The record-union., 1891-06-17
SCHELL'S BAD FIX.
His Second Trial for the Alleged Theft
of Quinn's Watch.
The Peculiar Story of the Arrest
Difficulty in Securing an At
torney TO Defend Him.

The second trial of B. T. Schell, charged
with burglary, was commenced in the
Superior Court yesterday, despite the OBJ
jections OF Schell and his counsel, c. w.
Baker
Mr.. Baker was appointed by the court
to defend Schell, and protested vigorously
against having TO take charge of the case.
He said he had other work to do and
could not spare the time. Schell, address
sing the court, asked for continuance.
He did not want Mr.. Baker TO defend
him, preferring to watt until his regu-
larly employed attorney, c. r. Jones, re-
turned to the city.
But Judge Van Fleet said that Mr..
Jones should have been present. He did
not propose to allow the court to be
trifled with, and ordered the case to pro-
ceed. Clinton White was appointed to
assist Mr.. Baker i'll defending SchelI.
y jury was mpaneled at the afternoon
session, and the testimony for the prose-
| cution taken. The case viii be resumed
to-day.
Schell was convicted once on this
charge of burglary. but was granted q
new trial. He is q tne-looking man with
long, flowing beard, and has none OF the
appearances or characteristics of a crimi-
nal.
The charge against him was brought
about in peculiar way. George Quinn,
a SalOOn-keeper, roomed in the CIunie
building in February last. One night
when be retired he had i'll his possession
an elegant gold watch ana chain and $50
III money belonging to friend who had
given it to him tof safe keeping. His
roommate came in about two hours later
and discovered the door wide open and
! Qulnn'S pants lying near by on the floor
! Quinn was awakened, and upon eXamin-
! ing his clothes discovered that the watch
chain and money We're gone. His vest
was also missing. Dressing himself i'm
medlately he went to the police station
| and reported the matter to Night Jailer
| Stafford.
Captain Lee detailed officer Shook to
inquire into the case, and later on Officer
! Franks was also told to keep his eye open
for the missing property. The officers
! quietly searched the Clunie building, but
| found none Of the valua5les described
| About O'Clock the next evening Mrs.
| MCGEE, the landlady of the house, casu-
! ally remarked to Mrs. Lydell, one o. the
rOOmers, that Il watch had been stolen.
and the latter began TO reflect for a mo-
ment.
why, wonder if it might not be the
one have in my room, which was given
me to-day" said she. Come in and I'll
show it to you
! Mrs. McGce was shown the watch. and
! she summoned Mr.. Quinn, and he i'm
mediately identified it as the one which
/ had been stolen from his room. Mrs.
! Iydell also produced $40 of the money.
and told a most interesting story as to
how she became possessed of it,
About noOn-tIme the day before, two
! friends of B. L. Scheil, an uphOlsterer,
| who bad been rooming in the Ciunie
! building for some time, found him on the
| street IN an intoxicated condition. and
noticing that he sported an elegant watch,
concluded to do a friendly act by taking
/ him TO his room and making him leave
! his iewelry there until he recovered from
| his spree. They brought him 10 Mrs
! Lydell and requested her to take charge
/ Of the watch and money. ScheIl declared
/ that he would not give up the watch un-
/ less he was permitted to retain some of
! the coin, and in order 10 pacify him he
! was given SO. He then went off to con-
! tinue his tour Of the rum-shops, and was
! enjoying himself immensely when officer
! Franks arrested him. To this day Schell
| declares that he has no idea whatever as
to how he came into the possession of the
| property. He had been on a spree for
several days prior to the alleged theft.
and says he has no recollection of what
he did or where he went during the time
he was drinking.