down TO the place.
and he was taken in BY the officers on
suspicion. Later his apartments We're
searched. and another bottle of whisky
of the same variety rs was taken from
the saloon was found.
From various members Of the gang
they hauled OUT several of the revolvers.
knives and razors which had been stolen
from the Bonebrake Hardware store a
FEW days ago. In the basement of the
old cellar they found portion of q bottle
81 whisky which correspondent with the
brand oil whisky that was stolen from
Mr. Johnson saloon the same night of
tie Bonebrake burglary. The negroes
gave the names OF Henry Calvin. Joe
Joe Johnson. Manuel Nickerson and Gene
Watson. The women had no names. prac-
ticsHy The saloon had been robbed
about two o'clock, The man Robertson
was arrested about four o'clock and the
raid on the joint took place about five
o'clock yesterday morning. The officers
are pretty certain that they have the
gang who have been making the midnight
raids on the business houses for some
time. and they certainty have some very
damaging evidence.