The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-29
ALONZO ]. WHITMAN CAUGHT
FOUND IN HIS MOTHER'S HOUSE
IN DiNSIILLE, y. y.

An Electric Bell Warns Him OF the Arrival
or Detectives and lie Escapes Through
..- q secret Opening In the Nall-Fall'
Into snoWbank, and Is NabDed.
BUFFALO. Jan. 2s.-Alonzo j. Whteman
was arrested by the Buffalo police and pri-
vate detectives at his Dansville home at
midnight last night, after an Intellectual
attempt to escape That Whiteman was
not killed was due TO the fact that there
was a deepsnow drift alongside his mothers
house, where the capture was made.
The Buffalo police, four in number, and
some Pnkeron detectives went to Dams
Vile late yesterday afternoon. arriving
there in the evening, They first searched
fArmhousss in the neghborhood Of Dams
vile and Wayland. also some places in
Dansville where they thought WhiteInan
mi ght he in hiding Detective Stoner OF
Buffalo came near being killed at one farm
house 9toner reached this place at mid
njght and aroused the farmer, declaring
that he wanted TO search the place For
answer tho farmer aimed a shotgun at
Stoner and fired. The shot tore picket
from thefenco near where Stoner was stand
ing. Tho detective did not insist on a
search.
about o'clock The search in surround
ing places having boon futile. the'detectives
were convinced that Whiteman was In hts
mothers home. 1t was long time before
their ring was answered AS soon az tho
door was opened two detectives forced
thor way In and began a search. White
man could not be found. The detectives
found that there was an electric bell in
one Of the bedrooms and that this
bell rang Whenever the front door bell
wns r7lng. In this room the bed clothing
showed that the bed had been occupied
recently. 1t was not Mrs Whiteman's
room and the detectives were certain that
Whiteman had occupied the bed, but they
could not find tho man. Outside the house
the moon was shining and the watchers
were certain that Whiteman had not made
his escape.
After q long search the detectives dis
covered secret opening in the wall of
room In a secluded part OF tho house. This
opening was on a shute that looked like
a large sized air passage. The chute ex-
tended through the roof and from the out
sido the portion Of tho chute extending
above tho roof looked like chimney The
detectives concluded that Whteman was
In the part of the chute above the roof
Two mon then went on the roof. White
man heard them coming, and leaped out OF
the chute The detectives drew their
revolvers and Whiteman stood at bay.
The detectives thought he was going TO
fight and started to close ia on him. Then |
Whiternan slipped on the ICY tin roof. He |
slid TO the edge OF the roof and hung there |
for q mougut, about twenty-lve feet above |
the ground The detectives started after |
him, Int before they could reach him |
he lost his hold on tho roof and fell |
over. Fortunately for him, he fell into !
Il big snowdERt and escaped unhurt.
Before he could cise the detectives were |
on HIM and had him handcuffed. White |
man offered no further resistance. and was |
brought to Buffalo. He chatted freely |
with bis eaptoTs, but refused to say any, |
thing that could DO used in the form OF a |
statement relating to the alleged crime for |
which he was arrested.
There are ak indictments against White |
Uian in this county. Four charge grand |
larceny in tho Arsb degree one charges |
'Attempt to commit grand larceny and |
one charges forgery.
1t was four months ago yesterday that |
WhtemRn eseap ped from officers while being I
brought TO this city from st. Louis. where |
he was arrested. He escaped through |
a window from moving train near Dun
kirk. For permitting Whitemnn to escape |
In this manner, Detective Albert Solomon !
OF Buffalo was reduced to the rank OF pa
trolman 10 ia believed that ever since |
Whiteman has been in hiding near his /
mothers home in Dnuville. The detectives |
found v0rinus devices in Mrs. Whiteman's |
house that were designed to be used to
make an escape. the chute being one OF |
thom
Many persons near Dansyile believe |
that Whteman is being prosecuted. and it |
is said that tbeee persons have helped HIM |
TO hide from the officers during the past |
four months. That s why nearby places |
were searched before tho Whitemhn house |
was visited.
Tho particular crime with which White /
man Is charged wes committed after July |
? in Buffalo. On the streaRth OF forged |
draft. the amount of which had been |
changed from 50 so that it read 5000. |
made ont "a T. II. Hubbard of East Aurora. |
n. T., on the Leather Manufacturers Bank |
OF this city, tn account was opened with /
the Fidelity Trust Company Of Buffalo |
and amounts 10 the extent OF 81 $50 drawn |
out. The Plpkertons determined that
Whlteman had engaged Joseph BOothman, /
an old curb broker, 10 cooperate with him
and pose as Hubbard, while he kept in
the background.
Whiteman is the last Of tho so.called
Knox-Whtomnn band gang Of swindlc-9
which has operated VIGOROUSLY through
out the country for a number Of years He
has been sentenced 10 an aggregate OF
sixteen years Imprisonment. and has served /
one year actual sentence The Pnkertons
think now thoy have him where he cannot
get away. He was at one time Mayor OF /
Duluth and State Senator OF Minnesota,
at which time he was reputed to be worth
81 900 900.