New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-01
LARGE LOSSES BY Co1T0Y rHEFrS.

RESULTS OF DETECTIVE wORK-wHAT HAS FOL-
LOWED THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE COTTON
TXCHANGE.
The handling which Is necessary in the pro-
OF Transferring and delivering cotton
the Cotton Exchange n tis city, results every year
!oss OF nearly quarter of million dollars. This
loss comes from systom Of petty thefts,
the work OF engaged in plan OF
organized theft. These certain cotton
samplers and their observation-disclosures and merders-
and their plan Is. in brief this After taking from the
bale of eottona that the law permits them
to take for sample to be delivered 70 the broker making
the saethe sampler then takes out pound, pound
ana half. wbich he appropriates 10 his own use.
This quantity OF cotton IL, IN itself, small.
but when 1t is remembered that a sampler
frequently handles 200 bales d day, it Will
be that. supposing him to steal pound and half
from each, he would accumulate 800 pounds from
days Ork.
The Investigations which have led these disclosures
resulted rom discoveries made by Mooney
& Bolslds detective agency, of No 1872 Broad
way. Under the direction If the New-Yorlt
Cotton Exchange these detectives were employed and
their work has resulted in the complete Of the
methods by winch the thefts were made, the
CT the gull ;y persons, their haunts AMI
places Of business, ana the relative quantities
OF cotton that they have been 10 the habit Of
stealing About the first discovery made was the
fact that the demonstrating was carried
on with very little effort at conccalment. Orgi-
mating during tho war,-when the price OF
cotton so high that handful worth almost
dollar The samplers who began this kind OF peeulaton
had become accustomed take toll
from every balo without ever having been In
tcricrad with, that they came 10 look upon
perquislte So boldly was the stealing done.
that before the detectives came into the case.
seen wac selmg cotton openly hut Whenever ar
rests made IT was found Impossible to identify
~ to lie sampled the services OF sam.
pier aborer and member are required.
weigh six ounces. This he drops into bag
by HI, side. Then, drawing another and larger
Tuls is the stolen cotton and this rag is called
ioSer" This Joker" Is usually placed alongside the
doors of the warehouse, and runner" for the receiy
of stolen goods who buys the cotton sneaks up and
watches his chance 10 walk 0wih IT, There no doubt
that there certain employees IN some OF the cotton
warehouses who II not ID absolute collision with the
Samples at least wink Mt their populations. Another
method ahGg calltd Trim ming" the samples
This il done where the receivers runner cannot
| get 10 the warehouses where the cotton
Is being sampled In some cases, Tor instance where
tue sampAng Is done outside We CIV, Tue oass
should contain. bat really coniatning much more,
taken 10 the receivers and there trimmed I0is
part Of the cotton rs taken out aud the
malndor is permitted to 10 10 the legitimate owner OF
Tne laOorer who helps to handle the bales and
the mender-who sews up The rent In the
| cnt- it-il-o receive their part Of the stolen
cotton. Their portion much the samplers.
however. Cotton sampler honestly earn nom Slo
$50 week. but been found that OF the
theIvsh samplers boast or making $50 week by their
| stealings.
The men who make 4 regular business OF purchasing
stolen cotton about dozen in number They are
J all well-to-do, as the phrase goes, and some
/ OF them have accumulated wealth. An idea OF
the extent OF their dealings be lad from the
fact that IN hfy bales OF cotton week are
SAID 10 have taken n0 shop purchased n lots
Of from to 800 400 pounds. SO Systematically has
this business buying The stolen cotton been conducted
that the cIty has divided into yaons, tho
men themselves call them. These districts eleariy
the wards other political divisions .! tie
city, aud runner ventures 10 cneroach ON the ter
| ritOTy OF another man.
The most receivers Ia the city purport 10 be
legitimate cotton dealers but have been INDICTED for
| dealing in stolen cotton now
out on bail They have number OF places
| In this city and in Brooklyn. Tneir territory
Is the richeet and valuable preserve IN the city,
| prsng Ihey buy from. the district Including
WHITEHALL state Pearl and stone-sts Battery
| 10 Wall-st.
There have been indictments found, in New-York ana
Brooklyn, against about twenty-five men, including
samplers labOrers and receivers all Of whom have boen
arrested ana held pail Two only have vet been
tried-Lawrence BOwe receiver and Patrick Farrell,
sampler-b0h ot were convicted
The Committee OF the Cotton Exchange having charge
Of this matter, and It's members lersy express their
obligations 10 Messrs Mooney BOland through whose
exertions these frauds have been exposed.