The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-10-07
sw1NDLnRs ARRESTED.
frauds Against the Columbus, O., tulsA
Depot Co

Depot Co
COLUMBUS, O., Sept. 2s.-A SYSTEM
atic fraud, for some time perpetrated
by railway trainmen against the Union
Depot Co., was followed Wednesday
afternoon by the arrest of two of the
parties concerned in the affair.
The persons taken into custody are
c. N. Adams, a baggagemaster on the
Norfolk and Western railroad, and
Miss Rena Hurless, the young lady
cashier at the Crystal restaurant, No
220 North High street Two weeks
ago n woman, supposed to be Miss
Hurless, called at the baggage de-
partment of the Union depot,
and presented a check for trunk
that she said had come in on the
Norfolk and Western railroad. The
trunk could not be found in the bag.
gage-rooms and tracers were sent in
every direction but they proved fruit
less. September 1s the woman. or some.
one acting as her alleged representa-
tive, filed claim withthe Union Depot
Co. for lost baggage. The claim was
itemized and included furs, silks, CASH
mere and dresses of other goods, to-
gether with winter and summer under
wear, kid gloves and fine hosiery, hats,
night-dresses, shoes and slippers ag.
gregating IN value s145.60
The claim was signed miss Rena
Hurless, 22o North High street" Sus-
picion having been aroused by this
heavy claim, and numerous similar ones
of recent date, Detectives John Ma.
honey and Peter Murphy, of the city
department, were requested to inves-
tigate. The detectives learned that
Miss Hurless had a trunk in her room
answering the description of the one
said to be missing They also
learned that Baggagemaster Adams
was very intimate friend of Miss Hur-
less, and the investigation was turned
in his direction as well as toward her.
the trunk was lost were compared with
the claim of Miss Hurless for lost bag
gage, and the handwriting was found
to nearly correspond.
The detectives at once concluded the
same person had written both. In the
meantime Miss Hurless ''smelled a
MICE" and, going to a telegraph station
Tuesday night, filed the following:
&c. N. ADAMS, Brady Hotel, Ke.
nova, w. Va: Please come to Colum-
bus soon, for must see you at once.
"RENA."
This telegram never went over the
wires, but was secured by Detectives
Mahoney and Murphy, and Wednesday
she stated that it was intended as a
warning to Adams that she was being
watched. Miss Hurless was placed
under arrest Wednesday afternoon, and
at the Office of Chief Of Police Pagels
confessed she had never lost any bag.
gage. She tearfully signed the follow.
ing statement and then endeavored to
maintain the utmost secrecy concern.
ing other facts in the case:
COLUMBUS, o., Sept %, 1898.
81 hereby say have my trunk and
did not lose any trunk and have no
claims against the Union Depot Com.
pany. "RENA HURLEss.''
The young womans self-sacrifcing
devotion to Adams, as exhibited at po-
lice headquarters, was remarkable.
She said 81 prefer to assume all the
blame. If any one is to go to the peni.
tentiary, desire that it shall be me,
and not Mr.. Adams"
A few hours later Adams was arrest
ed as his train pulled in the union
depot from his usual run. At the sta.
ton he confessed that it was he and
not Miss Hurless who wrote the false
claim and that she had only acted as
his accomplice.