The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-10-06
A YOUNG MAIL ROBBER.
Katie Pearson, Seven Years Old, Cap.
tured While Stealing Letters in
the POstOiiice-..Her Story
Of why She Did it.

Postmaster Halves made an important
capture at an early hour this morning
For some time it has been known that
some one was stealing mail from the box
of the Rock Island Il Peoria Railway Co
Two weeks ago the mail was all taken
from the box and opened, and in day or
two afterward Il was returned to the box
all in a large envelope. A policeman
began to shadow suspected parties at
once. Postmaster Halves, who is an old
police officer and who retains some of ihe
old detective instinct, had his suspicious
aroused some time ago as to who the
guilty party was. There were several
little incidents came under his observation
which led him to believe that he had
struck the right lead He kept a close
watch on the suspected parties, and this
morning he had the satisfaction of cap
turing one of them and of finding out
that his suspicious were we'll founded.
1t was but little after O'Clock this
morning when George Koengsaecker one
of the delivery clerks, called to Postmas~
ter Halves, who was in the rear of the
office, that some one was tampering with
the r. l. & p box. Mr. HAYES at once
stepped to the door leading from the of
| flee to the rotunda aId peercd out. Who
| ever it was that had been in the office had
gone out the east door. The postmaster
stepped quickly to the street, but no one
| was in sight He then walked south to
the cast entrance to the second story of
the postoffiCe building, and on the stairway
he saw little girl with package in her
hand When she saw the postmaster she
dropped the package and ran nimbly up
the stairway. Mr.. Halves called to her
to stop and she did So, and then he asked
her to accompany him to the office. which
she did. The postmaster picked up the
letters on the way which she had
dropped, and found that they belonged to
the r. |. & P. office He asked her if she
had dropped them and she said she had
! Then she broke into tears and confessed
all. She said that her brother, Sinney
| Pearson, Is years old had made her steal
the letters. Marshal Miller was commu-
nicated with, and he arrested Sidney at
Christy's cracker factory, where he was
employed. Marshal Miller, Postmaster
| Halves, Mrs. Pearson and little Katie,
who is but years old, had conference,
when the little girl reiterated her state
ment to the postmaster before mentioned,
that her brother, Sidney. had instructed
her to steal the letters, and she added that
her ma knew that she had been stealing
| letters. At this latter declaration Mrs
| Pearson became exceedingly wroth, and
| declared that the child was lying, and
tried to make her retract the statement.
| but the conscience stricken little girl tear.
fully declared that lit was true-heI
mother did know it.
Sidney was next talked to- He at first
vehemently denied all knowledge of the
affair, and became very much excited
about it, but Mr.. Halves, by adroit ques,
tons. got the little rascal into trap, and
he finally confessed that he had induced
his sister to steal letters. They had hoped
TO find some with money in them
Mrs. Pearson is a widow with two sons,
Sidney and Archie, and daughter Katie.
Archie is the Oldest and it is pretty well
established fact that he knew nothing
about the thieving that was going on, OF
at least had nothing to do with it. The
family lives in the third story of the post
office block, and Katie was going to hel
room when captured by the postmaster
What first aroused Mr.. Halves suspic
ions was the finding in the alley of q
number of letters which belonged to the
r. |. & P. box. They had been
thrown out of an up stairs wind0 W
The postmaster knew that there was no
one in the building who would rob the
mails except the Pearsons. They have a
box, the key of which, it seems, will open
several other boxes, among which was
the r. l. q P. box. Darts Sons mail
has also been tempered with occasionally
Nothing Of value has been taken from the
mail of the Rock Island and Peoria rail.
way folks so far as they are able to fine
out at present, but they have been put tC
great Inconvenience by the nonarrival Of
important letters on different occasions
II is probable that the letters that
Charles Heckel has failed to get from his
home in Pennsylvania, one of which con
tanned check for $25, have been filcheC
by these same parties. The fact that thu
opened letters belonging to Mr. Hecke
were found in front of the Golden Eagle
store, over which Mrs. Pearson lives, goe!
far towards strengthening this suppose
ton. Young Pearson is a tough charac'
ter for a boy OF bis age. He once figured
in larceny CT =, .he circuit court. H,
will be taken before the I. S. Marshal a
Chicago for trial.
County Building
PROBATE.
| Oct. estate of A. K. Philleo, de
ceased. Final order approving said sale
Estates of Rachel Boney. deceased
Bond filed and approved, and letters o
administration issued to Joseph Boney
7 N