The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-25

Arrested With Decoy Letter In Hi
Pocket, He Breaks Down and Coofesses
TO the Theft of TweDty-He Aimed "a
Take Only Notes From the Dear Girls
| to Young Men of the School, and Said II
| Was Because He Wanted to Know
| What They Wrote He Is Likely to be
Expelled.
Chicago, Dec. 24-C. W. Smith, a stu
dent in the Northwestern University
| Medical school, was locked up in the
Twenty-second street police station yes
terday on the curious charge of purloin-
ing love letters from the general deliv-
cry box at the school.
At the police station the sergeant
looked twice through the municipal code
in search Of proper charge on which
10 book the prisoner, but could find
nothing to fit so peculiar a case ard fin
ally hid the romance under the inexpres-
sive title of disorderly conduct.
Letters had been missed for two or
three weeks. Those which went astray
werea lways Invariably from young wo-
men. Charles r. Scott of Belvidere,
Ill, second year student, was one OF
the heaviest sufferers from the tendency
OF the mails to miscarry. Scott is
prepossessirg young man, VINO is quite
a social favorite and is envied by his
fellows because Of the plump missives
he receives from his fair friends. This
was remarked upon on several occa-
sions in a joking way by his comrades
when number of them happened so be
in the university Office at the same time
to get their mail.
Smith, who is II years old and
freshman, had his interest ard curiosity
thoroughly aroused by these banterings
He had come to the city 60 school from
his home at Wabash, Ind, and every
thing was new to him. He was a grad
uate from the High school there last
spring, but never had a real love affair
of his own and was curious about those
OF other people. The conversation Of the
older students suggested comething to
him.
The rext letter which Scott expected
from a fair friend failed to arrive on
schedule time. He was disappointed, !
but supposed that 1t was due to some
slight delay. Another which he had rea-
son TO think he could time 10 certainty
did not put in an appearance. This was
too much. He began an immediate and
thorough investigation. He learned
through other channels than the mail
that the letters had been posted and
should have reached him at the time ex-
pected. He then suspected from certain
that they might have
been taken at the school and had friends |
send decoy letters Meanwhile two other |
missed letters.
A decoy which had been sent through |
the mails a couple Of days before. but |
held back by H. P. Hendricks. clerk al |
the university Office, to entrap Smith,
who was suspected, was put in the gen.
eral delivery box yesterday morning, |
and two detectives from the Twenty-sec-
Dnd street station were waiting in the
AS Smith did not put in an
appearance at the usual time, the de-
tectives returned TO the station.
When Smith finally came in Hendricks
saw him run through the letters and
put the decoy In his pocket. After he
lad gone into the hall Hendricks called
lim back and asked him to sit down in
he Office as he wished to see him, osten-
;ibly about someschool affairs. W. NJ.
Cavano Of Burlington, Wis, another
student, who was aiding Hendricks in
he scheme, sat in the office to see that
Smith did not destroy any letters while
Hendricks telephoned for the police.
smith became nervous and fingered the
etter in his pocket. All at once he drew
{ out and, after looking at 1t, said TO
Hendricks in a surprised tone that he
lad taken the wrong Letter.
yes" said Hendricks, "you have
AIKEN several of them. I have sent for
ne police"
Smith protested that It was a mistake
nd that this was the first time that he
lad done it. When the police came.
owever, ne broke down and confessed
hat he had taken about twenty letters
turing the past month. 1t was thought
{ first that his motive was 10 obtain
money, but he denied this. and said that
e wanted to see what the girls wrote.
after ne had been locked up he said that
Z NdS SIdu lie tidu DecH Caught |
9 it made him realize how serious the
ffense was and he would never repeat |
:. His father, Valentine Smith, a we'll
o-do contractor of Wabash, Ind, was
otifed and will be at the police court
rial at Halstesd and Thirty-fifth streets
his morning at o'clock.
Scott did not lose any money and is
OF disposed to prosecute the boy.
mith has been looked upon as young
oy who would probably mature into a
ood physician. His class showed its re-
pect for him by electing him chaplain.
is said that he will be expelled from
he university at the next meeting of {
ne faculty on the strength Of the admis-
ions ne has made.
KANSAS RAILROAD REPORT
ondition and Operations According to
he rI pf Enm Ia