New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-04
AUGHT IN THE PUBLIC STORES.
LIGHT ON MYSTERIOUS ROBBERIEs.
FOREMAN. SUPPOSED TO BE THE LEADER OF
wELL-ORGANIZED GANG. DE
TE,rEn TuF ACT


rEorFD IN THE ACT.
For four months scarcely day has gone ny
when valuable articles have not disappeared from
the United States Public Stores at Lalght ana
Washington sis. Complaints were almost daiy
received by Collector Hendricks from mcr-
chants who said that cases consigned
10 them had been broken open, one or TWO
articles having been taken ont II was soon
known that we'll organized gang Of thieves was
doing the stealing, but it could not he learned
where the men were doing the work. vessels
piers. storchouscs and the truchmen were watched
by the Government officers, hut the guilty ones
could not be detected. Richard King the veteran
detective at this kind of work, was put on me
case. lie went to work among the men in the dli-
lerent departments but was unable 10 eaten inc
thieves
Although the closest watch was kept np, the
articles continued 10 disappear. and complaints
from the merchants frequent as before
FINALLY Collector Hendricks called in Charles II.
1raittenr n Special Treasury Inspector attached
TO the Law Department of the Custom House, and
Thomas Brown, also inspector in the same de-
partmcnt and these two men were Informed oi
the facts in the case. On Wednesday after-
noon Traitteur and Brown went TO work on the
case and twcnty-four hours later the officers had
caught one Of the thieves in the act Of stealing
an accordion from one of the cases of merchan-
disc. and had learned the names Of some of his
cOnfcderatcS.
The man whom the officers caught Is Rodney +.
Gcoehegan, foreman of tic United States Pubic
Stores. When examining a pile Of cases IN one
corner of the storchouse the detectives saw him
take out one of the musical instruments from one
of the cases When he was arrested chisel was
found In his possession.
As soon as the officers learned who one OF the
thieves was they secured search warrant ana
Gcoghcgans house at No. 322 East SiXty-sccond-St.
was visited. The guilty man has only been mar
ricd year and here his young wife was found
When tlle news of her husbands arrest was MADE
known 10 her she became almost distracted WIN
grief. and "a she is in delicate condition her
friends fear that the result Of the shock Will
prove serious Several expensive albums ana an
other accordion were found i'll the house, ana II
can be proved conclusVely, the officers say, thal
the articles were stolen
Most of the stolen goods, the officers hcarh "eie
sold AZ pawnshops Immediately after being taken
from the Public Stores. Expensive musical III
struments. such as violins, guitars, accordlons,
flutes, etc, and small but expensive pieces oi
lric-a-brac and small bronze lamps were among
value Of the articles stolen Will amount 10 several
thousand dollars.
The system which the foreman and ms CON
fcderateS used TO get the goods out OF the FuDho
Stores was to carry the different articles near
the entrance some time in the day, ana In '"'
evening wala out with tAcin under Ter cOa'S' ~
wrapped in their coats. -Four accordlonS ready 10
t-e taken out Of the stores last evening were
fonnd by the officers near the entrance
Iss. evening GcDghcgan was taken % i9rf t"h-
missioner Shcids and held In 5000 pail Ior % %eA-
animation He has been in the employ oi 'he
Government Tor about ten years. -, .
In.nrctors Traittcur and Brown expected 70
arrest five Of the fmcmans "onfedcrn'es mS'
night hut none Of the guilty men were loli''i. l,I
IL l. exDected that they will he taken into CUSTODY
today II H. said that Ge,ghc2dh mas toiH "a
officers the names Of the other guilty employees
,,rocheran not being able TO find bonds
man last evening spent the night IN l-'''low Stree'
Jail.