The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-31
WOMEN, NUT MEN, IN THIS BURGLAR BAND Officers Are Deceived for a
 Long Time HEY LOOKED FOR MEN Male Footwear Prints Help to 5affIe Sleuths-Farmer's Wife in Dis
 guise Caught Red-handed, Shields Accomplices.
HEY LOOKED FOR MEN

From the New York World.
 Logan. Ia.-A gang of women burglars dressed as men, in trousers, shirts. top boots and hats, and wearing black masks over their faces, have been ter rorizing the country around about Wood bine, ten miles north of Logan.
 Always searching for male robbers, the officers, deputy sherifrs and detectives who have been for months working on the case were completely baffled and 1t was only by chance the surprising dis covery was made that instead of the band of robbers being composed of men it's members were women. One of the members captured, Mrs. Fred Lind. wife of a well known farmer, has pleaded guilty, accepted a sentence of ten years in the penltentiary. but flatiy declines to name accomplices.
 When first placed in jail Mrs. Lind still wore the disguise which made her ap- pearance that of a man. but later wo mans apparel, but later she appeared in court dressed as a woman. However, the trousers, coat and top boots worn by her when captured were where the judge could see them. She is only 1s years of age, rather tall, blond has blue eyes and is good looking.
 Shields Her Pals.
 Just how many women there are In the band Is not known. Nor is the identi- ty of any one other than the one under arrest known to the authorities. Mrs. Lind has not come across with the name of single one of her accomplices. and there are rumors of paths of secrecy under penalties of the most direful na- ture above the head of any member of the band who makes known the secrets of the otheres.
 For months Harrison county has been ravaged by robbers. Country stores were burglarized and large quantities of goods taken. Farm houses were robbed. Oc casionally a stock raiser, en route home from market after dark. was stopped and the proceeds of his sales taken from him.
 Soon 1t became evident that an organ ized band of robbers was operating in the county. Sometimes there were only two of the robbers; at other times there were half dozen Officers made every effort to capture the robbers, but their efforts were without avail.
 Leave the Coarser Stuff.
 Then, as with success the band grew bolder, town residences and stores in the heart of the business sections of the small cities were visited and robbed h. stead of taking merchandise the robbers now confined their efforts to cash and jewelry, taking only such articles as could be easily carried and were of good value.
 All sorts of traces could be secured. Abundant clues were left behind, but these traces and clues could never be run down. Footprints in the mud beneath rrFf,,1 1oxrT ,fI,r h afol, aYfr hod been made showed men of normal size, and nothing was gained from this by which the robbers could be discovered.
 W. D. Cromie owns the largest store in Woodbine and sometimes has large amount of cash on hand. After the rob- berries became frequent Cromie hired a trusty man to sleep in his store and was very careful not to let this fact become known. Two weeks ago this watchman was awakened by a peculiar noise. At a rear window he heard low mutterings in rather shrlll voices.
 Then came the sound of a glass cutter and one of the panes Of glass was neat ly removed. Then through the hole made by the removal of the glass leg was pushed The Wstchman waited in the store, his revolver cooked in hand.
 An Amazed captor.
 But instead of using the gun, he stole noiselessly forward and, just when the body coming through the window was In the most awkward and helpless position, the watchman grabbed both legs and gave jerk forward. Right through the window came the body, and as 1t struck the floor the watchman pinioned both arms over it's head. A wild shriek rang out. It was a high treble voice.
 Its a woman!" gasped the watch man.
 The two robbers outside took to their heels and disappeared in the darkness.
 The watchman dragged the prisoner to the light, tied her hands and raised an alarm.
 The prisoner was recognized as Mrs. Fred Lind. despite her disguise. This consisted of top boots, trousers, shirt, coat and hat giving her all the appear ance of a man. These articles proved to be her husbands clothing. which she had altered to fit herself. The boots were her husbands, and, while much too large for her, she had wrapped her feet in cloths to make them steady.
 Mrs. Lind has not said a single word to duplicate any other woman, and the police have been unable to note any sus- picious actions on the part of her ac quaintances.