The daily gazette., 1882-10-10
A TRIAL BY TELEPHONE
THE CASE or THE ROBBED
STREET PEDDLERs.
CHIEF HAWKINS STATEMENT.
He Says He Did Not Stand In with the
Alleged Thieves-Law ON the Subject OF
Larceny.

Considerable surprise was caused by the
publication in the GAZETTE yesterday after
noon Of the case Of the street peddlers, who
claim To have been robbed at the saloon of
William II. Reynolds, on Front street, who
afterwards got the money through Chief of
Police Hawkins and were fined for selling
goods without license.
Chief of Police Hawkins makes the follow
ing statement to GAZETTE reporter 1.-THE
two men whose names are Albert Graber
and William Casey, came here on Sunday
afternoon TO talk about suing out warrant
for the arrest of parties In William H. Rey-
nolds' saloon. One of them had lost 81,
but he had recovered IL and he had no charge
TO make. The other had lost $l1 and there
was no evidence. They said they had gone
TO Reynolds place and had fallen asleep in
chairs In the back room. When they were
awakened about ~ O'Clock two men were in
the room one was young Ed. Reynolds,
and the other was, he thought, the bar
tender. asked the man if he could swear
that either of the men had taken the money.
He said no, he was asleep.
"They asked me to see II / could get the
money. They told me that they had visited
the town to see some girls, and were ac-
quainted with young Ed. Reynolds. knew
them 10 be thieves, but had no positive proof
against them. Isaid to them that they had
been attending Middletown fair, and they
said they had. They also admitted to sell
ing cheap jewelry on the streets Saturday
night. Sergeant Mcconnell and myself
went to Reynolds place, the two men wait
ing at the hall We saw William II. Rey
nolds, the proprietor, but his brother was
not ut home. Reynolds said the men were
liars If they said they had lost any money In
his place, and that they had slept in his
place all night, even after the time they
said the money had been missed. He said
he would pay any money lost In his house,
sooner than have a fuss kicked up, and gave
me $11, which gave to the men.
" | then spoke to them about John Mer-
rick's watch, which had been stolen at Mid
dletown fair, and / suspected them of
knowing about It. That mixed them all up
and finally one Of them said to me that he
knew where the watch was; that 1t had gone
dence on that point, and could not hold
them.
81 then put 1t to them about peddling
jewelry ON the streets. They said they had
no license, and told them It was my duty
TO hold them for trial. The Mayor and me
had talk by telephone, and he said that /
could take the mems fine and costs and let
them 20 If they were satisfied, or let them
give security for their appearance at the
trials Monday morning, as we had no Sun
day evening hearings. They said they did
not want any trial, and finally they paid 10
apiece and costs and were released. They
were advised to stand FOR hearing. The
case is regularly entered upon the docket" !"
The Chief also denies having any connection
with the gang at Reynolds place or with
standing In with the alleged thieves.
THE LAW OF LICENSE.
From the statement OF the chief, the pub
lie can draw its own conclusions. The way
In which the fine was imposed is likely to
cause some comment.
The law of licenses requires that every
peddler shall have q license, and fixes heavy
pen altles for violation. A clause also fixes
penalty of $40 for any peddler or salesman
by sample, who refuses TO show his license
when asked. This appears TO be the offense
for which Mayor Wales fined Graber and
Casey by telephone.
The real offense Of which the men were
guilty is that they were selling without a
license. Five hundred dollars is the penalty,
the law being as follows
ANY person who shall deal or traffic as o
peddler, without license, or contrary TO this
license or In goods not authorized by his
license, or shall icnd or borrow license for the
purpose Of trading under the same, shall forfeit
and pay Ave hundred dollars, one half for the
use OF any one who will sue for the same.
The law further takes the imposition of
fines from the hands of Justices OF the
Peace, and makes 1t necessary for offenders
10 be held for Court. Hence the men they
had admitted to selling without license
should have been remanded for preliminary
hearing and then held for court.