The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-30
PETTY LARCENY.
Two Cases in the Municipal Court Yester-
day.

There were two cases Of petty larceny
before Recorder Turner in the municipal
| court yesterday. that show the folly OF ap-
propriatIng other peoples property how
ever slight in value and trusting to LUCK
to escape detection. One OF the thieves
WAS drunken fisherman and the other
was an Intelligent young laporing man.
Mrs. Elizabeth Stanton of Stafford's
| block complained at the police station
Thursday that somebody had stolen her
clock. She saw three men in the fore
noon in the yard in the rear of har house
whose names she knew TO be Kennedy,
DeCost and Riley. At o little before
noon Thursday Officer Frank arrested the
three mon.
In the municipal court yesterday Mrs.
Stanton testified that she saw the clock at
10 q. m. She went out to hang up her
Clothes When she came back the clock
was gone. DeCost testified that he was
at ork on a vessel all the forenoon, and
knew nothing about the clock except
that Kennedy told him that Mrs. Stanton
accused him of taking 1t and Riley ad
mitted to him that be took it.
Kennedy testified that Riley told him
that he took the clock and sold 1t at
Bernstein's for 25 cents.
Riley testified that be was pretty full
but didn't remember of seeing Kennedy.
I'eCost asked him to have q glass of beer.
That was all he knew about the clock.
Deputy Sterling testified that DeCost
told him when arrested that Riley told
him that he took the clio ok.
MIS-. Foote testified that Riley and
somebody else came into the house and
she told them to leave. Riley said to the
other that Ire was "going to swipe som O.
thing" About Is minutes afterwards
Mrs. Stanton announced that she had lost
her clock.
Riley was found guilty and fined S.
and costs.
The costs amounted to good deal be-
cause Of the numerous witnesses. The old
clock was found at Bernstein's shop.
George Small of Cape Elizabeth was
charged with stealing plane from
Walter d. Murray. Tho latter testified
that he loaned Small the plane with the
understanding that he should return it
that night. Several days went by and
when Murray finally asked Small for
the plane the latter said that he had re-
turned 1t an placed it In certain spot
on the bench and covered it with board.
If it wasn't there somebody must have
stolen it. Later he offered to pay for the
plane. Murray valued it very much be-
cause the wood was gift to him and he
made it himself.
Still later the plane was found in the
possession of Small among his other
tools.
Small is tall, wall built and handsome
young man who talks very intelligently
and correctly and with frank, honest
manner. He explained Murray's damag-
ing testimony by declaring that he knew
how much he valued the plano and that
he had rather pay him $40 than return it
to him injured. He had unfortunately
mnde hole in it and therefore he took
the course he did TO avoid telling Murray
that he had injured it. He had offered
him So for the plane. Murray took the
stand again and declared that the plane
had not been injured. A certain scar up
on it be had made himself. Small had
taken very good care Of the plane.
Small declared that he thought he put
that hole in the plane and that he was re-
sponsible for it, He dropped the plane
quite a distance.
Recorder pcrner decided that Small's
story was altogether too thin. He told
him that he ought to have good Jail
sentence. Since it was his first arrest he
fined him S. and costs.