Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-31
A FLY CROOK.
He Is an Adept Of Esoteric
Buddhism.
A Petty Larceny Thief Who
Talks Peculiarly.
1t Is Thought He Is Playing the
Insanity Dodge.
The Result of Oficer Goodman's De-
tective Work-A Thief Who
Grew Suddenly
Insane.

Los Angeles has always distinguished
itself by bringing to the knowledge Of
the world crimes and criminals of the
most eccentric character. The list OF
suicides includes the most remarkable
specimens on record, and the most in
genious and queer crooks have been ar
rested here during the last few months
that have ever been locked up in cell.
One of these freaks of the fly profess
sion is now locked up in the city jail,
and has proved a perfect puzzle to the
police department, surgeons and all.
This individual was arrested several
days ago by Officer Goodman, who has
made number OF clever captures of
late. The prisoner, when his case was
recorded by the police clerk, refused to
give his name.
The story of his crime here is that of
series OF clever thefts by most ex-
pert sneak thief. During the noon
hour of each OF two days the prisoner
stole a fine jewelled star, set
with cluster of fourteen diamonds and
large central opal, from the desk of J..
@. Willmon, whose Office is at No. 238
West First street; new sack.coat from
+. l.. Rohrig, room Z, Burdick block; a
new black overcoat and pair of pre-
scription. scales from the Office of DR.. M.
M. Ramon, No. 145 North Spring street,
and $50 guitar and new light melton
top-coat from the studio of Prof. M. S.
Arevalo, room Is, Wilson block. All
these articles were subsequently re-
covered, and are now in police head
quarters. 1t is not improbable, from
the ear-marks of the work, that the
prisoner also got away with the fine
books and water-coior paintings stolen
from the Office of DIR. j. Jauch, No. 1191a
South Spring street.
After these losses had been reported
at headquarters Officer Goodman in his
quiet way went to work on the case.
lie first found number OF the stolen
articles where they had been sold by
the thief, thus obtaining the latter's
description. Then the officer began to
scour the town for his man. He found
him Wednesday evening on Upper Main
street, strangely enough attempting at
the time to sell Professor Arevalo's
guitar, which he was carrying under his
arm.
Goodman got into conversation with
the fellow, took look at the guitar, and
finally told the thief that he, Goodman,
had apurchaser for the instrument on
| Spring street near Third. The crook
had acted in an extremely rational man
ner throughout the interview, and read
| lily accompanied the disguised officer on
a search for the guitar-buyer. When
they got to Second street on Spring,
however, Goodman suddenly revealed
his identity and placed the rascal
under arrest. Even in that emergency,
however, the prisoner did not lose his
presence of mind, for he quietly drop
ped the Willmon diamond pin into the
gutter. His action did not escape the
officers eye, however, and the pin was
picked up.
Now that the jig was up, the thief sud-
denly grew violently insane, and has
been in that condition ever since. When
placed in his cell he began to shrek and
struggle, foamed at the mouth, and tore
his clothing to shreds. DIR. Bryant was
called, and gave the prisoner hypoder.
mic injection OF some soporific to quiet
him, with the proper result.
Thursday morning Officer Goodman
Wcub lulO Ills PIlsOu0I Ccll W b6c w udt
he could do with the man. He found
him sitting on his cot moaning, and at
short intervals exclaiming with emotion /:
"Oh, George Wilson Oh, George Will
son, Come and help me, come and
| help me-"
Goodman looks good deal like a Catho-
lie priest, and this fact seemed to strike
the prisoner, who had not shown the
| cl. .nE nf w n
had arrested him.
"Are you priest ?'' he said suddenly.
"Why?" demanded Goodman.
because if you are, want to tell you
something"
"Go ahead" exclaimed the officer,
and the prisoner then explained that
his name was Bill Dawson, that he was
born in Western Canada, and had last
lived in Manitoba. He declared he did
not know how he got here. He also
acknowledged that he committed the
/ theft with which he was charged, with
the exception of the diamond pin.
"Why do you steal in this manner ?"
he was asked, and in mysterious tone
he replied:
"You see, 1 have the power attributed
to the adopts of esoteric Buddhism, of
leaving my body at any time
wish. float right out
of it, and can gaze back upon it, an ex-
perience which is really very interest
ing. Well, after leave my body, sail
away through the universe with enor-
nous speed. On one of my recent ex
cursions, scared up to heaven, and
Christ told me to steal everything 1
could lay my hands on.'
''You cay you didn't steal the pin ?"
"No, I didn't. George Wilson gave it
to me to sell it, and gave me $5 for the
job. One dollar of it was in postage
stamps. Oh, George Wilson Oh,
George Wilson Come and help me 7"
An attempt was made to obtain
description of this mysterious George
Wilson, but without success. Dawson
is evidently very shrewd fake, and not
to be easily trapped. A curious inter-
est attaches to his statement about the
postage stamps, in view of the recent