National Republican., 1880-08-09
IN SLEEPS CLOTHING.
A Pretended Baptist Prea cher Under Arrcs
as Boardinr.Houae Thief


As Detective McDeytt was sitting in his
house on Seventh street southwest Yesterday
afternoon his attention was called TO o pedes-
trian passing the house on the way uptown.
Ihis pedestrian happened TO be trinity. built
young man, wearing square.cut black coat,
abrown straw hat, with high crown aud wide
brim, and had the appearance Of young
preacher. OF course there was nothing un.
usual In a clerical-lookipg man passing the
detectives house. but the detective immedi.
ately called to mind that gentleman orsimilar
appearance, who represented himself TO be
preacher, had recently committed q
number Of small depredations IN divers
boardng.houscs in and about the city &.
Detective McDcvitt, with this fact in mind,
clapped on his hat, FASTENED TO the street,
aud soon overhsulcd tho clericsl-lookiug gen.
tloman In the square.cut coat. When he made
known his suspicious TO the stranger that
worthy appeared greatly astonished and re-
marked, why, l am q minister OF tho gos-
pei " IL he expected to impress the officer
with bis innocence by this declaration he mado
miserable failure, for McDevitt having had
an opportunity to moro closely scrutinizc
the stranger, was convinced that lie had found
the right man. The stranger, seeing that the
officer could not be deceived, finally admit
ted that he was Henry james Harris, who
is wanted for number Of robbories com.
mitted in boarding.houscs Harris was taken
by the ofBcer to police headquarters, and there
locked up. 1t appears that he came from the
south, aud has been in this city about three
weeks. His method Of robbiug is to engage
board at sotno house, and when good oppor-
unity Is offered, to slip away, taking what.
ever articles Of clothing, books, umbrellas or
other saeable things that happen to be within
reach. His appearance and professions greatly
aided him In such operations. The drst traces
found OF him Ia this neighborlood are in Alex
andTis, whore over three weeks ago q man an
swering his description and pretending to be
book agent. stole u watch, medal aud chain
from gentleman named Schcfcld.
Since that time he has, it appears,
been active and ubiquitous in this city.
Among the cases reported at police hcadquar.
ters against him is the theft of clothing from
the house Of ]. w. Solomon, No. s Potomac
street, Georgetown. Another case Is the lar
ceny OF two books from Mrs. Plummcr's house,
No. 901 Sixteenth street. He has also proved
n very Improbable boardcr In n house on Vir.
ginia avenue, one on d street and two on
Sixth street. He has passed at somo of these
houses, 1t is stated, under the name of Howard,
and at others under the name of Harrington.
Harris is about five feet six inches
in height, tweuty.eight years of age,
and wore a black moustache until
Saturday, when he appeared clean shaven.
Since his arrival in this city he has takon part
in y number Of street praycr-mcctines, chiefly
in South Washington. He had with him
when arrested yesterday n certificate of liconso
TO preach, dated 1874, stating that he was
member of Union" Baptist church, tho loca-
tion of which was not named, and Il certificate
of ordination to preach the gospel, dated
May "a, 1878. Both of them were made out
in the name of Henry James Harris and at
tested Ia by church officers in Richmond, Va,
and Albeniarle county, Va.