National Republican., 1876-09-09
AN IMPORTANT ARREST.
ThieYs. With Yaluahla Pluudsr capturI


An important arrest was made yesterday
morning in the Fifth precinct, and one 1t is
expected that will give clue to several rob.
berries and develope the burglars. Shortly b.
fore O'Clock Lieutenant Skippon and Officers
Shilling and Jones, who had been watching
| the movements of two colored men that they
| looked upon with suspicion, satisfied them
selves that they had seen enough to warrant
making an arrest, and proceeded to take them
| into custody. The men went into the auction
store of MIR. James Guild, on Pennsylvania
| avenue, between Tenth and Eleventh streets
| northwest One OF them carried a small
| black satchel, and after getting inside in
| quired of Mr.. Guild if he ever purchased
| jewelry. He said that sometimes be did. The
\ spokesman of the party then opened the
| satchel and produced 46 plain gold rings,
three sets of ladies god bands or bracelets,
gold hunting case watch and other articles of
less value. The proprietor of the store asked
how much was wanted for the lot, and was
told 800. Mr.. Guild then said that his
| clerk was absent, but would be in shortly, and
if they would call again the goods would be
examined and purchased if found genuine.
They then left the store, as did Mr.. Guild q
few minutes later, who proceeded to the
Fifth precinct station and informed Lieuten-
ant Skippon of the circumstance. That
form, and stationing Policemen Jones, Shilling
and Longstreet so as to command
VIEW OF THE STORE
and be on hand when wanted, went within the
establishment himself. He went into the Office
and there took position as one of the clerks,
showing pencil behind his ear and waited the
return of the men. A few minutes only elapsed
before they entered, the man with the satchel
in advance, and walking directly up to the
dasE made uit Mr. Child and
his pseudo clerk about negotiating q sale.
About this time the other man, evidently dis
trustful about closing bargain, and fearing
capture, edged his way to the door and was
quietly slipping out-unperceived, as he
thought-when he found himself in the Gus
tody of Officer Harry Jones. In the meantime,
in response to the clerks questioning, the man
was telling a story of
HOW HE CAME WITH THE JEwELRY.
He said that he obtained it in West Virginia,
from a small town near Deer Park, and that
reward of $500 had been offered for its recoV-
cry; they had worked their way to this city on
a train last Thursday night. Clerk Skippon
replied that he was not bothered about the
reward, but would like the entire lot offered,
as 1t seemed TO be solid gold, excepting the
bracelets, which were plated. The man was
about giving a statement of the robbery when
his story was suddenly cut short by the ap-
pearance of Officer Shilling, who had come in
at a signal from the Lieutenant, and placed
him under arrest, much to his astonishment.
They gave their names as William Brooks,
alias Black Jim, and Augustus York. The
latter is
A wELL-KEowE THIEF
in this city, and says that Brooks right name
is James Thomas; that he first met him on
Thursday night, and was informed that he had
the jewelry, and wanted to know If he (York)
could not take him to place where It could be
sold. York said that he thought he could, but
it seems failed, and instead ran against an hon.
orable business man.
A further examination of the rings showed
that they are all fine 1Sksrat gold. One of
them is engraved on the inside, "George to
Katy-myself to thee" Another appears to
be of silver, with gold sci, on which is marked
"F. NJ" The rings and bracelets weigh 162 |
pennyweights, and are worth between three and |
four hundred dollars. The watch is a cap gold |
hunting case, made by Robert Roskell, Liver |
pool, and is numbered 81 ,642.
The case was taken up BY Detectives Nc |
Dewitt and MeElfresh, and efforts made to trace |
the robbery and find the owners of the stolen |
property. The suspected parties are still held |
at the station to await the results OF the inves-
tigation.
THE ROBBERY TRACED.
During the evening the detectives received |
letter from J. Nelson Winsor, of Martinsburg, /
W. Va, stating that q jewelry store in that |
place had been robbed on the night of the 9Th |
instant, and several articles of value taken. |
This confirmed the story of Brooks to Sergeant |
Dinsmore that he got the property from that
town. The officers have sufficient reason for /
thinking that another party in Martinsburg |
was concerned in the robbery. Lieut.. Skippon |
and Detectives MsElfresh and McDevitt left |
last night at las O'Clock in the Western ex-
press with the two prisoners to deliver them to /
the authorities in West Virginia.