Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-04-09
JENKINS TELLS HOW
GANG ROBBED GEYER
STORE LAST WINTER
BaItimorean Who Confessed
His Part Bought To
Local Jail.

Prosecuting Attorney \. B. Noll
and Mrs. Jas, t. Geyer, proprietor
OF Geyer's store robbed last Febru-
airy, returned shortly before noon
from Baltimore, where they spent
several days piecing together the
details that finally disclosed who
had looted Mr.. Geyer's store and Sc
curing confession from Charles
". Jenkins. Previous to their arriy-
al the prisoner had been brought
from Baltimore by Sheriff II. 5,
Miller and II. A. Brown, of the
State Constabulary, in an automo
bile driven by Mr.. S. w. X. Miller,
together with several hundred dol
lars worth OF clothing and articles
that had been identified by Mr..
Geyer. Jenkins will be given a hear
ing before Justice Wolf and it Is
taken for granted that he will be
held for action Of the April grand
jury of Berkeley county circuit
court.
AS stated in yesterdays Journal,
Jenkins finally confessed to his part
in the Geyer store robbery, and
that three others, two OF them his
brothers Carson and Elmer Jenkins,
and H. w. Wingert are now serving
terms of two years in the Virginia
penitentiary for a daring attempt
at robbing a store near Stanley, Va,
in Page county. The capture Of the
fourth man in the Geyer robbery
closes that incident so far as as
certaining the guilty parties.
Jenkins arrest was the result of
the untiring efforts OF the Baltimore
police and detectives. He has been
under suspicion for some time as
his two brothers and Wingert were
caught in the act in Virginia. and
also found to have pulled off a num-
Der of daring robberies In Hagers-
town. In some manner the Baltimore
officers learned that letter had
confinement by a Baltimore woman
to secure some Of the stolen artic-
les from Charles. Mr.. Noll and Mr..
Geyer were notified and immediate.
II went to that city and identified
stolen goods found at jenkins
home on Charles street. He was ar
rested and quizzed relative to a
suit of clothing and other articles
in his possession. when he first de-
clared had been given to him by
his brother. Subsequently, when it
really seemed that the Martinsburg
people would have to leave unsatis.
fed, the prisoner confessed that he
took part in the Martinsburg rob
berry, but declared he had nothing
to do with those in Hagerstown
and Virginia.
jenkins said they came to Mar
tinsburg Friday night, February 81,
over the Baltimore and Ohio, AMI
denied that some one had visited
Martinsburg earlier and planned
the theft. They first broke into the
rear Of Mr.. Nelson Tavenner' $
bookstore, where few pens AMI
other articles were taken. They had
erred in their calculations as to
breaking into Geyer's, but this did
not deter them from tearing hole
in the wall, through which Wingert.
who weighs 102 pounds, crept and
opened up the rear OF the Geye-
store to permit his companions to
enter easily. This explanation clears
up the contention OF that either a
boy or a very small man got through
the opening.
They carried the stolen goods
back through the garage windows,
loaded up DR.. W. +. Minghinfs car
and left town as surmised by the
subsequent investigation, and huc-
ried to Baltimore The car was not
abandoned at Mt. Washington, sew.
On miles from Baltimore, as first
supposed, but was driven right into
the city and run back to where
found by Wingert, who had work
ed around garages and knew how
70 handle car.
A great quantity OF the Geyer
goods, as well as some of the loot
obtained in Hagerstown. had been
sold at ridiculously low figures, or
given away. All Of the collars had
been marked with an indellible pen
ell TO leave the impression they had
l. -