The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-11
CAUGHT IN THE ACT.
The FamoHs Clothing Store
Burglar Finally Captured.
AN EXCITING SUNDAY INCIDENT.
The Thief Knocked Down by Sergeant
Tempieson's gevoivcr--A Whole
saIe Attempt at Robbery.


20 earth By sergi. Templston on Second
street In front OF the Guarantee Loan
and Trust compagys ofs1css. Ford Is the
same man who was arrested February Y
By Detective PniIorick on suspicion OF
being the man who was found in the
Famous Clothing store by Merchant Pa
froiman West. and concerning whom one
OF the afternoos papers had long article
telling how Chief % Police Rogers had
commenced TO throw men into the black
hole and By deprfvsng them of morphine
obtain a confession.
Yesterday morning ]. J. Lewis. OF ftlI
Washington street. president of the Fa-
NOUS Clothing Store Company. with head
quarters ut 71o-2 Front street, came down
town and thought he would take look
arsund the store 70 see that everything
WAS all right. IL Ii custom 10 open the
store Sunday mornings for few minutes
10 give the electric light man chance
20 nix the arc lights for the night. the.
moment Mr.. Lewis stepped in the door
he heard something drop. Stopping as
quick 4 flash he waited 20 see what
the trouble was. He discovered that
luan was crouching behind the counter
at the right hand side Of the store near
where the silk scarfs are kept. and max
ing bis way toward The rear OF the store.
Lewis ran out into the street and COM
raenceai TO yell thief. thief as loud as
he could A small crowd collected around
and In the meantime Lewis ran around
to the alley and found that the back door
was securely fastened. n became evil
dans 10 MIN then that the burglar had
gone down into The basement. which In
not used. and the door 70 which is always
kept locked.
When Lewis returned TO the front of
the store 0sflcsr sam Crawford was there
and agreed 20 20 down into the basement
and capture the burglar. Accompanied
Inv hfs az ri II m mia
while the people on she stree. were 10
keep watch and SEQ that the crook did not
make his escape through one OF the win
dows that runs from the sidewalk up 10
the window sill. The basement proved
10 be as dark ag stack OF black cats
and Notwithstanding that Officer Craw-
ford IL red-headed. he could not get
enough light to prosecute a successful
search. Mr. Lewis then returned 20 tie
street 10 get candle from the Quick
Drug compary's store next door. and
while he was talking with the colored
porter. who wanted to catch .'reai live
burglar" thai same individual suddenly
popped out upon the street through the
broken pane of glass between the side
walk and the large window In front of
the Quick Drug Company store. Then
there was howl ana The chase was taken
mp with the colofed man In the lead. The
thief was evidently sprinter. for he
q five mile runner. and his pursaers We're
scattered along Front street some dis
tance behind. The chase took up Column
bla street TO the alley that runs south
past Wclis4Fargo's express office. down
which he turned like race horse. At this
time Officer Ellis. who was standing at
the corner OF Second and Columbia. took
a hand In the stern chase. As matter
of fact, the thief WAS not In any danger
OF being caught by the officer but he
threw OF his overcoat and hat and drop
ped Their, Tn the alley SO that he could run
faster. AZ he emerged on Cherry street
and cut across toward the Guarantee
Loan and Trust Iompany's Office In the
Bailey block. the pursuing crowd were
yelling. ''stop. thief. stop. thiefw at the
top of their lungs.
Sergeant Templeten heard the racket
and stopped al the corner OF Second and
Cherry just the hunted man came run
ming along. The moment the officer went
TO stop him he made a move for his hip
psekct aud said:
Il viii XIII you II you attempt 10 stop
me"
Tempie,on Immediately drew his gun,
remarklng as he did so:
Young man. Your work IL very COARSE
About this time the young man started
across the street on the run. Templeton
caught up with him and gave him "A
revolver.
Quick as a fash the man fell down and
pretended 60 be unconscious. when Tenn
pIeton picked him up by the coat collar
Otiiesr Ellis telephoned for the patrol
wagon and the thief Was taken To head
quarters. where he gave another exhibit
tion OF ''possum.'
When brought up - the clerks desk he
gave his name as Il, II. Ford. aged 90
Nv A.
Inches, color OF eyes brown. weight $50
pounds
~ his possession was found roll OF
slik handkerchiafS thar We're taken from
the Famous Clothing storp. ard on his
person was SUIT Of underwear that MIR
Lewis recognized as having once been In
his store Ford snia he got the under
clothes abau: three weeks ago and Lewis
replied yes, you got them when sou
tried Ia rob the store the last time
Ford did not confess that he was the
man who was found in the store last Feb
rGary. hgt the police are practically GER
tain that Ford put on new untcrctothes
IN The store and that the bundle he had
when hc escaped contained his discarded
unlervlcttes.
chief Rogers had M trouble In securing
confession from Ford as 10 hts attempt
10 hargiarixe the store but no steps we're
taken 20 SO deep into his history. as he IL
not ceusidtsced a FIRST az even second class
"eronk." He - a fnorphlns fiend and also
smokes opsem. California. presumably
San Francisco. is his home, hut he has
been ia this city on and oil for three or
four months
After the Famous was catered the first
time Detective Fhslhrfck wns practically
rtire Fond war the naan. bar when nv ttt.d
him at headquarters West could not iaen-
;ify him. thus making q conviction im-
possible.
After Ford had been housed. she store
Was examined fo see what ha1 really
taken place. The discoveries were aston
sshing, and couid not hat convince a per
soa that FsrG VAS a hog" HE HAD
es0psied every box on rho shelves con
tanning silk handkerchief. and the care
,uiy pat the boxes hack In place In
ire basement he had piled up two stacks
Of clothes. ore containing the highest
cost o~ereaatS and the other the rncss
expensive trousers "a the stock A large
Naiise iay % the aoor in one side OF
wastch was a nest ~ six derby hats .ths,
osher side evidently h~snS reserved for
Shs stock OF SILK hantak erchtrfs Ford had
collected
Mr. Lewis stated last evening thar ne
believes that the tetAi vaine CT the .soosis
Feri hst collected woali amount 20
nearly s. soa.
4 STEADY o. the means ased by Ford 90
e*ster the store shows plainly that many
xtares supposed 10 DC securely fastened
can As entered with impans3y II ans
one while walking atong Frunt street will
take saS troGhle 70 book az the brokea
window CLOSE 90 the sidewalk NJ the marfh
ese& cf sAe Quick nsssg CossEsanys store
fs<N viii sec ~Aat was Forts means ~