The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-22
FIVE-YEAR Term
FOR TOUGH GANG
Railway Robbers Yield to the
Law in Virginia and Are
Safe in the Penitentiary.
MADE MANY RICH HAULS
SURRENDERED FOR SAKE OF
WIFE OF LEADER.

RlCnmOnd, va, Aug. Z.-LeWlS Rogers
and Harry Allan, alias Harry Stein, the
railway baggage thieves, who are said TO
have robbed the various trunk lines of
the country of nearly 10000 in the last
few years and who recently made an I'M
successful but daring attempt to cut their
way out of the city jail. have pleaded
guilty to the charges preferred against
them by the Virginia authorities and are
now serving d fiYe-year term in the state
penitentiary
Edith Allan. alias Edith Stein. the wife
of Allan and former Broadway actress,
is expecting a visit from the stork, and
Will probably be released as soon as she
is able to travel. The confession by the
men of the crimes charged against the
woman as well as themselves was for the
evident purpose of obtaining her release
from prison and to save her offspring the
stain of being born in prison.
Mrs. Allan's case will be nolle prose-
quied, not only on account or her con-
dition, but because positive evidence that
she operated with Rogers and Allan in
Virginia is still lacking.
Harry Miller and his wife. Mary, who
were also arrested in the general round
up of the aggregation, are still at I'D
erty. Miller escaped from police head
quarters in New York while fighting ex-
tradition to Virginia upon the charge of
which Rogers and Allan stand convicted.
Mrs Miller was released from CUSTODY
by the New York authorities because OF
active member of the band.
How Scheme Was Worked.
The men were charged in the Virginia
warrant with taking and carrying away
four trunks, of the value of $4,000, from
the Chesapeake & Ohio railway. The
trunks had been shipped from Orange
courthouse to this city, as the property
of Chesapeake & Ohio passengers. IN the
station at Orange Allan had the trunks
checked to Richmond, where they were
claimed by Rogers, who was TO nave
shipped them on to another point, prop
ably New York, whien is the acAho"l-
edged headquarters of the band.
Their method was to get several dupl-
cate baggage checks, watch the best no
tells where the women members, rlchly
sometimes kept for weeks at a time, re-
move the checks from the baggage known
to be the property of wealthy people, re-
place them with their own checks, du-
plicate of which would De sent 70 t coil-
federate at the designated destination,
who would meet the baggage at the oepot
with a conveyance, take possession. anu
at the proper time send il to their mead
quarters. where it would be opened anu
the contents disposed Of
Rogers was arrested in this city. Inc
arrest of the others, Allan and Miller ana
the two women, took place IN New YORK
several days later when thelr apart apart
ments were raided and a mass of every
conceivable kind of goods discovered
list of all the stuff recovered in TINS rald
covers ten closely typewriter pages. inc
arrest was made at the instigatiion on inc
Virginia authorities who Immediately put
1ID a fight to have the prisoners orought
to this state for trial. The prisoners, VINO
were abundantly supplied with money, put
up a stiff fight against exIaaltion' Say say
ing that there was no evidence 10 cum
meet them with the Virginia robbery
Big Bonds Offered.
BOND was offered for their release in
the sum of $4,000. Rogers, who was DUR
iDr This time in prison in Richmond, was
told that he would be backed TO any
amount Finally. Just before the case was
concluded in favor of Virginia, after nav
ing been taken TO the supreme court oi
tbe United states Miller made his Sensa-
tionaI escaDe. His wife had previously
obtained her release. These two are sun
at liberty. although indictments have
been found against Miller, and the author-
titles are still following his trail
Exactly how long these people nave peeh
Oneratfny over the country is not known
hut it is a fact that large rewards nave
been offered for their capture within me
lost two wears indictments having been
found against them in at least SIX states.
Virginia has two additional charges
against them. but whether these Will De
n1s,ed has not vet been determined Ihey
arc wanted in nearly all the larger cities
Of the country. including New YORK, Bos-
ton. Chicago, Philadelphia, PlttsDurS, St'
I ,o1Iis Louisville Cleveland. CINCINNATI
New Orleans, Atlanta, B % t,-ticb these
cities are located, and others, VIII Oh
tain possession of the prisoners wieh
they have completed their terms OF I'M
,,yisouunent in the Virginia penitenuary IN
~ order in which their claims are fled.
If the charges are sustained IN the oIn-
~ s+ates as in Virginia, il is hardly PROB
able that the prisoners VIII ever AGAIN NC
ii' Admits Stealing $4,000.
Allan admits the theft of s150We worth
of baggage in the various states. but VIII |
not sDecifv times and places because OF
fine other indictments pending against
him. Those who have already Deeu d
rested are believed to be only a part OF
the hest organized band of crooks ever
oDerating in America. Every attempt VIII
be made to. secure the apprehension OF ths
ofbers and their conviction. TO TINS emu
he detectives are still working Win the
tbe hand is crippled. if not broken up.
Roeers and Allan. after being sentenced
were taken into the office OF inc city 80
geant. where the commitment papers wen
SiIed Rogers gave his name as r. II !
Roberts. alias Lewis Rogers. and ms age
as "a years He said he lived on Nine
teantb street. New York. When asked 10
1--WE his occupation. Rogers smiled
'.Ssy I won't work. he said.
1TLe word ''crookF was suggested as
,roner aDpeUative, hut Harry Glenn. at
iorney for Rogers and Allan, objected 70
lIaf and made a counter suggestion tnat
he he called clerk 1
.eFTinancier," said the court employe.
How about a trunk checker'?' sug-
"Cau me a baggage man. p" said Rog-
ers. and that was put in the commitment
Allan gave his name as Harry Allan,
alias Harry Stein, alias Harry vance
he said his age was about 30, and that
he didn't know where he belonged
BUT he added, you might as well