The herald., 1898-04-05
"A PRINCE OF PILFfRfRS
WHO WAS WILLING TO TAKE
ANYTHING IN SIGHT
EVEN HIS LANDlADY'S MILK
Crockery, Hams and Mousetraps Are
in the Category of His Elk
tensive Collection

Through the SdSdcity VI d
Young woman, Detectives AuDle, Hawie
and Flammer succeeded in arresting Ben
1amin Evans yesterday afternoon ana VII
him secured about two patrol wagon loao
of stolen goods, which he is thought
have been fully a year in gathering IRON
the various stores of the city. Evans ma
been petty thief on wholesale scale, an
piece by piece has succeeded in collecth
hundreds of dollars worth of stun. Al
things, apparently, looked alike to evans
and 1t mattered not whether 1t was nam
a mouse trap or an elegant emma Sill
dressing gown, Evans took 1t along Jus
the same. The detectives say that peit'
larceny is the most serious charge that ca!
be placed against Evans, for not singi
article of the stolen goods found IN NJ
room is valued at $50 or over. A numbe
of charges will be placed against him
however and it is possible that series 0
sentences will be counted against Evans.
Evans is the last man in the world tina
would have been suspected of being eli
gagged in such operations. He IS probabl.
60 years Of age and Is a genteel appearing
man. For the last year he has resided
No. 12i1a South Spring street. Last Sep
-
bought the place and their advent provet
his undoing. For some months past Mrs
Cantley had been missing things from he1
kitchen A little bit of coffee at time
then sugar and then milk Try as sht
would, she was unable 10 get any trace Of
the thief. Two janitors were suspected Ii
turn and discharged by her. About two
weeks ago the marauder developed an in
ordinate thirst for milk. Mrs. Cantley TOOK
a quart each night, but in the morning She
would find 1t had dwlndled 10 about tea
cupful. She stood it for a while but finally
got so annoyed that she determined to To-
cate The thief. She states that she had red-
son to suspect Evans principally because
he was continually quarrelling with hel
because she kept the door of the kitchen
locked al night.
Last Thursday night she resolved to take
extreme measures. ArmiIg herself with a
revolver she placed mattress in the kitch-
en- behind curtain. aud, after locking the
door, laid in wait for the thief. Evans re-
turned to the house about II o'clock and,
after removing his shoes, unlocked the
door to the kitchen and entered. Mrs
Cantley says she saw him tip up to the milk
to get no farther, for. pointing the gun at
him she commanded:
"Stop where you are, or I will shoot"
Evans stopped, and turning saw the bar
rel of the revolver pointing directly at his
head.
80 you are the man who has been steal
ing my milk said Mrs. Cantley, but when
Evans saw that she was not going to carry
out her threat, he replied:
why don't you shoot?'
And then he started in to explain Ills
presence in other peoples kitchens. He
claimed that he had merely come to get a
little bit of milk for his cold and was NOT
guilty of any wrong. Mrs. Cantley forced
Evans 10 show her how he had unlocked
the door with his key, Finally she told
him to go to his room, and she would see
him in the morning and discuss the mat
ter more fully. On Friday she called on
Assistant District Attorney Chambers for
the purpose of getting a complaint against
Evans for burglary. This, she states. was
refused her, and she met Detective Good
man and told him to call. The officer was
busy at the time, and by the evening for
got the number of her place, and, after
hunting on Spring street for quite while
was unable to locate Mrs. Cantley.
During all of Evans stay at the house
he had maintained the utmost privacy
about his room, seldom allowing even the
landlady to enter. He would even change
the bed linen himself, and but for two visit
ors, a Mr.. Billiard and a Mr.. Clemmcns
lived entirely alone. He would make
dozens of trips to his room during the day
and evenings, but it was principally at
night that he was seen passing up ana
down the hall. His general conduct con-
firmed Mrs. Cantley's suspicious. and on
Saturday she swore TO a complaint charg-
ing him with disturbing the peace.
Sunday she related her suspicious OF
Evans to a friend, and the latter drove to
the home of Detective Auble, but that of
ficer was not in. They then went to the
police station and met Detective Hawley
and to him Mrs. Cantley spoke abou;
Evans. When Hawley called at the roor,
and knocked there was no response. The
officer looked at the keyhoe to learn i.
the key was on the inside.
Evans, reasoning that a person would
naturally suppose the room to be occupied
If the key could be seen on the inside hal
secured a cleverly designed contrivance
which resembled the end Of a key. When.
ever he would leave his room he woul6
lock the door, and then from the outside
shove the continuance in1D the keyholc
and then with tiny skeleton key would
turn little lever in the side Of this SO a.
to hold 1t in place.
About o'clock the officers succeeded ,r
arrestinS Evans, and when they examined
his room they were astounded to see thu
endless variety of goods. There mus
have been at least a thousand separate ar
ticles. The bureau drawers were CHUCK
full, q trunk was laden with the goods
while in closet We're rows and rows o-
crockery. There was a stack of Bibles
dozens OF other books poke books, has
kets of crockery ware. groceries. per
fumery, dress goods, dressing gowns. nous,
traps, crackers, balIAg rope. In fact
wherever Evans visited he apparently baf
taken a souvenir. Evans and the goods
were taken to the police station. He re-
fused to confess his guilt, md claimed tina,
he had bought the articles some years ago
but four baskets Of crockery have alread,
been Identified by local dealers
In the arrest of Evans tho off;oor, ho...