The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-04-28
ALLEGED DIAMOND THIEVES.
The Police Arrest and Lock Up Two
Ven Who Tally to the Descpipt lon
Of the Columbus diamond Thieves

About two weeks ago City Marshal Nor
ton received the fo owing letter concerning
the theft of lot OF diamonds at Columbus
City Marshal, Dallas:
My DEAR SIR -Some four or five days
ago sent you postal describing lot oil
jewelry stolen from widow lady, of Col
umbus, Texas, by the name of "Mrs. Bette
b. Ta.s." She made quits mistake in Of
fering such reward as she did, as the
jewelry was very valuable. 1t was worth as
least two thousand dollars, and better res
ward ought TO have beer offered. take the
liberty OF writing you as brother officer
to try and give you all the points l have
made regarding it. The parties who
stole it are undoubtedly parties
who are following Welsh s.
Sands circus for such purpo 8.
The description of the parties are: One man
seems to be about As or SO years old, ey
hair and has beard all over his face about
one inch long, and think third finger off of
left hand. He also has with him young
man about five feat, eight or nine inchc
high, with little mu.tache and dresses rather
fancy, and Sometimes wears glasses. There
is also woman along selling laces Oh pr
tending to. That is a spOttor for them
The, eft the circus at Kempst ad and got
me- II f their track. l would come up my
sell Just got telegram calling me home
Pie, - keep lock out for such parties,
and if you get them telegraph me
and 1 will telegraph you u
warrant tina; will hold them.until CT \ C )me.
Enc osed you will find description of jewelry
that the lady Rad out herself and gave me
Pleese invel igste your pawn shops Sc, as
b. ieve from what can find out they c e in
your city probably waiting for circpI.
Respectfully,
II. B. MIDDLETON,
City Marshal
Columbus, Texas.
Marshal Morton furnished each memte
of the police force With description OF the
parties, and yesterday morning at the Union
depot officers Mullins and Hodges came
upon the Two men just as they were on the
eve Of taking an east bound train for Min
cola where the show was yesterday, and
placed them under arrest. They were vcr
indignant and insisted with the officers T. "A
they had taken in charge the wrong men III! !,
we're taken to tn, ststion.house and locked
up. They said That they were sporting r'"7
and had been following the Pacific
playing poker and selling what is tsrV.
'stuffed" ewelry. They had gone west sim
the show 10 Weaherford and Fort Wor n,
where they laid over, and when arrested they
were on their way to join it again at Mineola,
to which point they had shipped their
baggage from this place by the j .cidc ex-
press company. When they were searched
a diamond pin and gold watch we're taken
off Of them, as well as pistol from each.
They gave their names as Zeno Williams
and Sol Aiken. Both answered the deseriT :
ton fully with the exception of Williams
beard, whose chin is clean shaved, yet tie
index finger of his left hand is missing as
stated in the letter of the city mar bel of
Columbus. II ia supposed that the sto. l.
jewelry is in tbeir valises which they eX-
pressed, as alresdJ stated, 10 Mineola, and
Marshal Morton has telegrsphed the author
tiles there 10 hold them. He also sent tel
gram to the marshal of Columbus, inform
iDg him vi the arrest, ana received reply
from him that he would be here to-day to
[ Ike the prisoners In charge. There was a
woman here about week ago, stopping
at one of the hotels whose b!il liant
diamond earrings and brosstpin ard rings,
we're the source of admiration and general
remark among those who CHANGED TO see
them. She left the city several days ago,
and the officers are of the opinion that she is
the one mentioned in the msrshars letter. A
HERLLD reporter called at the station house
10 see the men. They are genteely dressed,
of good address and would never be token
by the general public for thieves. Williams
said that he was q sporting man, and Aiken
said that be had been following the show,
selling ''shoddy jewelry." BE stat: that he
W an actor by profession, and that he play
ed 10 this city seven years ago at the old
Fiel i's threatre, with the Stevens Csrlotts
corr hin aiiorn nr.r,nnanu