Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-27
THE B0GIE MAN AGAIN
Makes His Appearance Before Chief
Justice L. &. o. ROhe.
A SUNDAY PAPER SELLER SOCKED.
Not an american Citizen at the Mcclure
Headquarters.
FULL STOCK OF IMPORTED DETECTIVES

| superinduced by the expressions OF resent
full public opinion, the Blue Law agency
yesterday made somewhat feeble attempt
to resume operations 1t was supposed that
as test cases were already brought against
newsdealers, the B. L. A, or L. o. s., as it
prefers to designate ITSELF would have the
grace to wait until decision could be had
from court higher than that which is
peculiarly devoted to its business; but the
/ hunger for costs came on in some quarter
and seven or eight newsdealers who looked
as if they might be able to contribute were
summoned to appear before Chief Justice
Robe, OF the Thirteenth ward, the L. and O..
alderman. Mr.. Rohe only a few days ago
told the reporters how he despised this
business. Some influence, however, in
duced him to take another turn at it yester-
day. The turn he took was to do strictly as
his patrons attorney, Mr.. Yost, directed.
Cases Continued indefinitely.
Thus, though the Law and Order agent
was not ready with evidence against any
but one of the seven or eight newsdealers
who were summoned, the Alderman, in
place of dismissing the charges, postponed
them indefinitely. In the one case which
was heard, the aldermanic rulings were lu-
dicrously strained to preserve as far as posi-
BILE close incognito for the interesting indi-
vidusl who appeared as prosecuting witness.
Enough was ELECTED. however. to show that
this person who was so devoted to the Blue
Law enforcement-and whose feelings were
so harrassed by the sale in his unsolicited
presence, of family story paper. that he
felt obliged to sue the vender-is not clti-
zen of the county: has lived here but three
weeks; and that the Law and Order attorney
and the Squire feel SO delicate abou this an
tecedent place of residence and environment
that they refused to permit either to be di-
vulged on cross-eXamination.
Attorney Yost Acted as Dictator.
Joseph Beck, news agent at the Pittsburg
and Lake Erie depot, was charged by the
agent of the society with selling paper on
| Sunday. The other cases of the same nature
were to have been heard yesterday, but they
| were postponed just because Lawyer Yost
said they should be.
| The trial of Mr. Beck began promptly at
| 10 o'clock. Alderman Rohe came in from
carving coal and doing other chores about
his Wylie avenue home. He did not wear
! average judge, but he carried with him evi
| dences of his recent struggle with coal
pile, and while he wiped his dusty hands
On his hair he called those about him to
order. The Alderman's court room, which
is not a large one, was well filled
with reputable, disreputable, respectable
and nondescript people. Attorneys J. d.
Brown and J. S. Lambie represented the
Union News Company. Representatives OF
the newspapers were there with their note
books; Lawyer Yost was there with his long
Law and Order training and his disposition
to run things to his own liking; and De-
tective Thomas Finn, the mysterious min
ion of the law, was present. Besides these,
were in attendance room full of curious
spectators, two or three alleged detectors
and General Manager Mcclure
The Bosie Man in a New Form.
Thomas Finn was the first and only wit
ness called. He looked mysterious. He
wore a soft, dingy hat, a faded flannel shirt,
a rusty suit of welI-worn clothes and a SUBJ
stantial pair of rawhide boots.
When Mr.. Finn was called to point
convenient to the alderman, LAWYER Yost
promptly identified him as Law and Order
detective, aud Finn nodded assent. Then
the testimony was taken. The witness con-
fessed that he was detective; that he was
employed by Mr.. Mcclure, and recognized
Mr. Beck as the gentleman from whom he
had bought q paper on Sunday, January
"a
On cross-examination by Mr.. Lambie, the
witness said again that he was . detective;
that he had worked for Mr.. Mcclure for
three weeks and that he had lived in Allie
gheny county just three weeks. 1t was not
clear whether the witness supposed that this
u, l.. 4. !
thrifty and was successful in securing job
the moment he arrived in Allegheny county,
but the spectators perceived that the effort
of Mr.. Lambie was to show that Law and
Order detectives are all imported
Mr. Lambie asked the witness several
other questions to which Lawyer Yost OBJ
iected, all of which objections the Alder
man sustained.
"Where do you live?" Mr. Lambie asked
cat No. 16 Grant street"
elbow long have you lived there?"
Mr.. Yost objected, and the objection was
sustained.
.'You say you live at No. 16 Grant
street," the attorney suggested.
t'Yes," the witness answered.
Finn Does Not Have a Home.
A number Of other questions were asked,
objected to and the objections were sus-
tanned The Alderman then threw himself
back into his chair, attempted to look wise,
and then said that the case had been made
out against Beck, and that he would fine
the defendant S25 and costs of prosecu-
tion.
Even before the Alderman had announced
his disposition of the case the mysterious
witness in the case had disappeared.
"Where did Finn go?' was asked Mr..
Mcclure.
''He went home guess, the L. and o.
leader answered.
"Where is his home?" was asked.
cat No. 16 Grant street." Mr.. Mcclure
answered
Ant 20 minutes later reporter called
to SEE Detective Finn at No. 16 Grant
street. Mr. Finn was not at that number.
When inquiry was made for Mr.. Finn the
gentleman in charge of the place said, ''This
building is occupied by c. A. Balph, the
building contractor. We have the entire
building and no such a man as Finn lives
in or about the building. Inquiries at other
buildings developed the fact that Finn did
not live in the neighborhood. Under the
old system of numbering Grant street the
building. then numbered 16 is now a
Chinese laundry and is occupied exclusively
by Cinnamon.
An hour later a reporter called at the L.
and o. room in the Excelsior building. 'Is
Mr. Mcclure in?" was asked.
no" was the answer from q rather
choppy-looking man who stood in the half
opened door.
''Who represents him?" was asked
81 do. What do you want?"
Not an American Citizen There.
'I want to know if there is a voter in
4hiS roomo''