Evening journal., 1896-05-18
A NOVEL PREDICAMENT.
From Which the Sergeant
Was Delivered BY a Substitute.
IT WAS AFRICA FOR TIE AFRICANS

A-nateur Colored Detectives Arrest a
Clothes Thief-A DastardIy Brute Pun
ished. But Not Severely Enoush-.A A
Youthful Highwayman-other Municipal
Court Gases.
There came very near being an inter
national complication at the police
station last evening. but for the first
time on record England declined to lay a
hand on Africa. The bell 10 the.antlquated
tower had barely struck tba hour OF ..
when three very excited an very dusky
dsmsels, entered the Office made sacred
by the presence OF the c. plain, house
sergeant, and operator. They had a
prisoner, 10 the snaps OF another colored
woman, who seemed the coolest OF the
lot. The mstron, Mrs. White had been
excused from duty for short time, and
the quartet ranged themselves IN front
OF House Sergeant EnRlRnd's desk.
When they hsd become sufficiently
entangled to allow him to investigate
the following story was evolved.
They We're Amateur Detectives.
Ella Robinson, one Of the colored $50 Of
Barbary, resides al No 103 East Water
street Saturday night a oolored girl
named Ella Fields, called on her and was
allowed to remain until morning. making
her bed on the lounge. Yesterday morn
ing she left and at the same time a dress
valued at IS and hat said TO be worth
90 cents disappeared. THE loss WAS dls
covered later and ELLA In company with
FedeliA Lof and and Ella Price started
out on hunt. They ran the thief down
at house on Robinson street ard at
once forced her to take walk to the
police station. She had ON the stole
dress and hat aud stated that she took
them Iby mistake while drunk. Chief
Dolsn ordered her to be locked up and
as she feared she might do some harm to
the dress, directed that she be relieved
OF It. Sergeant England being the ma
tron in charg Q. the duty fell to him.
Then Came the DimcuIty.
When the Importance Of his task
dawned on him, the gallant sergeant
CAST a glance at his immaculate red
stripes aud straightway turned their
color With q remark that England
already bad troubles enough In Africa,
and that Germany seemed the best
adapted to rule there. he started to call
Turnkey HRmmerer, when Ella Robinson
volunteered TO get her dress back. aud
she did so. II was a relief TO all hands
This morning Ella Fields Was arraigned
and held In 5000 bail for upper court
She has served ons term in New Castle
for q similar offence, and this time will
repeat her dose.
The Law Not Severe Enough.
Edward K. Crossan, who claims a resi-
In. -. L
q brutal exposure of person to three
small girls on Rodney street on April %
Hu has been away from Wilmington since
then but yesterday ventured back and
Officer Mcdaniel captured him. He
pleaded that be WAS intoxicated az the
tine. Judge Ball 6ned him $50 and
costs, and added that he would like to
have added n term OF imprisonment, but
the law did not permit.
Laura Boden and Clara Guy both
colored, were arrested by Officers Eakln
and Maloney at Fourth and Lombard
streets yesterday. They we're engaged
In a catch as catch can, go-as-you-
please hght and the melee was being
witnessed by some 500 people. The
evidence showed that Clara was ali In
the fault and she was fined &5 and
costs Laura was allowed 10 20.
Walter Wilson, a small colored boy,
played the amateur highwaymAn
SATURDAY. and robbed James Cleaver OF
Is cents He pleaded that he only got
10 cents. Judge Ball sent him to the
Reform School
Frank Shikoski was charged with
breaking trees on Duncan avenue be-
tween Sixth and Seventh avenues. He
claimed that IL WAS not intentional and
his mother WAS permitted to sign bonds
for his future good behavior. The
property-owners In thal neighborhood
say that some twenty trees have been