The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-14
A CURIOUS CASE.
Widow Arrested Because OF Her
Husbands Alleged Crime.

A Widow Arrested Because OF Her
Husbands Alleged Crime.
A warrant for the arrest OF n party for
receiving stolen properly was Issued from
Justice Buttenberg's Office late yesterday
evening. which will develop some novel
features in our criminal laws The facts
upon which the warrant Is based are very
interesting. Ono man, the actual thief in
the case, is already In jail. In yesterdays
ArPKAL was printed q paragraph 10 the
effect that Capt 0'Havcr and Detective
Pryde had the evening before a.
rested Henry Wilson, colored, for
stealing two bales OF cotton. The
negro had committed the theft
last October. lie was In the employ OF W.
7. Donaldson. who lives near Lucy Station,
out on tho Chesapeake & Ohio railroad,
and Donaldson had intrusted him with
two bales Of cotton 10 be brought 10 the
city for storage. The cotton never got 10
ihe city. The wagon and team which
hanlcd IL was found on the street, down
in Fort Pickering the next morning. But
the driver, Wilson, and tho cotton were
nowhere 70 be fonnd. The conclusion,
which turned out 10 be true, was that the
negro had sold the cotton and left for parts
unknown. Wilson returned 90 the city n
few DAYS ago and his arrest followed. lie
admitted selling the cotton and leaving
the same night for Arkansas. lie gave
the name OF tine man ~ whom he Ind
sold II, but the officers withheld the name
until they could catch the purchaser, as
they hoped. Wilson also stated that he
sold tho cotton for SIS per bale, but that
after ho got over 10 Arkansas and at
tempted 10 pas the money, he found 10
his chagrin that S25 OF Il was counterfeit,
and he was compelled 10 throw Il away
Il turns out that the purchaser Of the
stolen cotton was y. A. Osterhaus, who
keeps n retail grocery known AZ the RED
Store. about half mile out Of the city
limits on the Raleigh road. On further
inquiry II WIS found that Osterhaus had
died q few days ago. Donaldson con.
suited an attorney ~ TO what 10 do,
and here comes In the novel feature.
The cotton Was COMO and Ostcr-
haus, who bought II, was dead.
How was Donaldson 10 got his money!
Arrest Mrs Ostcrhaus M the cxecutrix or
administrative Of her husband, not only OF
his goods and chaitels, but OF his sins In
the body, !. a., II Il were fact that 0ster-
haus bought the cotton knowingly rs 10 lis
owncnhip7 At any rate, Mrs. Osterhaua
was arrested at the "Red Store" last night
by Deputy-SheriG' App. She was no
little shocked when informed that shc was
wanted on warrant for receiving stolen
property, especially when she was In.
formed M 10 the nature Of the transaction,
Of which she protested absolute ignorance.
She said that abe not only did
not know that her late husband
had bought such a lot OF cotton
but that she cannot recollcct whether she
was nj the store on the day In question,
nor does she know any such man A Henry
Wilson. Such viii be tho line Of the de.
Tense. She Is arrested charged with Q
grave edminal oIense, but abe did moi
commit Il. II II DO taken for granted that
her husband knowingly did buy the cot
ton, he IA dead. As bis SUCCESSOR, Is she
liable, criminally or ciyilly7
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