St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-29
"a. E. Jones, a Western Avenue
Butcher, Proves to Re :
a Fence.
He and Three of His Aides
Gathered in by De-
teetiveS
The Principal Of a Business
College Sluggsd By
a Pupil.
Deserted by Her Husband. an
Iowa Woman Is Sent to
the Hospital.
THEY WE'RE SURPRISED.
A Fence ana His Aides, Four in
All, Cleveriy Captured by the

AFence ana His Aides, Four in
All, Cleveriy Captured by the
Detectives.
Had the game which the entire
strength of the detective force played
last night to a finish been casino, and
not thief-catching, the result might the
more appropriately be termed a
''sweep." AS it was, the blue-cOatS ac-
complished what they set out to do and
bagged everything III sight.
During the past four months the po-
lice department has been deluged with
complaints of persons who have had
harnesses and other parapheTnalla to be
found in well-regulated stables stolen.
The thieves did not discriminate as to
quality, and took anything that looked
like leather or would he useful about
barn. Their midnight raids were the
means of postp0ning many sleigh
ride, and the victims in many instances
were losers to the extent OF hundreds or
dollars. Finally Chief Connors made
up his mind that it was
TIME TO CALL A HALT.
He went to weak with the determine
ton of locating the culprits ana then
landing them. The result of his in
yestigations was that yesterday, having
gotten all his points, he decided to make
a raid, and early last evening the de-
tectiye force to man proceeded to the
butcher shop of A. E. Jones, 1913 West
ern avenue north, and there took into
custody the proprietor, Jones, his clerk,
Alex Johnson, and two young men
named Joseph O'Donnell and Ed Hal
pin.
A search of the establishment re-
yeaIed enough plumber to stock a har-
ness shop. In the ice chest were two
sets of costly harnesses. Another lot
was found in the garnet. and out near
the stable, sccreted III pile OF manure,
was a chaotic pile OF straps, buckles,
bits, etc.
The visit of the detectives was some
what OF surprise to Butcher Jones, as
It was TO the others. Jones in an in
iured tone asked what it all meant, and
even after the plumber was turned up
by the detectives the brazen fence had
the nerve to deny all knowledge of the
property having been stolen. bis eX-
cuse, however, availed him nothing, nor
did the low rant which he directed in
intermittent volleys at the detectives.
They were we'll satisfied that he had
used his legitimate business as cloak
in directing HaIpin and ODonnell in the
commission Of the numerous theftS
which brought him handsome returns,
and treated him accordingly. The pa
troll was summoned, and on its arrival
the quartette and all the booty that had
been unearthed were dumped into the
vehicle and conveyed to the central sta
ton.
The charge registered against Halpin
and O'D0nAell was grand larceny.
Jones and his employe, johnson, were
labeled receivers Of stolen property and
larcenists, and all four assigned to
quarters where there is no danger Of
dogs biting them, even though smaller
Vermin may take an occasional nip.
jones denialS, oft repeated i'll an in
iured tone, were offset by the admission
of Halpin and Donnell. Under jul
dicious squeezing they gave the whole
snap away. According TO their story,
which is borne out by what information
the detectives have, and the result Of
last nights raid,
JONES WAS TIE MOVING SPIRIT
in all the recent thefts of harnesses and
other adernmentS for equineS and Sty-
lish turnouts. He. they claim, told them
where to go and paid them, gingerly it
is Jfue, Tor IHelf W0rk, IdhiliS every IillllS
they were able to steal. The average
price paid by Jones for stolen harnesses
was 81 each. Some OF the property
found last night secreted in
and about his establishment has
been identified. and Halpin and
O'Donnell admit Of having robbed
the stables of A. B. Wilgus, I. NJ. Tes-
Ter, l.. ID. Thompson and others. 1t was
Jones who turned up robe valued at
$3.50, stolen recently from George
Thompson, Of the Dispatch. jones, it
is said, paid Halpin and ODonnell
So each for stealing it, and then re-
ceived from Mr.. Thompson reward
of S25 for recovering the property. Last
week he was up in the municipal court
to answer to the charge of not having
taken out the regulation license for
butchers. This it appears is about the
only thing he failed to take.
The capture of the quartette is an inn
portant one, and reflects great credit
upon Chief Detective j. j. O'Connor
and his aides. The quartette will have
hearing to-day before Judge Cory.