The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-20

the detectives efforts TO find out the thieves,
/ but the main facts are as fOllOws:i
| The first of the series of thefts was discov-
| cred several months ago when case was
| opened. To all Appearances everything
| was regular. When the boxes were opened
it was found that several were filed with
| chips Of wood. From the fact that the case
was in good condition it was concluded
that the theft had been committed by work.
men in the fac -ory. Meantime other con-
signeeS opened other cases and also found
| boxes of chips instead of cigars. These
cases came from different factories, and not
one showed trace of having been tempered
with.
Evidently there were thieves in more
factories than one in Havana. 1t is not
thought possible that the cases had been
ritied during the passage, and therefore the
first complaints went 60 the factories and
the investigation began there. The manu-
facturers were positive that every box was
full OF cigars when it left the factory. The
matter rested until the next consignment of
cigars got TO England, and more boxes of
chips were found. Tnen watch was put
on the packers in the factory. Nothing
came of it. Finally it was concluded that
the robberies took place after the
cases left the factories, and the
ers on the piers and steamships.
They had no better luck than the watchers
In the factories. They reported that the
cases were not tempered with while in their
care. Yet when the cases got to their des-
tination in England many were found to
have been rifed and partly filled with chips.
Detectives were set at work. They iddled
along for a while, and the robberies con-
tinued. If anything, the thieves were
holder than before, and stole more cigars
out of each case. The aggregate value OF
the cigars stolen was getting very large,
and tinallyit was decided to put perpetual
watch on the cigars from the time they
were made to the time they were delivered
to the purchasers.
Detectives went to the factories. They
actually saw the cigars put into the boxes.
They saw the seme boxes put into the cases.
They Travelled with them to the steamship
and saw them slowed away in the hold.
Then they came with them to New York
saw the matches opened and the cases taken
from the hold and set down on the pier.
Apparently every case was just like it was
when it left the factory. The detectives
watched the cases as they went to the
bonded warehouse. They reported every
thing serene. From the warehouse they
went with them to the steamship on which
they were to be shipped for Europe. They
took passage on the same ship. Finally
they watched them in the transfer from the
dock in England to the consignees' place of
OASALlooo 1tlu saw bucln Opouel. luSJ "tT6
sure that not a case had been tempered
with, and concluded that the thieves must
have known Of their presence as watchers.
They were disappointed when it was dis
covered that the cases had been opened and
boxes of cigars stolen just as if they hadn't
been watched at all. The cases had been
weighed once or twice on transit, and at
every place the weight was exactly the
same. The boxes containing chips were
weighed and were found to tally exactly
| with a box of cigars.
Since the trip of the detectives every con-
ceivable trap has been set to catch the
thieves, but they have not even nibbled.
| The robberies continued up to week or so
ago, when they stopped as suddenly as they
| began.
The detectives are still at work and have
| hopes.
In this city Acting Inspector McLaugh-
Inns men now have he mystery in charge.
| AS a rule, tobacco and cigars that arrive
| from Havana stay on the pier where they
are unloaded at least,one night. "The last
gang" Of river pirates has not been broken
up, but it is hardly considered possible that
the steamship pier could have been plum
dered. On each of the Ward line piers
| there are four watchmen, one at the gate
| one at the river end, and two stationed near
the center Of the pier. The exact value Of
| the cigars stolen is not known, but an en-
ployee Of the company who is in position
to know. said yesterday that the amount
was more than $4,000, and might be as
much as 800 600