Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-12
HAD THE SAME name
1T GOT MR. GARDNER. OF KANSAS
CITY. INTO TROUBLE.
Received a Bill of LadinE for Mr..
Gardner. of BroOkfeld. and APP
propriated a job Lot Of
Furniture.

A similarity of names has resulted in
getting John F. Gardner. of 1915 Vine
street. into a peck of rouble. Gardner is
a negro laborer. A few days ago ne was
surprised to receive through the mails a
bill of lading for about 500 worth Of house
hold goods. The envelope in which the bill
of lading was inclosed was postma"ked at
Brookfield. Mo. Gardner doesn't know any
body in Brookfield and he was not ex-
pecting a consignment of feather beds and
cooking utensils from there or any other
place. He merely thought he had struck
Il streak of luck. What pleased Gardner
the more was the fact that the freight
charges had been prepaid. The negro lost
no time in repairing to the Hannibal &
St. Joseph depot with a moving van. He
presented the bill of iading and was per-
mitted to haul the goods away.
Yesterday a white man giving his name
as John F. Gardner and claiming to hail
| from Brookfeld reported to the police that
some person bearing the same name mad
/ taken from the Hannibal freight depot Il
lot OF household goods which he had con-
signed to himself. Detectives Ennis and
Boyle were assigned 10 the case and 1t
didn't take them long 10 recover the goods
and get at the facts in the case. 1t was
had caused all of the trouble. After MI.
| Gardner. of BroOkield. had consigned MS
goods TO himself. he slipped the bill OF
self at Kansas City and mailed it. The
envelope bore the name OF no street or
number. Mr.. Gardner. of Brookfield. was
That's why he wrote a letter to himself
and inclosed the receipted freight bill
When Mr.. Gardner, of Brookfield. sent a
letter to himself through the mails he
didn't stop to consider that there are
others. The Brookfeld mans letter was
received by Iohn F. Gardner. OF 1Sia vine
he opened it. Then he was surprised to
discover that somebody-he didn't know
who-had sent a sewing machine. three
feather beds and a lot of kitchen furniture.
He was rejoiced beyond measure. Last
night all of his Joy had turned to sorrow:
He was arrested by Detectives Ennis ana
headquarters. 1t may be that Mr.. Gardner.
of Brookfield. will not prosecute MN. as
the negro had no intention Of stealing the
household goods. Tn officers found the
goods. and the negro readily consented 10
give them up. The prisoner cannot De
prosecuted for opening the letter wn'cn
Mr.. Gardner. of Brookfieid. adaressed 10
the same. II was all the result OF the
sameness Of names. and Mr.. iardner. OF
Brookfield, will probably treat II as a Joke
Gardner Of Brookfield, started for Okla
homa when he left the Linn county me-
tropolis. He didn't know Just where ns
wouId locate when he started, out. and
that's why he shipped his household goods
onIy as far as Kansas City. When ne ar,
rived here he concluded to remain durlmg
the winter. He has been trying, 10 rut
down the man who stole his goods for a
Week. He proved to be a poor detective
and when he was about ready TO a ana 10.
tro,,bIes to the police. After they had re,
c ud the goods. Gardner, of Brookfield
almost had his breath IT., taken Gam aWas w slls,
n.b;oh he claims he paid out for having
the household goods hauled from the de
pot to his home.