Milford chronicle., 1932-12-23
ALLEGED HEAD
OF ROBBER GANG
BROUGHT BACK
II. /. MeGrS Returned
From Camden, ". j., On
State Charges. Suspect
ed OF POStOfice Rob
berry,. ..l. ..

ed W POStOHLce ROO'
berry,. .l ..
Captain II. C. Ray, of the State
Police. Wednesday morning
brought back Robert Ivon Mears, q
years OLD, from Camden, N. j..
wanted here on several State
charges of larceny and ON a FEEDER
al charge of breaking into the post
office at Houston, on the night OF
October %.
Mears, arrested Tuesday by Cam
den police, waived extradition to
Delaware. A Federal warrant char
ging him with the robbery of the
Houston postoffice may be placed
against him.
Mears is being questioned by the
State police officials and may be
taken by Lieutenant Purnell of the
State police, to Georgetown, where
he will be given a hearing before
magistrate there and held for the
Sussex County Court of General
Sessions. A Federal detainer will be
lodged against him.
Two men, LinwOod Mears, of Vir-
ginia, and Layton Conoway, of near
Milton, are now in the Georgetown
Jail awaiting trial ON the same
charges of breaking and entering
and are said to be members of the
gang that has been committing a
number of robberies in lower Della
ware. Robert Mears, not related to
Linwood Mears, is said to have been
the leader of the gang.
The three men are alleged to have
stolen about seven safes, nine auto
mobiles and about $1,000 in cash
during their operations.
Linwood Mears and Conoway are
said to have confessed to State PO-
lice the theft of seven safes and
eight or nine automobiles in lower
Delaware and are said to have con-
fessed to the Houston postOffice
theft. Linwood Mears comes origi-
nally from Virginia. He met Robert
Mears and Layton Conoway while
all three were in the New Castle
County Workhouse on charges Of
larceny.
Conoway and Robert Mears were
released from the wOrkhouse on Oc-
tober 20. Starting October q,
when the Houston postofIice was
robbed, a series of robberies that
mystified lower Delaware and State |
Police started. The series did not |
end until seven safes had been stol-
en-.
Robert I. Mears was arrested on
in the Camden postoffice,
as he attempted to secure mail that |
was addressed to him in his own
name. Information for his arrest |
was furnished by Delaware State |
police.
The Houston postofice, which is
in the store of John Wharton and of
which Mr.. Wharton's wife, Clara V.
is postmistress, was rob-
bed on October 27. Approximately
$3.50 worth of stamps and cash were
aiken from the safe. The safe was
ragged to a woods where it was
open with an axe.
On the night of November 2, ac-
,ording to authorities, the trio stole
he automobile of E. V. Ingram, in
Dover, and then went to Milford and
Iroke into a garage, but were scar
ID off by dog. On October 81 they
vent to the garage of Joseph Bro
hers in Milford and stole a sedan
belonging to Charles White, of
1ewes, and took a safe from the
The safe was tied to the
jumper of the automobile and tow
ID to a woods and chopped open.
The three also stole truck from
Iessick and Cannon, of F'rankford,
md took the safe from the feed
tore of TimmOns and Williams, at
and extracted $317 in
ash from it. Later they went to
'ederalsburg and stole a small au-
and to Dover and took
mother automobile. Their sixth au-
was stolen in SelbyVille,
nd in Newark, Md, they stole their
1urth safe. The seventh automobile
ras stolen in Wilmington and an !
ther safe was stolen from a feed
ill in Laurel. The sixth safe was
AIKEN from Goldsboro, Nd, store. i
The night after the Houston post {
flee was robbed the Lincoln post {
flee was also robbed and the safe {
lken. The trio are believed to have
Obbed this postoflice also. I
Linwood Mears and COnOway were I
rrested near Laurel on November
;, by Captain II. C. Ray and Lieu
,nant Purnell, State Police. The S
lree were caught while they were !
'ying to put stolen safe, which
ad dropped off the back of a stole1
uck, back on the truck. They scat I
red at the appearance of the, Off d
,rs, but LinwOod Mears and Como >,
ay we're arrested shortly after.
The three men will face Federal 7
iarges, following the disposition of V
e State cases, on charges for the =
'bbery of the Houston and Lincoln a.
it was said this week. u
HOLLYVILLE r r