The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-24
ROUNDED UP AT LAST.
Arrest of "Crook" Who Stole
From Many Hotels.
Walter Curtis, an Eastern Man, Accused Of
Purloining Thousands Of Dollars Worth
Of Jewelry and Valuables.
A daring hotel sneak-thief and burglar,

A daring hotel sneak-thief and burglar,
who has given the police considerable
trouble, has been run down by Captain Lees
and Detectives Hanley and Seymour He
gives the name of Walter Curtis" and yes
terday two charges of grand larceny were
recorded against him on the City Prison
register.
Several thousand dollars worth of prop
erty stolen by the daring operator was re-
covered by the arresting officers, and the
following are some of the most daring thefts
committed by the prisoner and traced to
him.
Stephen NJ. BarrowS, wealthy English
magistrate, recently arrived from Ceylon
with his wife, and took apartments at the
Palace. He had evidently been watched by
the bold sneak-thief, for while the Barrows
family was at dinner on Friday Curtis en-
tered their rooms through window open
ing on the hallway. and carried off valise,
an OvercOat, black silk dress and dis
patch box, containing many rare gems aud
valuable articles of jewelry. The total
value of the articles stolen amounted to
500 90.
BY MEANS OF A SKELETON KEY.
On Wednesday the rooms of Miss Frances
r. Howe at the California Hotel were en-
elry, worth several hundred dollars, was
taken. The jewelry was in dressing-case,
which Curtis confesses having carried off.
On the night of February 4th the accused
paid visit to the apartments of Mrs. j. G.
Bush at the Paramount Hotel and carried off
a seal-skin sacque, a pocket-book, a silver
mounted hair-brush d hand-glass, and
several pieces of jewelry. The value OF
these articles amounted to several hundred
dollars.
The rooms of George A. Lyons and wife,
the Bella Vista, were entered by Curtis on
the 18th of last December, and as booty he
possessed himself of sealskin, diamond
earrings, and other valuable jewelry, the
value of the plumber being 1926 80.
ave have considerable other property
taken during half dozen other hotel rob-
DerirS," said Captain Lees yesterday, but
these cases have not been fully investigated
yet. Curtis Is an Eastern man and claims
10 be a boOk-keeper by occupation. He
halls from Baltimore. but arrived in this
city from Butte, Mont, on the 21st of Octo-
Der, since which time he has given the po-
lice considerable trouble.
MAN OF GOOD ADDRESS.
HE is a well-educated man, of good adj
dress and aged about AZ years. There is no
doubt that he is an expert Eastern crook,
but as yet have had no time to look up his
record. At times he has worked at his occu-
patton in order to avoid suspicion.
while leaving the Palace Hotel with the
articles stolen from Mr.. Barrows' room he
was seen by bell-bOy, and it was from the
description given by the bel-hoy that we
traced him to rooms on McAllister street,
where he was living in magnificent style.
While shadowing him on Saturday Detec!
tive Seymour thought that he was recog-
nized by the thief and did the right thing
by promptly arresting him. Soon after his ar
rest he confessed 10 several thetts, and gave
us information that assisted US in recovering
the stolen property"
The rear office of the Chief of Police had
the appearance yesterday of a secondhand
store or pawnshop. Half dozen valises,
sealskins, overcOats and clocks, opera
glasses, jewelry, etc. were scattered about
in great confusion. Captain Lees does not
believe that Curtis is the true name of the
prisoner. Additional charges will probably
be soon recorded against him.