The Indianapolis journal., 1898-06-18
TWO SMOOTH" PEOPLE
WERE CARRYING OFF ALL THE
CLOTH IN THE CITY.
Police Gather I'm q Pair of "Hoisters,,
Caught by Following
Lawyer.

Detectives Gerber and Morgan yesterday
arrested two men whom they call 'hoist-
ers, by which term they mean masculine
shoplifters. The men are supposed to be
among the best in their profession, and the
work they did here in the single day they
operated bears out the supposition. Thurs
day morning Jacob Staub a tailor on North
Pennsylvania street missed a valuable bolt
of cloth. He had occasion to use a piece of
blue serge and could not find 1t. He remem-
bered that only few minutes before he had
two customers One of them ordered a
pair of trousers Suspicion pointed to them
and his first impulse was to see if they had
visited other tailors. He went in a few doors
south to the store of George Mannfeld &
Sons and related the loss of his goods and
his suspicious. VIII Mannfeld Immediately
recognized in the description of the men
two customers he had just had. He also took
the order of one for pair of trousers. An
Investigation disclosed the fact that he was
short two bolts of goods.
The tailors notified the police and Detec-
tives Gerber and Morgan were detailed on
the case. They learned that the same game
had been played on the Kahn Tailoring
Company and Norbert Landgraf and, per-
haps, other tailors. The pair of holsters"
worked clever game. They did not vary it
in the least in the different stores. One
would select pair of trousers and would
go back to have his measure taken The
other carried huge telescope valise,
wrapped about with large leather straps.
This he would place on end on the floor. 1t
is supposed the valise had an end opening
and that the goods would be deftly and
quickly thrust into it while the first man
ci bo Of Of he
The detectives were given accurate de-
scriptions of the men, especially in regard
to the kind of clothes they wore, for a tai
lor who measures a man for garment no
tices his apparel particularly. Yesterday at
IL o'clock they saw one of the men standing
in front of the When store. They took him
to Staub's store and Mr.. Staub recognized
him as the thief The other tailors also posi-
lively identified him and he was sent to the
police station on charge of larceny.
Little hope was then entertained of catch
ing the other fellow, 1t was thought that
unless they should be taken together the
second one would get out of the city. But
lawyer unconsoiously led the detectives
straight to the other robber. About 2:30
o'clock Attorney Wilborn Wilson called at
the police station and had a talk with the
man arrested. When he left the place De-
tecttves Gerber and Morgan followed him.
He went straight to his office, going up
few minutes before the detectives. When
the detectives were about to get out of the
elvator car the man they were looking for
stepped in. They followed him out into the
street and arrested him at Delaware and
Ohio streets.
The first man arrested gave the name of
Joseph Arnold and the second as Joseph
Harris, both of Chicago Arnold refused TO
talk and denied his guilt. Harris, however
made full confession. He said they came
here Wednesday and worked one day. They
roomed at No: 2lO North Capitol avenue.
Harris said the goods they stole were
packed in a trunk and checked for Chicago
and that they probably left at o'clock yes
terday afternoon on thefrain they intended
taking, except for their arrest. He sur
rendered the baggage check and the police
telegraphed to have the trunk returned on
the next train.
The detectives went to the room where
the men had stayed and learned from the
landlady that the men had sent away
trunk packed so full that it was necessary
to leave the tray out. This she found under
the bed. The detectives did not find the va
lise with which the holsters worked.