The Falls City tribune., 1910-07-29
DESPERATE Thief ESCAPES
STOLE AUTO FROM GARAGE Al
STELLA THURSDAY.
Auto Found in Cornfield Later
Steals Horse and Buggy and
Makes His Escape.
Snecial from Stella.

CpeCldl from oLSlld
On last Wednesday evening w.
H. Wheeler had his new Mitchell
touring car delivered and on Thurs
day went 70 Falls City on trial trip.
They returned in the evening, the
car was put away carefully in the
garage on the rear end of the prem
ises and the door securely locked
About three o'clock a number of
neighbors, as well as the Wheeler
family, were disturbed by an unusual
noise, but no one thought of the
Wheeler auto.
Esburn arose at five o'clock for
The purpose of cleaning the car He
found that some miscreant had
snook" in and stole the machine
The little town, otherwise so peace
full and quiet, was very much excited
over the news which flew fast and
furious over the entire county. Many
people from all parts of the county
joined in the search which continued
throughout Friday and Saturday, when
the search was abandoned.
Monday afternoon Arthur McGinnis
living about four miles south of town,
while cutting weeds in the corn field
found the car and at once telephoned
Mr.. Wheeler. Mr.. Wheeler and a
out to identify the car. They found
it disabled on account of the batteries
having burned out, and it was evident
the fellow in charge had taken refuge
in the corn field, and thus evaded
the large crowd that soon congregated
at that place, Sheriff Fenton of Falls
City being one of the number, and
they worked OF the trail until dark
ness prevented further search.
During the night, the thief or
thieves, stole horse, harness and
buggy of VIM. Stoltz, Jr., and made
his get away. ..s. sa4.ss
Tuesday evening word was received
here that man with horse and
buggy answering the description had
been stopped at Powhattan, Kas.
Word was received this morning
that the man who stole the Wheeler
auto had practically made his get
away down by Horton. He stole
milk can, tied it on behind his buggy
and passed as a farmer going home
from town. The farmers were warn
ed tc be on the lookout for him. They
were They saw him. Some of
them, at least. Two of them rode up
behind him with shot guns. One of
them told him to come and go with
them. He swore that he was an inno
cent man and would protect himself.
He stopped over, pulled rifle from
the bottom of the buggy, told the
farmer to let him alone and drove on.
The farmer afterwards said when
asked why he didn't do something,
that he didn't want to shoot anyone.
After driving to the nearest corn
field the thief jumped from the bug
gy and disappeared.
Inc SHeTllI HAS lHlS W say Vi Iue
boys who were with him That if the
party could have come up with the
thief, they would have found what
they were really looking for, and that
men who were willing to go through
brush and weeds, in which they had
reason to believe the man was hiding
as those boys did, would have brought
back their man even though he had
IL rifle.
It takes courage to look for des-
perate man in the dark. These boys
with the sheriff, down in the bottoms
searched carefully ravine in which
his fellow was seen to disapper. But
for the darkness the man would have
been captured.