Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-02-06

The Preston family moved here from
Ohio a little more than two years
ago, and settled on the Cattell place, on
Antelope Fiat, four miles east of Medi-
cine Lodge. The family consisted of
Benedict Preston, a man about 80 years
Old, his wife, about the same age, "a
grown son, Harvey j., a grown daugh-
ter, Ruth A., and several other children.
The family appeared to attend to their
own affairs, and though they did not
get ON Intimate terms with any of the
ueighb0rs, excepting one family, per-
h3ps, they were regarded as average
people. Preston, senior, brought about
$1,000 here, and spent it for the farm OF
30 acres, and for stock and improve
ments. Last spring his son, II. j., mar
ried Mrs. Preston, the divorced wife
of his cousin, she having come out here
with the family. The mother and her
daughter frequently came to town, and
they did considerable buying.
Last Saturday b. Wilkins, clerk for
Davis & sDayis, saw the mother take
a par of rubber overshoes from the
counter, and put them in her buggy.
He went to the buggy, and found four
| other pairs secreted. He told his en-
! ployers of the occurrence, and also in
| formed them, as he had frequently done
| before, that he believed the Prestons
had been regularly stealing goods from
| the store. He communicated his sus-
picions to other merchants, and, after
consultation, it was decided to get out
a search warrant for the Preston place.
| Justice Woodward issued the warrant.
and it was placed in the hands of I'm
der-Sheriff Harry Stevens, to be served.
Accompanied by 4. b. Wilkins, for
! Davis u DAVIS, George Hubbard, for
Harmon q Co., and S. L. Jessup, for
I Byerley 4 Dark, he proceeded to Pres
/ tons. and found several boxes and
/ trunks full of goods, taken from the
/ stores mentioned, and from Standiford,
/ Youmans " Eldred. a messenger was
/ sent to town, and at once warrant fol
I the arrest of the father, mother, son
and daughter was issued by Justice
Woodward, and given to sheriff Ste
vens, and by him and his deputy served
/ Saturday night. The two men were
brought to town and put in Jail that
night. The mother and daughter We're
brought in Sunday.
Pending the FIRST search of the prem
ises. ard the arrests, two boxes or bun
dies of the goods were taken from the
house by soms one, aud hidden at the
/ s'ackyard, where they were found on
Sunday and brought to town
I The FOODS taken comprised a general
line of merchandise. embracing every
thing, from cambria needle to q ready,
made cloak. There were Is dozen spools
of thread, several dozen silk handker-
chiefs, great variety of shoes. socks,
/ stockings, gloves, remnants of piece
| goods. and various articles, too tedious
to mention, all stolen from the mer-
chants of this city.
Now that the discovery has been made
that the Preston's were IN the habit of
! picking up things that did not belong
4 to them,it is remembered by every clerk
in town that the women acted very sus-
4 piciously around the stores, and nearly
every Que has some experience to relate
The defendants were arranged Mon
day before Justice Woodward for pre-.
liminary examination, Overstreet &
| Denton and ~. j. Jones appearing fol-
/ tte defense and II. A. Cameron. county
attorney. Tor the state.
II IS not generally believed that Bene
/ &c, Preston knew anything &C the
transgresslcl;,. Of his family. Since he
arrived here, be has been regarded as
| an honest man. Bat little appears to
( be known of his son. His son s wife is
not implicated. The Preston women
say that they know Of others who have
aeen slop-lifting. or TO put il more 20.
Afeiy, WHO are Affected with kIeptoIla-
nia. as they are.
Justice Woodward bound AIRS. Preston
and bel daughter over To await the
action OF the district court, their bond
being fixed at SEQ in each case. Bene-
dict Preston and his son were released