The dangers of traveling the back roads of the Lykens Valley at night became evident to Frank Wiest, a butcher. He was brutally attacked and robbed in September 1906 near Loyalton, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, while attempting to return to his home near Pillow, Dauphin County. The story was told in the Lykens Standard, September 21, 1906:
HIGHWAY ROBBERY NEAR LOYALTON
Frank Wiest, a butcher residing near Pillow, was terribly beaten and robbed of about $85 while on his way home from this place [Lykens] Saturday evening. He had reached a point between Amos Radel’s and Harry Zimmerman’s, a short distance North of Loyalton, when he was dealt a stunning blow on the side of the hear with a billy. Two men then jumped into the wagon, one on each side, and throwing a blanket over his head forced him backward to the floor of the wagon and rifled his pockets, after which they escaped in the darkness and it was then about 9 o’clock.
Although the blow dealt Wiest severed an artery he did not lose consciousness and managed to drive back to the hotel at Loyalton when Dr. W. E. Lebo of Gratz, was summoned. In the meantime the people of the hotel rendered first aid and made Mr. Wiest as comfortable as possible until the doctor’s arrival, who found it necessary to put in several stitches to close the gaping wound. It is the doctor’s opinion that if Mr. Wiest had been rendered unconscious he would have bled to death. He was taken to his home Sunday afternoon and we are glad to say he is up and around again. In fact he wanted to make his regular trip to town tomorrow, but his physician would not allow it.
In the scuffle, one of the robbers lost his hat in the wagon, and a billy club was also found. These were turned over to County Detective Walters on Tuesday, and although he and Constable John E. Hensel of this place, worked that day and Wednesday on the case, they failed to get a clue to the robbers.
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From the Miners Journal, Pottsville, September 20, 1906:
Frank Wiest, a butcher, who lives near Uniontown Gap, while returning home from the market last Saturday evening, was robber a short distance north of Loyalton. Mr. Wiest attends the market at Lykens every Saturday, and while on his way home he was attacked while ascending a steep hill. He was hit on the side of the head with a billy, then the robbers went on his wagon and threw Mr. Wiest on the back of the wagon and took about $60. He then recovered from the shock and returned back to Loyalton and gave the alarm. Mr. Wiest was bleeding fearfully from his wounds, and Dr. W. E. Lebo, of Gratz, was at once called to dress the wounds, and the doctor was obliged to ligate the temporal artery to check the bleeding. The wagon was examined afterwards and the billy and a hat of one of the robbers was found lying on the wagon. There is at present suspicion on two young men and the arrest will be made the latter part of this week. There was pay at the Lykens mines on Saturday and this accounts for the robbery.
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The case was still not solved in early October. The following was reported by the Elizabethville Echo, October 4, 1906:
We desire to call the public’s attention to the Reward Notice for the apprehension of the highwaymen who beat and robbed Frank Wiest several weeks ago. The guilty ones should be brought to justice.
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The Reward Notice that appeared in the Elizabethville Echo, October 11, 1906, spelled out the terms:
A reward of $120 is hereby offered for the arrest and conviction of such person or persons guilty of waylaying, assaulting robbing Mr. Frank Wiest, of Pillow, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night, September 15th, 1906. Conditioned that the arrest that results in such conviction must be made on or before January 1st, 1907. The money for the payment of this reward is deposited in the Lykens Valley Bank, Elizabethville….
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In early January, 1907, several men, including Isaac P. Bowman of Elizabethville, and a “negro” identified as William “Chubby” Brown, were arrested in conjunction with a robbery at Hensel’s Store in Lykens. The two men admitted that they had assaulted Frank Wiest in September, 1907. [Lykens Standard, January 4, 1907].
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The conviction and sentencing of Bowman and Brown was reported in the Harrisburg Daily Independent, January 17, 1907:
HIGHWAYMAN GETS A HEAVY SENTENCE
JUDGE CAPP DECIDES THAT BOWMAN MUST SERVE EIGHT YEARS
WAS RINGLEADER OF A GANG
DEFENDANT CONFESSED TO HOLDING UP A MAN NEAR LOYALTON
Isaac B. Bowman, William Brown, Patrick J. McDermott, who yesterday afternoon pleaded guilty to burglary and highway robbery, and Lawrence Roberts, who pleaded guilty to receiving stolen goods, were called for sentencing this morning before Judge Capp.
Admitted a Hold-Up
Bowman and Brown admitted to holding up Frank Wiest, a butcher of near Loyalton, and after beating Wiest, relieved him of his money….
Judge Capp, after learning that Brown was only 18 years of age and came here from Frederick City, Maryland, suspended sentence until January 28, with instructions to the District Attorney to inquire into the defendant’s past character….
McDermott is less than 18 years of age and was sentenced to the Huntingdon Reformatory. Judge Capp in imposing sentence on Bowman reprimanded the defendant and said that he was led to believe that he, Bowman, was the ringleader of the robberies and induced the younger defendants to assist in the committing of the crimes. At the conclusion of his remarks to the defendant Judge Capp sentenced Bowman to solitary confinement and hard labor in the Eastern Penitentiary for a term of eight years….
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Finally, the Lykens Standard reported on February 1, 1907, the following:
William Brown, who with I. B. Bowman… held up Frank Wiest, was on Monday sent the Huntingdon Reformatory because he is eighteen years of age….
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
[African American]
For another perspective on the “crime ring” led by Isaac Bowman, see:
And, for additional articles on the assault on Frank Wiest, see: