Curious Historian

The Historical Collections at the Bridgeport Public Library received an old letter a patron found tucked in an equally old family book.  The typewritten letter, written by John M. Wheeler, was to Mr. Thomas Leonard.  Reading the letter brought many questions to our minds.

The letter was dated March 3, 1894 and was on Wheeler and Howes Coal letterhead, Bridgeport, Conn.

The letter is to Mr. Thomas Leonard and sends him a “present,” presumably money.  Mr. Wheeler thanks Leonard, “for good judgement, daring courage and the grand result… capture of all the burglars.”

What was Mr. Wheeler referring to?  Upon looking through the Bridgeport Evening Post of March 1, 1894, the first column tells the story of a daring capture of three thieves from New York, who broke into John Wheeler’s house at the corner of Park Avenue and State Street. 

The capture of the thieves was credited to Special Leonard, Officer Hall and Larkin, but it was Officer Larkin at three in the morning, who first saw a strange site as he stood in front of Mrs. Teugel’s cigar store on State street…a figure striking a lighted match again and again inside Mr. Wheeler’s dark house.  The officer walked toward the house, and then saw a group of men come out of the Wheeler’s house.  Officer Leonard drew his pistol and yelled, “Go back in there or I’ll blow your head off.”

Meanwhile, Officers Hall, Leonard and Larkin surrounded the house, and as one burglar came out the side door, and an officer shot him in the back.  Two men were taken to jail, and the last man who was shot was eventually taken to the hospital.

It turns out the burglars were breaking into several homes in town in the last few weeks, including the house of Nathaniel Wheeler and the Bishop family.

The burglars, who wore  had taken little items from the house, and wore white handkerchiefs over their faces like masks, were thought to be “New York sharpies.”

Mr. Wheeler and his family remained asleep until the gun was fired.  They had no idea that their house was broken into.

If you have other items of interest including photographs, letters and other ephemera, please contact the Historical Collections at (203) 576-7417.