The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-29
PAWNING RENTED WHEELS.
Bicycle Dealers Having Considerable
Trouble with Thieves.

The bicycle dealers of this city have been
troubled a great deal this summer with
thieves who rent wheels and then make
way with them. While it is true that they
have lost very few wheels, yet they have
been put TO an endless amount of trouble
to recover wheels which were rented and
not returned. They have at last reached
the conclusion that Ii is not safe to rent
a wheel to any one not personally known
at the store or properly vouched for by a
responsible person. This rule, which has
recently been adopted. has Inconvenience
many people who want TO rent wheels.
The loss to the dealers has probably been
not more than a half dozen bicycles, but in
many cases hey have been put TO con-
siderable expense In hunting for wheels,
besides finding them sadly out of repair
when at last recovered. The most brazen
work of this class of bicycle renters was
described yesterday by Mr.. Beaning, of
Dickson & Beaning. Several months ago
a young man whose appearance was such
as TO inspire confidence called at the store
and stated that he wanted to buy a BIZ
cycle. He said he was employed by the
Big Four and had seen Mr.. Bender's wheel
and liked it so much that he concluded TO
buy one. He wanted several changes made
N Jle Wntel ana Wnlte THESE changes were
being made wanted TO get another wheel
to ride. A secondhand wheel was fur
nished him for the purpose. He used it
a few days and returned it. His wheel
was ready, but he said he did not want TO
take it out until he could pay all that was
due on it. which would be in about a week.
In the meantime he borrowed another
wheel, which he returned in a few days.
Nothing more was seen of him until about
two months later. when he again appeared
at the store and said he had been sent to
Cleveland by the Big Four road and that
accounted for his failure TO get his wheel.
which in the meantime had been sold. His
story was told so plausibly that ii was be-
lieved. He ordered one similar to the one
he had previously had made. He then Dor
rowed a wheel 10 ride while his own was
being completed. A day or two later he
called at the store and said a friend want
ed TO buy a secondhand wheel and could
not pay more than about $50 for it. He
wanted to take the wheel TO show TO his
friend. who could not get away from his
work TO call when the store was open.
A bicycle was given him and that was the
last seen of the young man for several
days.
Mr.. Beaning became suspicious. went to
the Big Four office and inquired for the
man. As soon as the name was mentioned
Mr. lBAnder smiled anu said the young man
did not work for the company and that
would like to bring him to account. The
young mans father is employed by the
company and Mr.. Beaning was referred TO
him. The father is a reputable citizen who
has many lines of sorrow caused by the
actions of his son. e father said he
would see what could be done. Mr.. Beam
ing told him that his son would be prose-
cuted criminally If the two wheels were
not returned Immediately.
The next day a boy called at the store TO
know if q certain wheel. giving the number
and description, had been paid for. This
was one of the wheels that was missing.
Mr.. Beaning told the boy that the wheel
had not been paid for and was q stolen
wheel. He demanded TO know what had
been done with it. The boy refused TO give
any Information. but when Mr.. Beaning
took him by the arm and told him that a
policeman would be called and he would be
arrested for concealing stolen goods he led
the way to a chattel mortgage office in
the ingalls, Block. where the wheel had
been pawned for $l6.5O. The holders OF the
wheel refused TO give 1t up and Mr.. Bean
ing notified the father of the boy who had
received the wheel and told him that il
must be returned In twentv-four hours.
The wheel was returned the next day.
Then the search for the other wheel began.
ing for the boy. but could not find him.
a few days later Hearsey recovered a
wheel which4 had been rented from him by
the same young man. Mr.. Beaning went
had been found and there found his own.
IL had been Dawned for a small amount.
| same young mar had rented a wheel from
the Central Cycle Company and had
pawned 1T. 1t was recovered also. He had
all four wheels at one time, but all were
recovered.
From meager reports gathered II seems
that at least eight or mine wheels were
| rented last Saturday which were not re-
turned at the proper time and some or
them were recovered only after the assist
ance of the police had been asked. All OF
them were finally located and returned.
In the case of the young man who had the
four wheels at one time there was a strong
inclination TO have him arrested and tried
on the charge OF grand larceny. but the
entreaties of his father prevailed and he
is still at large.