Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1930-10-23
BOGGESS BROTHERS CAUGHT
REWARD OUT FOR BOWMANS

Last Thursday night two officers
from Parkersburg captured John
Boggess, rs, and James Boggess.
19, near ST. Marys, w. Va, when
they drove their stolen automobile
into blockade on a country road.
The officers got the drop on the no
torious pair, and they surrendered
and were placed in the Parkersburg
jail The arrest of the Boggess
brothers accounts for four members
of the Bowman -Boggess gang who
for almost year have run riot in
West Virginia and Ohio. About two
months ago Alonzo Boggess, an old
er brother, was arrested, soon after
Vance Miller of Steubenville had
been slain in gas station holdup at
Hobson, near Pomeroy. 1t is stated
that the Bowman brothers of Ches-
terhill are the remaining members
of the gang. Since the arrest of the
Boggess brothers they have con-
nected the Bowmans with the out
fit, and it is stated have detailed
many of their activities. Much mer-
chandise and many automobiles
have been stolen. According to the
Boggess brothers, they split with
the Bowman brothers about a
month ago, since they stated among
other things, the Bowmans wanted
to mount higher on the criminal
ladder" by entering the bank rob-
berry field. Following their arrest
last Thursday, the Boggess brothers
talked freely of their careers of
crime, and they told officers that
they would hold nothing back. 1t is
stated they have detailed many
crimes in which they were impli-
Gated. 1t is said that the Boggess
boys admit having taken a part in
the Malta robbery, in recent
months, in which they ''shot us"
the town. When asked bY an off,
Ger if he would have tried to shc>-ar
his way out had he been cornervd
during any of the jobs on which he
worked, one of the Boggess BOYS
said, well you know fellow will
do what he can to protect himself"
Their headquarters were at beer
camp near Wellsville, but were
broken up with the Staying of Mil
ler and the capture of Alonzo Bog
CESS. Then came the split with the
Bowmans, and the Boggess brothers
made their headquarters at tour
ist camp in Tennessee, driving north
for robberies and hold-ups, into
country that they knew
They said they had a place in the
woods about seven miles out of
Cambridge
Get 30 Years
Quick justice was meted out to
them by the Ritchie county, w. Va,
court. Saturday a special grand jury
indicted them for armed robbery,
for their stick-up of store on last
Thursday morning. Early Monday
morning they were taken before the
Ritchie county criminal court where
they pleaded guilty to the indict-
ment. Each was sentenced to 80
years in the state prison. State po-
lice guarded the prisoners, and as
soon as sentenced they were placed
in fast automobile and securely
ironed, and rushed to the Mounds
vile, w. Va, penitentiary.
Bowmans Still At Large
1t is stated that another hide-out
of the Bowmans who operated with
the Boggess brothers, has been To-
Gated near Vanceburg, KY, where
stolen property to the amount of
$1,000 has been recovered. A re-
ward of 5000 has been offered for
the arrest of the Bowmans.
The report Tuesday that the
Bowmans had been captured was
unfot'nded. Tuesday night it was
reported that they entered a res
taurant at West Union, o., tied,
hound and robbed 18 persons, rif1ed
& cash register, and escaped with
$500. Those in the restaurant were
forced into two rooms. Later the
robbers went to a nearby gasoline
station, and held up and robbed
those about it, getting about $14O.
At the time the robberies occurred,
fall festival was in progress, and
many citizens were assembled at a
band stand for concert.
A news dispatch from Ports
mouth says: "Police say Zelma
Jones, 81, daughter of an Olive
Hill, KY, school teacher, has ad-
mitted she was a member of the
Bowman gang, but denied she had
taken part in raids by the band.
She said another girl, Florence
Cages, 81, also lived at the camp"