The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-01-17
AN IMPORTANT CAPTURE.

of the wharf boats in this city, but it wa
impossible to track the goods to their pos
SCISSOR These articles were sometime
taken from packages in transit, at other
they were the property of persons employe,
on the boats. In this way dry goods, boot
and shoes, carpets, and feather beds wer,
stolen, always without leaving any clue by
which they might be traced, and the whar
boats were always compelled to make gooc
the losses. Some months ago Mr.. G. W
Brady stored quantity of his household
goods on the lower wharf boat, believing
that they would be entirely safe there; but
a few days ago twas found that they had
been disturbed and, upon exam
ination, were found to be short
number of blankets, quilts, bed sheets,
pillow slips, etc. Complaint had been
made before upon several occasions by the
owners of the wharf boats to Chief Myers.
and he, after some investigation, asserted
confidently that the guilty party was an
employe of either one or other of the wharf
boats. But this was doubted, and the in
vestigations we're not pushed. This time,
however, the chief was told to "work up"
the matter, regardless of whom it might
affect and he went to work with characteristic
en8gy. After some deliberation he gave
directions to the officers and the "piping"
began A good description of the articles
stolen was placed in the hands of each of
the officers, and it was not long
before Officers Wins and Tyler
found some, of the goods in the
possession of colored people, living up
town. Inquiry as to where the goods were
procured lead to the discovery Of one of the
thieves, Samuel Anderson, negro en-
ploye of wharf boat No. 9, the very man at
first suspected of the theft by the chief.
Other officers found more goods in different
localities, which implicated other negro
employees of the wharf. boats, and when
the chief thought that enough had
been discovered to make cases against all
of them, it was decided to close in on them.
Anderson was first arrested yesterday after
noon and taken to police eadquarters
where the chief interviewed him. By
adroit questioning the prisoner was at first
confused and finally lead to make a confess
sion so far as his own guilt was concerned,
but without saying anything which might
lead to the implication of others. He
acknowledged that he had stolen two bed
quilts, some sheets, table cloth and other
things from Mr.. G. w Bradley's goods, and
five bolts of fine dress goods from case
which was being shipped through here.
lie sold everything mostly on credit, he
says; the dress goods were worth at whole
sale, about seventyscents per yard and he
sold the five bolts of it at prices ranging
from ten to twelve and half cents per
yard to different parties 10 the city. The |
quilts he sold at one dollar each, and the |
leather beds, sheets and table cloth at |
1ominal figures. But the chief was not |
entirely satisfied with this confession; he
knew that others were implicated and he
knew that Anderson knew who the others
we're. by threats and coaxing and sharp
questioning Anderson was ultimately
brought to the point where he consent
I'd to give it all away" as he expressed
/, and he said that he had sold the blank
, Is to John Holland and Joseph Morton,
,wo negfoes, who knew, at the time they
made the purchase that the goods had been
stolen, and that these two men had also
stolen some of the dress goods out of the
box aforesaid. He said that Holland got
wo bolts of the goods, and Morton six bolts.
With this information in hand, the
chief ordered the two negroes last named
arrested and brought to headquarters.
They were subjected to the same rigid ex-
and lead to make similar con.
LESSONS. But both denied having gotten
As many pieces Of the goods as Anderson
had said. Holland claimed to have stolen
only one piece and Morton two. They
were all three taken to jail and will be
brought out for preliminary examination to-
day.
The value of the goods mysteriously
missed by the watchmen and office men Of
the wharf-boats within the last few months,
is placed at about three hundred
and fifty dollars, nearly all of
which the wharf-boat company has been
to pay over. But all had i'm
plicit confidence In the man Anderson who
has been employed on the wharfboats for
nearly ten years, and always looked over
the thief's head TO discover the
guilty parties. Chief Myers and Officers
Wins, Tyler, Olmstod, Mahanny, Martin
and Hogan deserve much credit for the en-
orgy and detective tact displayed in work.