A newspaper photograph of Isaac P. Bowman, leader of a crime ring responsible for burglaries, assaults and highway robberies in the Lykens Valley area and surrounding areas in late 1906 and early 1907.
The nature of the crimes, the way the perpetrators were caught, and the jail sentences imposed were reported in the Tower City and Lykens newspapers.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, Tower City, January 4, 1907:
LYKENS BURGLARS CAUGHT
Isaac P. Bowman, white, aged 30, Winton Brown, colored, aged 22, and Lawrence Roberts, aged 21, were arrested at Harrisburg charged with a majority of the thefts in Harrisburg, Dillsburg, Lykens, and the country round about Harrisburg.
The officers have reason to believe they have in the three a trio of desperate criminals. They have already received a wagon load of stolen goods most of which has been identified, and have found sufficient proof to convict each of the three men as participants in a majority of the crimes mentioned.
THE THREE MEN IN JAIL
Bowman is a railroad brakeman and has been under suspicion for a long time. He served nine months for stealing brass from the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and since has been watched closely. He is said to be the leader of the gang. Roberts weakened and told enough to convict the trio of many of the recent robberies of which the following are a few:
On September 15th [1906]. Frank Weist, a butcher residing at Uniontown [Pillow], was on his way home from Lykens when his wagon was stopped by two men and Weist was beaten into insensibility. From him was taken $72 in cash. His horses kept on going until Loyalton was reached, when Mr. Weist was found in the wagon and told his story. A light felt hat and black sack were found in the wagon. The same week and later numerous other robberies were reported from the upper end of Dauphin and in the Reading yards at Rutherford Stores at New Cumberland and adjoining towns were entered and robbed.
On November 15th [1906] at Dillsburg, the store of J. H. Moss was robbed of more than $800 worth of goods including hardware, cutlery, clothes, ladies’ and gents’ furnishings.
ROBBERY AT LYKENS
December 14th [1906] the gang got tow work and removed from the men’s and women’s furnishing store of T. A. Hensel at Lykens, goods amounting to over $800, including furs, suits of clothes and jewelry. The thieves used a wagon and were traced to near Millersburg. It is thought they took a train at this point and went to Harrisburg.
William Brown was working at the Lynch Hotel, Harrisburg, when arrested. Clothing and furnishings were found in a closet in his room. At the jail, Brown was questioned and finally told about the Weist hold up, implicating Bowman and “Potty” Hones, the latter being at large, having disappeared a short time ago. When searched Brown had pawn tickets and a vest hidden in his trousers.
Roberts was the last to be arrested. On the way to the jail he was told that Bowman had said that he and Brown had committed all the robberies, This started Roberts to talking and he told all about every robbery that had been committed and said that Bowman had told him that he and Brown had held up a butcher near Lykens.
On Sunday, Patrick K. McDermott, aged 22, of Bernice, was arrested as being implicated. He confessed and said he assisted at several robberies including that of the Hensel store.
The detectives have since found several wagon loads of stolen articles, most of which has been claimed by the owners.
T. A. Hensel of Lykens, identified his goods placing them together. The suitcases, brushes, clothing and furs were all from his store. The shoes and drugs were identified as having been taken from the cars at Rutherford.
Bowman had most of the pawn tickets, a check book on the First National Bank at Elizabethville, a bunch of love letters written by various women. He also had a valuable violin in his room, a picture of a small baby, a photograph of Ida Campbell, whose home is near Lykens and papers showing he was employed by the Reading Railroad Company.
Bowman denied he was married, but it is said he had a wife near Lykens whom he wedded twelve years ago.
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From the Lykens Standard, January 4, 1907:
THE ROBBERY AT T. A. HENSEL’S
Several weeks ago, “Shine” Hutchinson, colored, of Harrisburg, was arrested by Patrolmen Frank and Casey of that city, charged with highway robbery, and being identified by the man he robbed was sent to jail. Hutchinson, while in jail, sent for County Detective Walters and “peached” on I. P. Bowman of Elizabethville, employed as a brakeman on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad in the yards at Rutherford, and William Brown and Lawrence Roberts, two negroes of Harrisburg, saying that they had considerable stolen goods in their possession.
On Wednesday night of last week County Detective James Walters, assisted by Special Officer William Windsor of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway, Detective Harry White of Harrisburg, and H. P. Deardorf, constable at Dillsburg, York County, who were working on the robberies recently committed in York and Dauphin counties, arrested the above men, charging them with these robberies.
Bowman was under suspicion for some time. He served nine months for stealing brass from the Pennsylvania Railroad Company several years ago, and since has been watched closely. After considerable shrewd detective work it was found where he had disposed of some of the alleged stolen goods and it was then decided to make the arrests.
