Year: 1876

= Last Friday night two burglars


broke into the store of w. T. Den,


this city, and carried away about 5000


worth of goods, consisting of ready


made clothing. boots and shoes and a
shot gun. Billy McReynolds, the


clerk, was sleeping in the store at the


time, and they took his watch and


fifty cents in money from his pockets.


The burglars effected an entrance into


the cellar through the door at the rear
end of the building and then forced


up trap door which leads from the
store room through the floor to the
cellar. After hurriedly gathering up
some goods and scattering some over
the floor they went out the same way
they entered. They must have been
very cautious and noiseless in their
proceedings or they would have
walked up the sleeping clerk.


On Saturday morning Den and
Sheriff Plasters started in pursuit of
the robbers, going down the river as
far as st. Deroin, we believe. On their
road down they notified different par
ties of thelrobbery. amongst whom
was young Craumore who lives some
two miles below this city. After the
Sheriff had passed Cranmore's some
time, two men approached Cranmores
premises and went into an old stable
for protection against the rain that
fell nearly all that day. Cranmore
went out to the stable where the men
were, and after taking a good look at
them and noticing their new boots and
wearing apparel felt satisfied thatthey
were the chaps that Den and the
Sheriff were after. But Cranmore
kept his thoughts to himself, and kind
ly invited the men TO go to the house
and warm and dry themselves. This
this they at first declined to do, say
ing they could do very well where
they were until the rain abated; but
CranmOre insisted and said they were
welcome, and so on, and finally they
were induced 70 go into the house.
Then Cranmore went out and kept a
vigilant watch for the return of the
Sheriff and Mr.. Den, and it was not
long until his anxiety was rewarded
by seeing them coming up the road
the gentlemen in the house were yet
warming and drying themselves
Cranmore beckoned to the Shorthand
Den to come to him, which they has
tened to do, and in q few words Gram
more Informed them of what was the
matter. And they went in and with
out difficulty made prisoners of the
two strangers. Cranmore' suspicious
were eOrreet-they were the robbers.
Den as soon as he saw them, saw and
knew some Of his goods.


These men came to this place down
the the river in skid, and after COM
hitting the robbery left the same way,
but did not go far for some reason, and
run their skiff up 4 slough, which is
now filed with back water from the
river. In this skiff or near il in the
brush were the stolen goods wrapped
in an oil cloth and at the request of
the Sheriff and Mr. Den they went and
got the goods and shot gun. And the |
clerk go. his watch.


On Monday morning the burglars
were taken before Judge Church when
they waived e trial and were commit
ted TO jail in default Of bail.


They gave their names as Charles
Blanchard and VIM. Allison, but from
papers and letters found upon Allison,
1t is suspected that Allison is his alias,
and that his true name is James Stew
art. Upon his person were found a
letter supposed to have been written
by his wife, directed to James Stewart,
apd a receipt for taxes paid by Jas.
Stewart, to J. T. Brock, Sheriff of
Montgomery county, Kansas. The
letter did not indicate where it was
written, more than that it referred to
business matters in Kansas and to In
dependence, and there is town by
that name we believe in Montgomery
county, Kansas. The letter is written
with care not to reveal the place of
the writer, and there are careful allu-
sions made in it to the burning of
house, which leads to the suspicion
that these fellows, or Stewart at least,
has been engaged in committing
crimes elsewhere, and where he is
now wanted. We understand that
Sheriff Plasters has written to Inde-
pendence to find out about the matter.


They are both young men. Blan-
chard is the younger, and has lost one
leg from just below the knee aud now
sports very nice cork leg. His friends
may remember him by this descrip-
ton, and if they want to see him they
may do so by applying to the jailer of
this city.