Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-10-16
May Have Been Mem.
bers of an Old Gang.
Lorain County Tragedy Adds New
Chapter to Criminal History.

| tragic situation And the most interest
ing part of it all is the outcome. 1t
was entirely different from the usual
story Of robbers brought to bay. In
stead of the innocent protector of his
property being shot down in cold blood,
it was the victim, man supposed to
be dead, who, shot down two despera-
does and wounded two so that they
We're easily captured.
OF the two men in the county jail
at Elyria, one is sorely wounded. He
gives his name as Casey and he was
found Tuesday night by neighbor of
the Meaches lying under tree with
great wound in his leg ard his right
thumb shot off. He is the smooth
est known member of the gang. He
carried the explosive and tools neces-
sary to open the safe. He was styl-
ishly dressed and was easily the wisest
of the desperadoes. 1t is easy to i'm
agine that he was their leader. Yes
terday he was put under the strain Of
a ''sweat box" examination at the
hands of Kohler and Watt. He proved
himself clever and resourceful man.
The question was asked on all sides.
What ic fiji, oauo of dpspprad doaS2 Is
1t company of amateurs or the re-
mains of some old gang? The Foster
gang and Lowry gang were on every
body's tongue. The detectives openly
secuted the possibility of connection
between the latter and the men caught
here. Every indicatlon points, how
ever, to the belief that the men cap
tured and those killed are "old birds"
The other prisoner calls himself Da-
Wis. He was captured by Marshal
Dawson, and his deputy, Sam Warner,
in the stockyards of the Big -Four road
at Wheelington, an hour after the
shooting. He was searched and nothing
was found in the way of a weapon.
He was taken to Elyria, where he was
again searched and locked up. A boy
attached to the prison happened to
, walk by the cell soon after and he
/ saw suspicious moves on Davis part.
An investigation was made and under
. his pillow was discovered a razor and
huge 4S-calibre revolver The Off
GERS are at loss to explain the mys-
terry. Had he been physically able to
run he could have finished his guards
and escaped, for time, at least
Almost every detail disclosed at the
examination of these two men and
the inspecting of the bodies Of the dead
pointe d toward Cleveland as a center
for tile contemplated crime that ended
so disastrously TO the plotters. Both
the prisoners have been seen recently
in Cleveland by Cleveland officers. One
of them was in Cleveland for five days
almost Immediately preceding the trag-
edy. He was noted by detective and
told 10 move on" out of the city.
One Of the dead men was much better
dressed than the other. He wore a
quiet suit Of good material with new
shoes. The footwear was bought In a
Cleveland store, and within week or
ten Gays, as the newness had hardly
believed that the members of the gang
e still at large will head for Cleveland
as Crering a quick aud effective haven.
One Of the most jniportunats by.
: starders at the door of the EIyrla
morgue Wednesday was a woman. She
! was anxious to see the remains of the
] dead men, and sent message after mes
j sage in to Sheriff Warden, asking for
permission to enter. This woman
was Julia Beebe sister of Nell Lowry,
: the wife of the notorious Charles Low
ry. She will be given an opportunity
to see the dead men today. RGmors
were rife about Elyria last night to
: the effect that Lowry himself was
in town under cover. The police, how
J ever, regard these rumors as bogus.
Not only have the Cleveland officers
''got line" on the identity of the liv-
ing prisoners but it is believed That
they have an idea of the identity Of
the dead men. A comparison of pho
? toera mis- and Rertillon measurements