Bowman was found sleeping at his lodging place on North Fifth Street, Harrisburg. After the house was surrounded, Detective Walters aroused Bowman and told him he was wanted for robbing T. A. Hensel‘s clothing store at this place [Lykens]. Bowman replied, “It you think you can spring that on me you are fooled. I was given all the goods you found.” Bowman got out of bed and started for his trunk. The detective watched him closely and as the lid was raised noticed a revolver. The detectives grabbed Bowman’s arm and secured the revolver. Bowman was then lodged in jail.
William Brown was working at the Lynch Hotel, where he was arrested. In a closet of his room were found hidden clothing and furnishings. At the jail Brown was questioned and finally told about the Wiest holdup, implicating Bowman and “Potty Houck,” now at large, having disappeared a short time ago. He also told about Bowman giving his some goods. When searched, Brown had a muffler, pawn tickets and a vest hidden in his trousers.
Roberts occupied a dingy room at Filbert Street and South Alley. On the way to the jail he was told that Bowman had said that he and Brown had committed all the robberies. This started Roberts to talking and he told all about every robbery that had been committed and said that bowman held up a butcher near Lykens.
A wagon load of stolen goods were afterwards found and taken to District Attorney Weiss’ office. Among Bowman’s plunder were found bottles of chloroform and laudanum and a box of nitrate of amyl, a dangerous drug seldom used by a practical physician to bring a patient out of a stupor produced by too much chloroform.
On Thursday morning of last week Mr. Hensel went to Harrisburg and identified his goods, placing them together. The suitcases, brushes, clothing and furs were nearly all from his store. Some of the shoes and drugs were identified as having been taken from the cars at Rutherford. Considerable of the stolen goods were recovered from Benner’s Pawn Shop on Walnut Street, Harrisburg, where they had been disposed of. Some of the goods were identified by Constable Deardorf as those taken from J. H. Moss‘ store at Dillsburg when it was robbed on November 13.
Bowman also had a checkbook on the First National Bank of Elizabethville, a bunch of love letters from various women, several surgical instruments, a valuable violin, a picture of a small baby, a photograph of Ida Campbell, and papers showing he was employed by the Reading Railway Company.
The three men were held by Alderman Bates of Harrisburg in default of bail for a hearing yesterday afternoon.
The detectives were satisfied that still other persons had a hand in these robberies and on Saturday got a clue pointing to a young man named Patrick McDermott, whose home is at Bernice, a small mining town near Towanda, and who worked with Bowman at Rutherford. Detective White set out for Bernice, arriving there on Monday and arrested McDermott, who was found at the Weaver Hotel. He confessed that he had aided Bowman in the robbery at Hensel’s store, and then took the detective and a constable from Towanda, who assisted in the arrest, to his home. The accused man then took off a silver watch he was wearing which he said he got at Hensel’s. He raised a plank from the floor and took out two women’s gold watches and chains. He also handed over two corduroy suits, several sweaters, a blue suit, three overcoats, underwear, shoes, handkerchiefs and clothes brushes. He said that he had sent as a Christmas present a gold watch bracelet that he got a Hensel’s store to his sister, Mrs. J. W. Flynn, of Mt. Holly, New Jersey. On his way to Harrisburg he told Detective White about the robbery at the clothing store of Abraham Garner, Harrisburg. He said that bowman and Chub Brown were implicated in that affair. he also said that they sold their stuff at 606 South Street, Harrisburg, kept by a man named Smith, who was also arrested, having violated an ordinance of the city of Harrisburg, requiring pawnbrokers, junk dealers, and dealers in second-hand goods to make a written return to the police station every morning of all goods bought the day previous. Smith gave bail for a hearing and McDermott was sent to jail.
At the hearing held at Harrisburg yesterday, it developed that Bowman and McDermott robbed T. A. Hensel‘s store and that the goods were hidden here in town until the following day when they were taken to Harrisburg on the coal train. They were concealed under a steel car. Bowman and “Chubby” Brown, a negro, admitted that they assaulted Frank Wiest.
Mr. Hensel recovered the bracelet at the hearing, and nearly all the other goods taken from him.
The entire bunch of robbers were held for court.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, Tower City, January 25, 1907:
BURGULARS SENTENCED
Isaac Bowman, William Brown and Patrick McDermott, pleaded guilty to the charge of robbery before Judge Capp, of Harrisburg, and were sentenced. Bowman, who it is charged is the leader of the gang, received the heaviest sentence and will serve eight years in the Eastern Penitentiary in addition to paying $15 fine and the costs of the prosecution.
The three men pleaded guilty to robbing the store of J. A. Hensel, at Lykens, entering the store of A. Garner, at Sixth and Muench Streets, Harrisburg, holding up Frank Weist, a butcher, and beating him after relieving him of all valuables. Brown also confessed to the robbery of a watch from J. H. Masoner.
Bowman once served a term in jail on a charge of larceny. He pleaded for mercy, saying he has a wife and several children at home who depend on him for a living, in addition to his aged parents, all of whom live at Elizabethville.
McDermott was sent to the Huntingdon Reformatory and Brown will be sentenced later.
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News articles and portrait of Isaac Bowman from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
[African American]