The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-04
Three SUSPICIOUS persons
They Are Now at Police Headquarters
Pending Investigation.
BELIEVED TO BE A BAD LOT
Claim That Thoy Have Been Hawking
Jewelry Through This Part Of the
Statc-Chargc That Led to Ar
rest OF tho Party.

Chief Simpson Is holding three sus-
picious individuals in the central sta
tlon house while an inquiry Is being
made into their identity and record.
He believes them to be crooks, and has
fairly good grounds upon which to base
this suspicion.
The trio came to town Wednesday af-
ternoon in a covered wagon drawn by q
single horse and put up on the river
bank near the Driving park. About 0
o'clock Wednesday night Henry Hass,
a young South Slider, with tramplsh
proclivities. called Patrolman Saltry to
arrest one Of the men. Thomas Rogers.
who, he alleged, acted indecently.
Rogers was found sleeping in the
wagon and taken to Jail He claimed
that young Hass, upon learning that
the caravan was bound for Carbondale,
asked to be taken along, promising to
act as guide through the valley. His
services were accepted and he was
given a bunk in the wagon. Shortly
after they retired Rogers was awak-
ened by his bed-fellow attempting to
steal his watch. He unceremoniOusly
kicked the thief all over the Driving
park property and for this. he says, the
unspeakable charge was preferred
against him.
Chief Simpson Acted at Once.
When Chief Simpson heard of the
case he decided to gather in the whole
party, and this he did when they made
their appearance at the station house
to see their friend. One said he was
James Murphy, railroader Of New
York, and the other gave his name as
James Poole his occupation bookbind-
ing. and his home London. later New
4, 1, 80 oil
cloth with him which was readily
recognized as a pickpocket's curtain.
used by the light fingered gentry to
hide the hand and arm when doing
their work. A cheap gold ring was
also found in Poola's possession. and
eight rings of the same character We're
found on Rogers. In their wagon was
found a number of rings and three
dozen gold-rimmed spectacles. They
displayed a bill of goods from a Bow
cry jewelry store for the rings and an
other for the spectacles, one being
made out to Silas Stein and the other to
s. Eckstein.
Stein, they stated, was their boss.
He owned the outfit and had left it in
their charge while he went to New
York to see about some mistake in a
bill of goods. He left them at Halle
when they reached Carbondale. The
quartette started out four weeks ago
from New York, so they state, peddling
tinware and jewelry through New Jer-
sey. Upon reaching the state line they
ceased operations, not having Penn
sylvania license and not having Suf-
flcient stock on hand to warrant taking
out a license. They intended to cut
through Pennsylvania to New York
state, and after the return of Stein with
more goods. renew their trade.
Story Will Hc Investigated.
This Is the gist of their story as told
by each one separately. Although they
varied as to details, all talked on the
main facts. Their yarn did not i'm
press Alderman Millar or Chief Smp-
son as being at all likely, and they
concluded TO hold them for an investi-
cation. The charge preferred by young
Hass was dismissed.
Chief Simpson Is satisfied that the
men are at all events crooks. and while
he has little hopes of fastening any par
ticular crime upon them. he intends to
prevent. if possible. their committing
any crime in this region. Their game
is to travel from town to town. fire.
quenting saloons and other public
places and passing themselves off as
tramps who have got a little jewelry
which they are willing to dispose of on
the quiet. These seeming tramps
are thus able to sell their
fve-cent rings for 70 cents or ST.
or sometimes more. 1t is an old game
almost on a par with the gold brick
and green goods lodges, and, as in
those cases, the sucker can not squeal
because he would implicate himself.
Last evening Chief Simpson learned
from Wilkes-Bar that these men were
there on the previous day and sold a
horse to some farmer. a jewelry store
was robbed in Wilkes-Barre few
nights ago. and there is suspicion
that these men did the job and that
their leader, Stein, went to New York
| with the swag.