Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-10-26

STILL PLY TRADE.
Nightly Work Of Wisconsin Burglars Is
Heralded by the Press Of the State.


Nightly Work Of Wisconsin Burglars Is
Heralded by the Press Of the State.
One of the men arrested in juno
tion City about two weeks ago, on
suspicion of being one of the men
who held up and robbed Jos. Norys
and John Lundgren, it has been
proved, is an old criminal. At the
time of his arrest he gave the name
of John Gholtz and his partner that
of Russell McDuff. Though the real
hold-up men were later captured and
are now serving terms in the peni-
tentiary, the arrest of GholtZ and
McDuff, on suspicion, was fortunate.
At the time of their arrest they were
found to have complete kit of burg
lars tools and revolvers in their pos
session. They were brought here and
kept over night and returned to Port
age county the next day.
The fellow who gave his name as
GholtZ turns out to be a man sem
fenced from this county, July IA,
1906, on the charge of highway rob-
berry, and who few weeks before his
last arrest had completed a four years
term, having some good behavior time
to his credit. His name appears on
the court records here as Frank Will
liams.
On the morning of June 30, 1906,
Paul Pinkard and Alex. Kosky, resi-
dents ofrthe town of Kronenwetter,
started fer Wausau. When they
reached the railroad crossing three
miles south of Schofield, they were
halted by two men, who drew revoly-
ers on them and made an attempt at
robbery. One of them, Frank Will
liams, was captured by party of
armed farmers a short time after
wards and his partner, JAS. Larkins,
was caught by the sheriff's force
after he had reached point near
Mosinee. On the 14th day of July
following they pleaded guilty and
each was sentenced to serve four years
in the penitentiary. 1t afterwards
developed that Larkins was wanted
in Michigan for manslaughter, and at
the expiration of his term in the Wis
consin prison he was taken to Michi-
gan.
Williams, though young man,
evidently has had quite career as a
crook. Sheriff John Sell and Under
sheriff Frank O'Connor not being in
office at the time he was sent up from
here, did not recognize him when he
was brought here couple OF weeks
ago, although his picture and Bertil-
lion measurements are in the Jail.
He had just got out of prison and of
course looked somewhat different
than when the picture was taken.
He says he is twenty-six years old and
a native of Chicago. He claims he
purchased the revolver in Milwaukee,
but will not tell where he got the
burglar tools found on him. He, how
ever, says he did not intend to do any
burglarizing in Wisconsin. He says
his arrest and conviction here was un-
just; that he pulled gun in self de-
fence after getting into dispute
with the two farmers.
1t is likely that the only charge
which can be brought against him by
the Portage county authorities Is that
of having burglars tools in his pos
session.
The state bank of Minocqua was
robbed at an early hour Wednesday
morning and between 1000 and 81, 600
stolen. The crime was committed by
four masked men who, from all ac-
counts, were very deliberate and fear
less in their movements. They
worked nearly an hour and half be-
fore reaching the money in the safe,
and during that time exploded six or
seven charges of nitroglycerine.
A bartender in the Minocqua House
adjoining heard one of the explosions
and went outside to see what caused
it. He went back into the hotel in a
hurry for he encountered one of the
robbers on the sidewalk who ordered
him back into the hotel at the point
of revolver. He Immediately tele-
phoned for the marshal, and the lat
ter summoned a number of citizens to
his aid who started for the bank at
about the time the robbers had got
through with their work. In the last
explosion the inner safe door was
blown through the front of the build
ing and across the street, the explOS-
ion scattering considerable amount
of money over the street. The rob-
bers jumped on hand car and started
south. The mill crew of the Yawkey-
Bissell Lumber Co. at HaZelhurSt was
notified of their coming and got out
to intercept them. The robbers APP
peared in sight, were shot at and es-
capped into the woods. Up to the
present they have not been seen.
The C. & N. w. Ry. Co.'S safe in
Rhinelander was blown open few
nights ago and all the money it con-
tanned was taken. Two solicitors
working for d. G. Burdick of Osh-
kosh, formerly of this city, have been
arrested OH suspicion.
One of the state banks of Reeds
vile was blown TO pieces Thursday
morning and between So, 600 and 81, 900
stolen. There were four men. The
authorities have no clue to follow.
Every issue of the Milwaukee papers
tells of some safe cracking job in Wis
consin. 1t seems that the state is
overrun with burglars at present.
Some attribute the prevalence of this
class of crime to the fact that the
Chicago authorities are making the
greatest crusade in history to rid the
s'red light district of that city Of
suspicious looking characters. From
a gentleman who has Just come from
there we learn that every hanger-on
in the district mentioned, who has no
regular occupation, is chased out of
the city. This action forces the
crooks to collect their tools and go to
work, and they are certainly working
with vengeance.
The Bedrock OF Success.