The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-10
ROBBED BY SYSTEM
employees OF WICHITA WHOLE
SALE GROCERY ARRESTED.
Ralph Clayton and W. ID. Crane, the For
mer shipping Clerk and Latter Drsy-
man, in Connection With }. Gadie.
Garry on a System of Taking Goods
From the Store for a Period of Several
Months-Police Work Up the Case and
Close in on Their Men Yesterday-The
Men Make q Full Confession.

The employees of the Wichita Whole
sale Grocery company were astonished
yesterday morning when the hoodlum
wagon drove up to the house and Chief
Of Police Burt and Officer Wood entered
the office and enquired for Ralph Clay
ton, the shipping clerk, and W. D.
Crane, the city drayman- They were
surprised still more when the chief
clasped a pair of handouts upon the
wrists Of Ralph Clayton and took him
to the wagon.
1t was the first intimation that the
numerous clerks had that anything was
wrong and when they saw W. d. Crane,
the draymsn, taken into custody they
were ready to swear that a grievious
mistake had been made, and they turn
ed with bewilderment to ]. H. Black to
see if this gentleman would not enter
a protest, but pale though he was, he
told them that 1t was all right.
The officers and the men drove 10 the
residence of Ralph Clayton, 1015 South
Topeka avenue, where a sight met them
that was calculated to move a heart of
stone, and Mr.. Black was almost ready
TO call off the Hawkshaws whom he had
set to ferret out the truth of faisity of
letter Of warning he had received
some three weeks before, informing him
that his house was being robbed in
a systematic manner. Lying on the bed
was the young wife Of Mr.. Clayton very
sick and with a young child. The sight
was a sad one. but the officers insisted
that he accompany them in the search
of the house TO see whether or not, they
had made any mistake. He did so and
there was found lot Of sugar and 9th
er articles Of which there could be no
mistake as the articles still contained
the marks Of the house.
At the house of w. d. Crane, 1247
South Market, a box containing coffee
mills and other articles were found and
taken in charge. And then the two men
were taken TO the police station and
closeted with Mr.. Black and the officers,
when they broke down and made full
and complete confession, stating that
they had carried on the system Of TAX
ing goods since last fall, but that dur
ing the entire time they had not taken
over $50 worth of goods.
Mr.. Black asked them if they would
tell how they operated so as not 10 be
detected, and they gave him a full an
explicit account, something like the fol-
lowing:
Nothing was taken from the house IN
til the last load in the evening was
made. when Clayton would place on the
wagon the articles wanted by the buck
ster. H. A. Gadie, who was in the deal,
so say the officers, and has been arrest
ed. Crane would deliver the rest of his
load about the city and finally drive TO
his home and leave the articles on his
wagon. The next morning his wagon
would be clear and he would return the
dray check to Clayton who would dis
troy ii and the books would thus be
kept all straight.
Only few articles would be taken at
a time and notwithstanding the fact
that few houses in uhe country is more
closely checked than this firm the rob-
berry was almost impossible to detect
1t seems that about three weeks since
Mr.. Black received a "tip' that he was
being Systematically robbed. He did
not believe the statements, as he saws
he had the utmost confidence in his en-
ployes, and at first was inclined to
place no confidence in what might prove
TO be case of blackmaiL He resolved,
however, to thoroughly investigate the
matter and called upon Chief Burt and
laid the whole matter before him. Chief
Burt called Wood and Sutton into the
council and the four men set upon
plan to run down the truth or falsity OF
the charges made.
For three weeks, night and day the
employees Of the house were kept under
by the officers, and a man on
a bicycle followed every load of goods
that left the house for the past week.
Yesterday morning Chief Burt in
formed Mr.. Black that he was ready TO
close down on the case, and to the sur
prise of the secretary Of the firm told
him who were the men who had robbed
him and the conclusive evidence in his
possession and the arrest was made as
stated above.
Mr.. Black was seen at his residence, |
921 North Topeka avenue, and when |
asked about the case said: Il suppose
you must saysomething,b but deal just IS
kindly with the men as possible There
is no doubt of their guilt. They have
confessed everything, yet want TO say
that 1 fell as though they have made a
sad mistake, and while they are not in
my employ now, l only feel sorry for |
them The amount OF goods taken can |
not be large. With the perfect system |
they had il could have been made much |
larger without danger Of detection. |
Either one OF them could have raised |
several times the amount by borrowing |