Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-24
OTIS CORBETT In TROUBLE.


1
stole the Bondsy
The former Rock Island business man,
What Cheer, Iowa, has become tangled
up with serious affair in Chicago, hav>
ing been arrested for passing, while in
Rock Island, government bonds which it
now appears were stolen property. One
W. F. Shaw. has been arrested in Chicago
for stealing bonds to the value of at
least $1,000 of which $4,000 weIe
taken from the safe of Kellogg, Johnson
& Bliss on April 81. and 5000 from
COIN Wampald & Co., in February last
The crime is looked upon as one Of the
boldest. and operated by one of the
mos. efficiently organized bands of burg
lars and crooks that ever operated in
Chicago. Mr. Henry Plessner. former
well known business man of Davenport,
is also connected with the circumstances
of the crime TodaY's Daily Meas thus
describs the case:
The man w. F. Shaw Is secretary and
manager of the Columbia Building and
Loan association and secretary of the
Commercial and Life association. organ
izations which flourlshes at 1859 La
Sale street under a charter obtained in
Indiana in which state most of the busi>
ness was done. Henry Plessner was also
irtA txl irt ks txx,N arI
with Shaw also did a real estate business
Shaw was the client of Master in Chan
- Gerry Charles s. Cutting, who after q
=, week OF silence acted under the instruc-
ton of Judge Jameson and revealed the
e name of the client for whom he was me-
IS gotiating the return of the bonds stolen
d from Kellogg, johnson & Bliss. Before
h giving bis evidence Cutting had for sew
eral days refused to divulge the name o
% his client, even to clear him
E. self of charge of sccessor,
e to burglary after the fact
!, 1t was evident that Cutting had beer
~ connection with Shaw, who possessed tn
Sc stolen bonds, but he was assured that h
e would violate no professional faith il
. divulging facts that would lead to tn
proper recovery of stolen goods tn
probable capture of burglars and viudi
IN cate himself. Cutting, acting under thi
e advice, went before the grand jury an,
nd told story which has already led to tn
- arrest OF four other persons-W.
Shaw, Henry Plessner, c. D. Taylor au
as Otis Corbett Corbett is the father-ln
as law of Shaw, and until q short time az
be was dry goods merchant at Rock Is
- and. In regard to the bonds. Cuttin
- told the grand jurors that Shaw called o
IS him and told him he wanted his service
De in a confidential matter, and that a
rs agreement had been made with a
M party who was to pay 81 900 for tue r,
turn of soma private papers. Shaw T,
fused to tell what the papers were, At
nd Cutting says he knew nothing of the
BILE character until his office wss searched t,
,ss bonds last Monday.
Inspector Bonheld WAS immediate
IN informed of the nature of Cuttings ev
led dence and in an hour Henry Plessner VI
csc located in the Office OF the Two associ
nm tions at 1919 LaSalle street. He was tax
to the central station, and shortly afte
&c ward the police wired to Indianapolis
les look out for W F. or Frank Shaw. wi
at WAS expected to take train for Cinct
the natl on Saturday evening. He WAS foul
on Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayt
no train at Greenwood, ten miles from |
to dianapolIs. and was brought back TO CT
ock csgo yesterday morning.
ted There is nothing in the facts thus
*. developed to associate Mr. Corbett il
I'M criminal way with any of the trans
sed tons. He exchanged the bonds q
ore hank here for cash, after finding that tn
md were good, but his son-in law it sppe
the has been conducting an agency for
on circulation and disposal of stolen ben
of and it is from him evidently that
me | Coruett ootslneG those that he sold.