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Repeat offender caught after second theft from liquor case

This week in history

130 years ago in 1894, transcribed as originally published in the Youngstown Vindicator:

Staggering blow delivered by Patrolman Burke put thief all to the bad. Caught stealing liquor. Police discovered rendezvous of a gang of worthies — house was pulled.

A week ago a report was sent to police headquarters that the glass show case in front of Schwartz & Klein’s liquor store in East Federal Street had been broken open and some bottles of whiskey carried away. An investigation was made at that time but nothing was found which would justify an arrest. Last night Officer Burke discovered about midnight that the case had been broken open again, and from the arrangement of the bottles and attempt made to hide the crime, he concluded that the thief or thieves were going to return for more swag. Burke telephoned to headquarters and then took up a position in a doorway across the street to watch for developments. Inside of an hour he discovered a man at the case. The patrolman took no chances when the fellow started away, and delivered a staggering blow on the culprit’s jaw. Down went the thief and the officer grabbed him. The man begged for mercy and declared that if he was let up he would tell who the other fellow was that had been with him on the former visits. Burke took his prisoner to the patrol box and called the wagon. Lieutenant Kenney came to the scene and together the officers escorted the prisoner to a hobo lodging house back of Barber & Sons’ saloon, near the Erie railroad tracks. The fellow gave the name of Frank Curly.

When the boarding house was reached it was found to be a hangout for bums of the worst description. On the ground floor were fifteen of them sleeping with nothing but the floor for a bed. An old stove was in the room to keep it warm. In the dimly lighted place Curley pointed out the man whom he claimed had been implicated with him in the robbery last night and also a week ago. This fellow gave the name of William Dishler. Both men were locked up on the charge of suspicion. This was at 12:40 o’clock Monday morning. The police then determined to pull the house and round up the entire bunch. They arrested 15 men including Tom Reynolds who claimed to be the proprietor. Most of the prisoners are tourists. They registered from all over the country. Suspicion was the charge placed against the entire catch.

Reynolds who is the boss of the ranch, has done time in the works. He in a worthless character and first figured in police court for abusing his wife. He compelled her to earn money for him in a degraded way and abused her shamefully when money was slow coming in. She was finally broken down in health and was sent to the infirmary dying from consumption. Reynolds housed the bums for ten cents a night and gave them a bare floor to sleep upon.

Curley admitted to the police that he and Dishler robbed the show case and took the booze to the lodging house for the others to drink.

Compiled from the Youngstown Vindicator by Dante Bernard, Mahoning Valley Historical Society Museum educator.

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