Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-22
CAUGHT ATL1sE.
Dishonest Employees Who Stole From the
Wilmington City Electric ComDnnv.


Through the efforts of State Detectives
Witsil and McNey systematic robbery
which has been on foot among certnin
trusted employees OF the Wilmington CITY
Electric Company for period of several
months has been brought to light and the
guilty parties have been landed in the
tolls.
The cnlprits are: James Hurlock. enai.
neer Tor the company; John Roe, a ire
man, and John Rasin, colored helper.
me men were taken in custody by the
State officers on Friday and marched
to the city hall where they were handed
over to the care of the chief of police.
The prisoners arc charged with stealing
LOCO pounds of copper wire from the com.
pnny, ny stated intervals, to the value of
SlOO and upwards, which they have been
disposing Of in Philadelphia. The swindle
liad been IN successful operation until
tuesday morning last, when the agent for
the Wilmington Steamboat Company be.
came suspicious of u good-sized box which
was brought to him for consignment and
the actions of the man who delivered the
goods lei him to believe all was not right.
lie closely questioned the individual who
brought to him the box, and after con.
siderable reluctance the negro admitted to
MN that the box came from the office of
the Wilmington City Electric Company,
Firmly convinced that crookedness was
rampant, the agent opened the box and
discovered the copper wire. He imme-
ulately notified :. n. Trump, president of
the company, who put the case in the
hands of the detectives Tuesday morning.
Inc detectives at first learned the names
OF the persons who ordered the colored
man to deliver the wire ut the wharf, and
then quietly slipped away to Philadelphia
and found who had been purchasing at
the other end. i turned out to be Myer
Brothers No. pa North Front street,
dealers i'll iron and copper. Ii is but lust
to the above firm, however, to state thai
they were ignorant of the fact that the
wire hnd been stolen.
1t was the custom of the prisoners To
have the wire shipped FROM the Whining.
ton office as early as 8 o. clock in the morn
ing and by this means they succeeded in
escaping the vigilance Of the officers of Tic
| firm, VINO naturally were not around M
that hour. As one of the men frequently
worked on the might turn" he could
manage to get away to Philadelphia, re-
ceiVe the wire as soon as it was delivered
at the Philadelphia wharf and receipt for
u under the name OF If. Monroe Then
he employed an expressman to take il to
Myer BROTHERS. office, where he got the
money and returned to this city. As soon
as he returned the plumber was divided
among the trinity Of swindlers.
The detectives succeeded in obtaining
admissions from the culprits, who ac
knowledged thor guilt when arrested.
They were given hearing In muni-
cipnl court on Saturday on complaint Of
the president of the firm who charged the
culprits with stealing 0OO pounds Of COP.
per refrom the Wilmington office which
was disposed of to Philadelphia Junk
dealer. The aggregate value of the stolen
property was 81 900.
l.. Z. Vandegrift appeared for Hurlock
and waived hearing for the upper court.
The other prisoners also waived a hearing
and bail in the suni of $500 was asked and
| furnished by Hurlock.
The Iowa Legislature Friday defeated