The herald., 1898-12-07
BURGLARY IS CHARGED
ARREST OF A MAN SUSPECTED
OF TAPPING A TILL
Local Detectives Do a Brilliant Piece
of Work-No Money Missing but
the Prisoner Is Suspicious

A very brilliant piece of work was done
by police detectives Monday, although they
were so modest about the affair that they
withheld the details until yesterday, about
twenty-four hours after the affair occurred.
Monday afternoon Thomas A. Cummings
a clerk in the bottling works of f. A. Helm,
at 446 Central avenue, left the front office
and went into the rear. He left the door
standing open, so that he could hear the
telephone bell in case it rang. He stopped
in another department for short time, and
when he started back toward the office saw
that the door was closed. He thought this
peculiar, and quickened his pace. AS he
approached the door he was able to see
through glass panel that man was stoop-
ing down behind counter, in which the
money drawer is located. The stranger evil
IDENTIFY heard the approach Of Cummings,
for Just as the clerk opened the door the
visitor stepped forward in apparent haste,
and holding out a $40 gold piece inquired II
Cummings could give him change. Cum
mings said he could not, and suggested that
the man 60 across the street to the saloon,
which he did Cummings felt suspicious
about the movements of the man, and went
to the cash drawer, and on opening it, dis
covered, to his CONSERVATION, that every bit
OF money was missing. AS Cummings knew
that the custom of Mr. Helm was to keep
from $25 to 5000 in the drawer at that time
of the day, he naturally thought the strang
er had tapped the till.
Cummings hurried across the street to the
saloon, and inquired for the man, and re-
ceived the information that he had gone to
the Arcade depot. Cummings went in pur
suit, and saw him. Then the clerk looked
around for an officer to place the fellow UNI
der arrest. Park Officer Wilson happened
to drive up in his buggy, as the suspect
started west on Fifth street. Cummings
explained the circumstances Of the strang
er's visit, and Wilson told him to get into
the buggy, and the pair started in pursuit
The fugitive heard them, and after seeing
who they were, started to run. He lodged
behind some bill boards on Fifth street
between Croker and San Pedro streets. VIII
son then left the buggy and struck acros;
lots after the man. The latter vaulted 9
capture him before he had gone any dis
lance. The man said his name was JOSEPH
Latham. When asked why he had run, the
man replleQ tnat ne hau Deen mere just Inree
weeks, and had voted, so he thought the
officer was in pursuit of him on account Of
that act He was asked about the burglar,
of the till, but he replied that he knew moth
ing of it.
The prisoner was taken to the police sta
ton, and surrendered to the police detec
tives. Their brilliant work consisted ir
Sweating" the captive. He told severa
contradictory stories. First he claimed tc
Wilson that he had influential friends here
who would get him out of the trouble, but
when the detectives asked him for the name
of some of his Los Angeles relatives, he re-
piled that he had an aunt, but declined tc
tell who she is He claimed first to be from
Denver, then Salt Lake, then Portland, and
various other places. Several skeleton keys
were taken from his pockets, and the Of