Desperate Men

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 18, 29 July 1890, Page 4

Desperate Men

This city, says a Findley despatch t» the New York paper, was greatly ■excited to-day over the sudden and mysterious death of Henry Strickler, a dectective, who, at ther January term of court, succeeded in having indictments found against eignt pro\jainent and well-known citizens as principals in the celebrated Osman jobbery, which occurred on one night in February, 1890, and the subsequent death by poison of a detective vho traced the crime to them. This was one of the boldest and moat sensational crimes that ever occurred in Ohio. About 9 o'clock on the night mentioned, Wesley Osman and his family, consisting of his father, brother, his wife and children, were sitting around the fire in the farmhouse when, witho uta note of warning, the sitting-room door was broken in, and eight men with white masks -on their faces rushed upon the family. Wesley Osman yelled, " The VVhite Caps!" " Yes," answered the leader, " we are White Caps;" and before any resistance could be made all were securely ■ bound and gagged. A demand was then made for $2000 which Osman was known to have received a day of two before from the sale of some land. Osman assured the White Caps thai; the money was in a hank in Findlay, but this was not believed, and in order to make him disclose its hiding place his four-year- old son was seized and held over the open fire until his screams of agony could have been heard a mile away. Again and again the father begged that the child might be spared, as the money was not in the i,ouse. A thorough search was made by some of the robbers, and with this they took their departure. Osman employed John E. Love, a weil- known detective from Toledo, to look up the case, which he proceeded to do, and was about to cause the arrest of eight prominent citizens of the county, when he was suddenly taken ill and brought to the Humphrey: House in this city, where he ahortly- afterward died in great agony. He was poisoned. His note books and effects disappeared .during his short illness, and with them all the evidence he had secured against those suspected of .the. robbery. Osmaa then placed the matter in ths . hands of Henry Strickler, the young man whose sudden duatli has caused such a sensation. Strickler followed the lines Lowe had pursued, and accumulateed evidence to secure tne indictment' { of Henry KiMer, •Jeifbme Kibler, George Morgan, Levi Foacj Albert Decker, John Long, "'Tuck" Hughae, and Chasles Bates, all well-to-do citizens. All were arrested and immediately gave bonds for. their appearance on the 19th of tins month. In the meantime Strickler was repeatedly warned to leave the States. A few days ago he became ill much in the way as did his predecessor Lowe, and this morning died.