The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-01-28

Ohscer j. b kaGhaxs7sm Dt plays Condd-
siderable strats ~.
OF late more or less complaint has
been made to the c ,ity uthorities to the
effect that some un .nown party was
making regular Practice Of robbing
hen roosts. The, officers, ever ON the
alert, notified VI srio Us persons to whom
the offenders W ould be more than apt to
approach for he sale Of their booty, and
then kept C. .ose' to watch the develop
ment OF the snare. On Monday morning,
bright an d early. one Of F1orida's
sable bro rhren called at the Saratoga
Hotel and was On the point Of disposing
Of a few fine chickens when suddenly he
took fright and dropping his spoils broke
for the corner and disappeared. The
density of the prevailing fog prevented
| the inmates of the house from obtaining
anything like description, so here the
affair dropped for the time
being. A few hours later
a man, presumably the same person,
called at the Hutchinson House for the
same purpose and readily disposed of
six of his chickens to the unsuspecting
landlady. After this 'othing more Of a
suspicious nature happened until the
middle of the week, when q number Of
fowls were sold at the Phoenix, and
Wednesday nine more were bought by
Mr.. Goodson, the provision dealer, on
Front street. All this while the fellow
was shrewd enough to elude the clutches
. of the law, but it is a ''long lane which
has no turn" and this scoundrel, who
was beginning to make an excellent
thing through his wholesale pilfering,
had but little time left in which to pro-
. long his cowardly practices. His doom
was impending.
Thursday morning he again called at
, the Hutchinson House and after trans
, acting the necessary business in the dis
r posal Of his stock promised to come back
with more the next morning. This time
, | the proprietress took particular pains to
} examine her dealer closely that she
/ might recognize him when he returned
the same one called each time. Her pre-
caution was well placed, and sure enough
the identical man put in an appearance
at the appointed hour according to agree
ment the next morning. Mrs. Hutchin-
son, with womanly tact, told him
> to call little later when she would
have the money to purchase from him.
In the meantime she notified Officer j.
B. Richardson, ar he Immediately con-
cealed himself within the house and
quietly awaited the return of the unsus-
, pecting party. A short time passed and
' then the man, who had by his previous
success become reckless and given him
self to an over indulgence of intoxicants,
? returned from the saloon where he had
been drinking heavily and again offered
his chickens for sale. The landlady made
some excuse to go into the house for the
money, and '.the man while waiting for
, her to RETURN" said Policeman Richard
son upon being entertained by a re-
} porter, twas standing leaning against
the porch with his back toward the door
leisurely whiting stick, when I step
ped easily out and placing one hand
upon his shoulder. with the other point
/, ed my revolver into his face. He wheel
ed around and drew back his knife as
though to strike, when l threw my pis-
tol closer and demanded him to drop
that knife into my other hand which 1
extended to receive it. He hesitated
but moment and then gave it to me.
Now, says l, Ill take you and the chick
ems too whereupon he collared the
man and carried him to the county Jail.
The prisoner went along without re-
sistance, but owing to his condition it
was impossible for the Mayor 10 give
him trial. His case was laid over until
yesterday, when his Honor dealt with
him to the full extent of the law, which
was a fine of $5 and costs or ten days
hard labor on the streets. The latter was
decided upon This man is known as
Sunny Small, alias johnson.