Daily globe., 1879-03-23
DONE UP BROWN.

DONE UP BROWN.
Or 1t Would Have Been But for a Country
| Constable-Arrest of.a Thief.
AS they happened seemingly wholly dis.
connected-the GLOBE has chroniclcd nu
merous robberies of late. Most generally
they have been of minor character, and the
circumstances of the theft have been such
as to attract no particular attention. Az
parently, these robberies have had no con-
neot'on' But their frequency occasioned a
| surmlse with tne police, and
! the strict attention paid to
| accommodating jewelry and such like portable
valuables, awakened a suspicion. Capt.
Clark and Detective Bresette were particular
ly struck with similarity in the manner of
perpetrating the several robteries reported,
and undertook an investigation. The result
has been to reach the conclusion that an Or
| ganized gang of thieves are operating
in this vicinity. They are impartial
In their visits, now at St. Paul, then Mime
apolls and again some country town such as
Prescott or Menominee, is visited, and the
visitation is marked by the larceny of jew
elry or something of the kind. Their oper-
ations have been carried on with a certain
degree of care, such care that at no time have
their robberies been large. But in the total
they have reached tolerable figures in the way
of value.
Only this week the GLOBE reported the
theft of valuable ring at Browns Third
Mrs. Burgess, milliner on West Third street,
To xyici To1~,
all these very frequent occurrences into cal
culation, Capt. Clark and Detective Bresett
undertook to run down the thieves. Men
and women were engaged in the
profitable petty business. The trail was
taken up at Browns jewelry store, and as
siduously followed. There were the usual
crooks and turns, with here and there loss
of the scent entirely, but finally the proper
gait was struck and the thieves run home, as
it were.
Since last Wednesday Detective Bresett
has been in Minneapolis working
up the case. He got his
parties spotted, and their abodes chalk
marked, like Georgiana in the story of '',rhe
Forty Thieves" No sooner had Bresett put
foot in Minneapolis than his mission was in
quired into, but was mt learned. The country
constables up there became intensely inter
ested, and busted themselves consp1cuously
and persistently about this St. Paul business.
They finally stumbled on to the racket
and spoiit it by flushing the game.
After all they were not wholly
to blame; the business was given away by an
officer of the st. Paul force. The matter
had been confded to him, and he, while on
social visit, confdentially mentioned it to
the Minneapolis amateurs. They became
wild with fright or apprehension of a scoop,
and seeing the marks of the St. Paul de-
seizure, then made the ' caPture ptareS and md
had it heralded as a big haul of silverware
and the uprooting of a den of thieves. But
no arrests were made, and the property
seized is not open for Identification. And
even more, the parties from whom it was
taken are violent, imperative and threaten
ing in their demands for its return. In
other words, the country constable overshot
the mark in his eagerness to circumvent the
regulars and prevent "a dishonor'' in his
bailiwick. The alarm has been given by
the premature jump, and the gang very
likely have escaped.
At any rate Chief Weber returned from
Minneapolis last night, after being summon
ed up "privately," without the thief who
took Browns jewelry, and whom Detective
Bresett had run down and would have cap
tured last night. Though the measure
taken has failed this time, the police here do
not despair of helping Sheriff George
to his Menominee burglar and
capturing Browns visitor and the rest of the
gang Caution will be taken in the future
not to confde the progress of the search to
any one who may betray it to the Mime
apolis zealots.
THIEF CAPTURED.
In this connection, as probably part of
the whole, it may be we'll to mention a bona
tide capture, made by st. Paul officer last
night. About nightfall report was made to
ofhcer Mitchell that party was at
annie Olesons trying to negotiate
the sale of some valuable jewelry. Officer
Mitchell repaired to her place at once, found
the man, made his capture with the jewelry
IN his possession, and at once marched him
to the station. There he was identified as
John Clark. Clark has made a history for
himself during his sojourn of few months
IN this city. He first came into notice by an
attempt, with companion named Fox, to
pass off bogus check on Theobald, the
jackson street wholesale liquor merchant.
Fooled In this, and escaping punishment for
it by chewing up the proof-the check
Clark gave himself up to idleness. He got
dose of sixty days in jail as vagrant.
lime expiring and freedom gained, he again
lost his freedom and got time to the extent
OF ninety days for becoming too much at
tached to buffalo robe A few days ago he
gained his liberty again. Last night on
being searched, a handsome and costly
get of jewelry, breast-pin, earrings, etc.,
estimated to be worth $50, was
found on him, also gentleman's open faced
gold watch. The jewelry is a gold and Jet
set, and the watch is mum bered 1,117 and
has the initials II. H. S. or H. M. S. OH it.
Clark cannot i've, or will not give any ac-
count of how he obtained possession of the
valuables. He offered the whole outfit at
Swede Annie's for $40. It is believed the
property belongs in Minneapolis, as Clark is
known to have been absent from his Min
nesota street boarding house for several
days. More than likely Clark belongs to the
gang of thieves who have been extensively
but modestly oper ating in this city and
neighborhood.
DAILY WEATHER BULLETIN.
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