Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1899-10-13

racine agent at Lordsburg shipped by
express to the Detroit coppercompany
at Morenci thirteen hundred and
sixty silver dollars. This is an un-
usual shipment for the Southern
Pacific to make, and there is a story
back Of It. Last week a couple Of men
who said their names we're Rhodes
and Douglass went to Kennedy Watts.
who Is a Waterman at the depot, and
asked him II he wanted to make n
thousand dollars. Watts, like most
people, was not adverse to making
any such sum. He explained so TO the
men and asked how IL could be done.
They told him they had come from FL
Paso on a freight train after money
They knew that the Lesiusky Bros. Of
Ell Paso had packed a sack of silver
dollars in a case Of dry goods, and had
shipped the ease as dry goods to the
Detroit copper company at Morencl.
They had followed the case TO the
depot, without a chance &c stealing 1t;
they had rode on the train from Ei
Paso to Lordsburg, 10 hope Of getting
into the Car, opening the box and
throwing the silver overheard, where
they could get it, but had been unable
to get into the car; they had watched
the box unloaded, and knew it was in
the depot; that il Watts would let
them into the depot they would swine
the silver, which they said amounted
TO 5000 and divide it with him.
When Mr.. Watts found that it was
stolen money they wanted to give
him he did not want IL. lie made an
excuse. got away from the men and
informed Agent CT qt what was in
the warehouse. "a. Clapp took a
couple Of his men, went to the freight
house, found the box, which rolled
over like a loaded die, opened it, and
10 the midst Of a lot of dry goods
found a sack Of silver dollars, which
weighed 104 pounds. This he put into
the Office safe and informed the rail-
road officials of what he had found.
He ultimately received instructions
TO forward the money to tue Detroit
copper company by express. The two
men who had wanted to steal the sill
yer were watching the opening Of the
box through a crack, and Immediately
hunted up Mr.. Watts and told him
the deal was off, for the agent was OF
to the silver and had taken it himself
They told Watts that the Lesinskl
Bros. had been shipping silver in thil
way to the Detroit copper company
for a long time, shipping in various
amounts ranging from $500 to SO, 000
They knew this, for Rhodes had beer
working for the Leslnskeys and haC
seen the shipments. He bad beer
watching them for some time witt
the Intention of stealing a shipmen.
aud thought this lis chance, threw III
his job and followed it. The railroad
refuses TO accept coin for shipment
and or course, the shipment was
fraud on the road, and On the Wells
Fargo company. The Interstate com
MERGE law provides that where q ship
per shall describe goods OF ~ clrss a.
being Of another class, when shipping
them over an interstate route, lie com
mits a misdcmeanor, and is liable to
due not exceeding s. O0) or imprisun
meut not exceeding two years, or bot.
fine and impriSonm or course j
is easy to see in thi .ase that Will
the Lesinslys have aid themselye.
open to fine and Imprisonment it j
really the Detroit copper compau
that is guilty. The saving Of th
difference between freight and e2
press charges would accrue % th
Detroit copper company, and iJ
probable that the Lesiuskeys only mad
the shipment as an accommodation t
the Detroit people. The matter vii
probably be brought to the a~ttentio
Of the United States attorney, bu
whether indictments will follow is VI
certain. The people acquainted wit
the Detroit copper company do not b'
lieve that Phelps, Dodge & Co., Z
any OF the higher officers of the con
pany knew anything about these shil
ments, and this breaking Of the Law
they think it was done pY the MoreI
ci employees, without the knowledge {
the officers OF the company. TIL
Southern Pacldc emFloyes acted eI
tirely within their rights and duti'
10 the matter.
The Liberal readers will remen
: Der the murder Of A. b. Alien, While
. took place at Duncan more than
uaar nnn w Y EnaLnr Nuna nrLnsL1