Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-09-13
LET &c GUILTY MAN ESCAPE.
The Motto of the jewelers. UniOn-In
stances Of Relentless Pursuit.

The Motto of the jewelers. UniOn-In-
stances Of Relentless Pursuit.
1t is natural to suppose that those
whose business lead them to carry
about great deal Of valuable proper
" all The time Will become shining
! marks for the professional thieves
ana III that class who aim to live on
what belongs to other people. Among
all the travelling men it would seem
that none would be more liable to
/ the assaults Of the light-tingered pro-
| fess:on than those who represent bust
ness houses that deal in jeWelry and
precious stones. Strange to say, how
ever. these gentlemen are rather less
than more liable to be molested OH the
road than any other set Of persons
who are worth Way-Iaying. In the
year 1878 the practice of robbiug sales
men travelling for wholesale jewellers
and diamond merchants became so
common that it was determined to
organize an association for the pursuit
and punishment Of this class of
thieves, and with that object in view
the jewelers. Protective Union was
formed. 1t is not "A money-making
scheme, according to the PittSburg
Dispatch, but it is intended for the
protection of its members. Any bust
ness house in the jewelry trade may
become a member upon the payment
o. certain fees. If any salesman en-
gagged in selling the goods of any mem.
Der of the union is robbed while travel
ing the central office Of the union is
notified. Detectives are at once put
upon the tracks of the thieves, an(
it is an unalterable rule that they
must not relax their efforts until the
wrOngdOer has been arrested, tried,
convicted and sent to prison. Some
times it takes years to apprehend the
persons sought for, but that makes no
difference, for the guilty must be pun.
iShed and an example must be made
OF every man who has the temerity
TO attempt any crime against any
person whom this union has guaran.
teed to protect. Here are a few sam.
pie cases:
A year ago last fall w. G. POLLOCK
was robbed Of about $4,000 worth OF
diamonds in the state of Iowa by a
fellow named Shurtcliffe 1t took just
about year to bring Shurtcliffe to
book, but the unions detectives never
wavered for an instant until they saw
the doors of the penitentiarg at Fort
Madison shut him in to serve a term
of seventeen years. When Shurtcliffe
regains his liberty, even if he de-
cideS TO resume the business that has
brought him to disaster, it is not
likely that he will ever care to ply
his trade again to the disadvantage
Of anybody who deals in precious
stones. Last March. in Dayton. Ohio.
EritZie Dhein began to serve a term
Of four and one-half years for stealing
$4,000 worth of jewelry belonging to
/ firm in Cincinnati. The agents OF
he union succeeded in recovering all
he stolen goods and in securing the
conviction of the culprit. notwithstand-
ng on his first trial the jury dis
greed, after which he was let out
N bail and fed to Europe to escape
mother trial. He was brought back
o Ohio and tried again with the
'esult above stated. 4 year and half
vas spent dsposing Of the case OF
Fritzie Dhein. The last matter Of
his kind that the union had to do
With was an affair that occurred in
Springfield, Mass, last February, when
Daniel f. Cote succeeded in getting
way with jewelry to the amount of
bout So 900. His conviction followed
n May, and he will be in a safe place
or the next four years. All but about
2, 900 worth of what was stolen was
and returned to the owner.
The Chinese forces in Corea are SAID
, have defeated the Japanese in sew
ral engagements recently.