Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-06
CONDUCTOR STOLE TICKETS
John Valeati,s, Employed on Chm Eohs
Road, Makes Confession.
In Default u BEAD He f. DockeA Up
at Rockville An Alleged
AccO1plice Bailed.

years. employed as a conductor on the Glen
Echo electric railroad, was arrested shortly
after O'clock yesterday afternoon by De-
tective Frank Burrows and locked up At
the seventh precinct police station on a
charge of grand larceny. With him was
Benjamin Clements, aged twenty-seven
years, who Is employed on the same road
as motorman, who was arrested and
held on suspicion Of being an accomplice
of Valentine.
The two men were wanted for the theft
Of large number Of tickets from the Office
OF the Glen Echo road. Just how many
tickets were stolen is hard to tell, owing
to the manner in which the coupons are
numbered. though the value is sufficient to
make the Charge one of grand larceny
with plenty of prospect of the guilty
parties serving time in the penitentiary
Up to last evening only few packets OF
the tickets were recovered, but more are
expected to be secured and returned to the
company.
Valentines Opportunity.
The power house of the railroad CORPORA
ton is located near the southern terminal
OF the road, short distance from the
Conduit road, being in Maryland. The
power house was erected when the road
was constructed. The office of the COM
pany is located in the building, and Valen-
tine, 1t Is said, was at one time employed in
the place and was familiar with everybody
Inc robbery is supposed to have occurred
last Saturday, though the officials of the
ROAD We're only made aware of the occur
renee yesterday forenoon, and then through
no effort of their own. A man had been
seen in town offering to sell a big bundle
OF car tickets at cheap rates. 1t is said
mat ~ worth of tickets were sold for ST.
The matter reao he'd the ears of Detective
Burrows. and he visited the Office Of the
Glen Echo road and made inquiry as to
whether or not any tickets had been stolen
The superintendent, MIR. w. A. Armstrong,
said he thought not. and then the detective
told what he knew. A short time after
ward one of the conductors of the road
turned in ticket, the number of which
was several thousand ahead of any ticket
Heretofore given out An investigation
was started. and it was found that some
packages had been stolen.
The Police Notified.
Superintendent Armstrong Immediately
visited the seventh precinct police station
and reported the theft to Lieutenant Swim
dells. The police had learned of the name
of the men who had been offering the tick
cts for sale, and the superintendent was
advised to go TO n justice of the peace in
Maryland and swear out a warrant. This
he did. In the meantime Detective Bur-
rows started out to hunt for the men. 1t
was thought they could be found at the In
ternational Athletic Park. where they
would in all probability attempt to sell
some of the tickets.
In leaving the station few minutes after
the departure of the superin tendent CT the
road, on his way to the park, Detective
Burrows saw the man he wanted enter
saloon on Sd street, few squares from
the station and waiting until they came
out he placed both under arrest Clements
was under the influence of liquor, bu. Val
lcntine appeared TO be none the worse Off
for drinking. When searched at the sta
ton no tickets were found on either. A
sum of money. between 81 and s.. was
found OH Valentine. while Clements had
nothing of value in his possession.
The Maryland authorities were notified,
and this morning Deputy Sheriff Embreys
appeared at the station and took the men
away to appear before Squire Austin, who
issued the warrants for their arrest
Admits His Guilt.
lust before leaving the station Vallen-
tine admitted he had taken several pack
ages Of tickets. He claimed that he went
into the office and every one in the place
was busy. The safe was open, and, seeing
his opportunity he made a grab and took
several packages. The railroad people do
not believe this. They state that there was
no one in the office at the time the THEFT
was committed or that Valentine opened
the safe himself and took the tickets, as
he probably became acquainted with the
c0mDlnatlOn through NCThlHS dDoul Ille
place.
Among the packages of tickets recovered
enc packet was secured from a conductor
on the road, to whom the same had been
sold. From outside parties other tickets
have been recovered, and all of these will
be used as evidence. Valentine is looked
Upon as the guilty party alone, Clements
being regarded by the local police as hav-
ing had nothing at all to do with the rob-
Eery.
Held for the Grand Jury.
At the hearing given the two men before
Squire Austin, shortly before noon, Super
irtendent Armstrong stated that about s25
worth Of tickets had been stolen, most Of
which had been recovered. There were
several conductors present who stated that
Valentine offered to sell them tickets.
In his own defeEse, Valentine claimed
that Clements took the tickets from the Of
flee, but this was denied by Clements. who
disclaimed any knowledge Of the theft,
though he stated he was with Valentine
when the latter attempted to sell the plum
der.
Squire Austin held Valentine for the
grand jury, and in default Of bail in the
sum of $500 he was committed to the Rock
vile Jail Clements put under 500
bcrd, which was furnished by his father.
The witnesses We're placed under personal
bonds to appear at Rockville against the
prisoner when the trial shall come up.
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