10/01/2026
BEGINNING OCTOBER 2, 1890, POLICE CHIEF BURTON HOLMES was the first night watchman in Arcade’s history and held the job for thirty-three years. He became affectionately known as “Big Chief.” Following are two articles concerning Big Chief from the Wyoming County Herald.
Wyoming Co. Herald, p. 1, Friday, January 23, 1908: “A. ZIMMERMAN ARRESTED FOR BURGLARY. Got Away with a Suit of Clothes and Overcoat at Bliss. Allison Zimmerman stirred up things in Bliss Tuesday night and got away with a suit of clothes and an overcoat belonging to Dorny Nelson. On the same evening there was a man knocked down there and relieved of $7.00.
“Word was telephoned to Deputy Sheriff B.M. Holmes at Arcade giving a description of the man. Mr. Holmes got a livery rig and started out towards Eagle. When near the Frank Pierce farm he met his man. The wily Deputy-Sheriff inquired how far it was to Eagle and was informed it was about four miles. Zimmerman wanted to know how far it was to Arcade. Mr. Holmes said about two miles, and asked him to get in and ride as he was going but a short distance farther, and would then return to Arcade. The man was glad of the opportunity as the wind was whirling around at a fifty mile clip and had a few icicles in it. The Deputy-Sheriff drove a short distance and turned around, at the same time informing the man that he had come for him. We regard the capture as a good one. Most Deputy-Sheriffs would have waited for him in the village, and he would probably have slipped through their fingers. When the Big Chief goes after them it is all off. In just forty minutes after he received the phone he had his man.
“Constable Baker and Mr. Nelson came over from Bliss yesterday afternoon and took the prisoner back with them. He at first denied all knowledge of the crimes, but later confessed that he had taken the clothes, but said he knew nothing about the assault.”
Wyoming Co. Herald, p. 1, Friday, May 17, 1912: “CAUGHT IN THE ACT, Two Young Boys of Arcade Caught Stealing Money from the Arcade Planing Mill Company. Given Suspended Sentence. Chief of Police B.M. Holmes of Arcade made another clever capture this week. For some time, the Arcade Planing Mill Company has been missing small sums of money from their office. Marked pieces have been left in the office and later were found in the stores of Arcade. So persistent had the matter become that the services of Big Chief were called in. He concealed himself in the office before 6 o’clock on Monday. In a short time two small boys were seen to force an entrance into the office, and proceeded to help themselves to what money they could, and then started to arrange things as they had found them. (We will not mention the names of the boys, as they have all their lives to live and we trust the lesson they have already received will be sufficient to cause them to live manly upright lives.) At this time, Big Chief stepped from his place of concealment and told the boys, “He guessed that would be all right.” The consternation of the kids may be easily imagined. They were placed in the lock-up and later taken before Justice J.H. Howard, who after due consideration suspended sentence and placed them under the supervision of Chief Holmes to whom he gave instructions to arrest them if they were found on the streets after nine o’clock at night or were found in each other’s company.
