The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-02-16

NEW YoRR, Feb. An audacicus and
successful series OF systematic rOpnlrie6. oy
which scores OF sbopkeeper- have been vic
timixed during the past year, has been
traced to It's source ihret al ne gang nave
been arrested. Their field OF operations has
extended over the entire cisy, and the
heaviest losers are in the upt jwn districts.
The thieves usually travelled in pairs or
trios, and the pol &c decl are that the parties
now In custody are wtll-knowD criniina 3
and dissolute characters. The modesadopted
by the robbers 10 success -fuily carry out
their schemes varied bu, little. the prin-
cipal method was for one OF their number
10 engage the attention in All out OF the way
store OF the sole attendant, and Tor cor
federate to riffs the money TIL. Another
of the gang would represent himself as a
public officer, and while In pursuit OF his
duty afford his confederltes ample oppor
tuuity to make away with the ready cash
in the drawer. In every case as far AS
could be sscertained the daring desperadoes
succeeded in making good their escape.
Probably the most novel, aud yei by no
means new couge, was thht psrpetrateu
lust year ago upon grocer at the corner
Of Washington and Eleventh ttfeets. Ga
February 2, 1883, two young men hnrriedly
entered the tore of John III Vac Doblsn one
CARRYING A SILK HAT
and the other n hiRh-crowned Derby, be-
sides the ONES they had on their heads. AS
they entered they were laughing ara tels-
ing In very lively manntr, and, approach
ing the grocer, said they wanted b. IN To de-
eide bet as TO which hat would bo the
greater quantity of moIasses. Thoy ex-
pressed their Willingness to psy for the mo-
iasses. while he C. uld keep it II he desired
after the decision wss declared. The gro
Ger flied the silk hat first aud handed IL u
one of the men TO hold while no filed the
other. Will. in a shopping ppstuce u I'LL
ing the second hat, the silk hat with its
contents was forced over the grccer's
head, the It cky nuid C mpl,tely enveior-
ing his face aud rendering him tor the time
totally blind aud helpless. Before 10
couid fuls reafz, hls position the men
with the pa ting situation OF stick 10 it,
old mani MADE good their escape When
he had freed his eyes aud washed his lace,
he found that his money drawer had been
robbed of S275 Ther nexs 'xpl L. was on
Mag cS. when I 40 men representing them
selves AS a tches Of the department build
ings entered the grocery of Peter Reiolla, at
No. 1l0l Third avenue. One OF them
A,KED FOR CHANGE
for q five dollar bli. Having received tne
change and noted the location OF the III,
the other called the s,orekeeper's attention
TO some irregularity about his sign IN 'front.'
NJ his store, which ne said extended too lar
into the street. The grocer stepped ouside
with the speaker 3. TOOK at the sign, al
when he returued the two men Left In OPP
posite directions. While outside the money
drawer was robbed OF s35. Three or four
weeks ago Inspector Brynes, thinking these
depredstions we're becoming too frtqueni,
deta,led Detectives Mcclure, MspRio, Ru-
land, McCloskey aad Haley to make
thoroush investigation. As the result OF
their tirtsome but persistent labors, the
officers yesterday morning succeeded Ia
o. oturing three men who have been recog'
nized oy the police 40 notorious characters
and thieves. Their names are Robert Hew-
thorne. aged q years, at No. 40 Renwick