The Portland daily press., 1899-06-21
They Have Been Work
ing at Union Station.
Third Man Arrested by officer
Henderson Last Night.

apout pOCkets p5lu2 pioAou az y MIN e'eA7
tson. The station has evidently been
work ed by skilful gang of thieves and
1t was not until yesterday that any Of
them Were rounded NJ by the police,
Z though they have been watching for them
for some time. Up to midnight last
night three men had been taken into GUS
tody by the police and the officers were
hot on the trail of the other two men.
The most OF the detective work in this
!, case was done by q bright young news
paper man. Mir. Harry Steele. Yesterday
morning his duties called him to Union
station and while the crowd of passengers
were gathering 10 take the morning
4 trains eastsand west MIR. Steele noticed
five men, very sharp looking and well
dressed, who acted rather peculiarly.
They would separate and watch the pas
sengers getting into the trains and keep a.
aharp eye open for those persons purchas-
ing tickets at the ticket window and
wepld then come together, talk matters
over and separate again. They seemed to
be very. acsive and relied upon the orders
whioh were given them by a tail, gaunt
looking rnan. who was slightly lame and
WHO seemed 20 De bnelf leaQer.
sPoTTING A VICTIM
A man and his wife entered the station
Just before the $50 train started for the
east, t,and the man went to the ticket office
window, Mr.. Steele. who was Watching
the. man whom he suspected of being
crooks, saw the leader Of the gang sizing
up the man who WAS at the window.
This man who was buying his tickets
opened his pocket book and exhibited
large roll Of bills. there being two one
handretl dollar bills on top OF the roll.
The mal with this large sum of money
.esmed 10 handle 1t rather carelessly and
this at once attracted the attention of
he leader Of the crooks. Walking away
from the ticket sellers window the man
who had bought his tickets put them
into his pocket book and folded it up.
MIR. steele saw the tall man with the
slight limp in his gait with his head
right ONCE this mans shoulder and the
crook followed him until he got ON
board the train going west. As soon as
be saw the man and his wife gst into
this train the tall man ran out into the
train she'd and hastily got together his
four companions. They had evidently
purchased tickets to go east on the train
which leaves. at $50 o'clock but when the
tall man had talked to them minute his
four companions made rush for the
tinkst offioe and bought tickets or the
west. They then separated and all
boarded the ewest bound train and entered
the car In which the man, with the mon
ey and his wife were seated. The crooks
dfdsnot sit together but separated them
selves about the car and kept sharp eye
open ontheir intended victims. Mr. Steele
in the meantime had not been idle. He
had seen ali thess things and had found
time to notify Officer Tom Quinn who
was also prompt to act. The men had
done nothing up to this time that would
warrant their being arrested but MIR.
Steele pointed them out to Officer Quinn,
who entered he car where they were and
warned the gentleman and his wife that
they were being watched. Officer Quinn
told them that there were some suspi c.
ous men ON the train who had evidently
marked them and he warned the man
not 10 get into crowd and to keep a
close watch on hisspocketbook.
About this time the $40 train pulled
out for the west and with 1t went the
crooks and thsir intended Victims
WATCHING THE CROOKS.
At noon, when the trains from both
and east and west come into Union sta
tion bringing large. crowd Of people, Mr..
Steele was again at the station. The mo :
ment he entered the waiting room he
spisd four of the men whom he had seen
go out on the west bound train In the
morning and saw that they were once
more at their old game. Mr.. Steele found
Oai;sr Quinn and told him about the
matter and the patrolman hurried away,
put on citizens CLOTHES, the better to do
his work, and was back again In no time.
There was a.big crowd of people about
4 the ticket, sellers wiadow formed In a
line and all in hurry to get their tick.
ts. AR. Steele saw one of the crooks at
stls end Of, this line pushing the people
osether, while on the other end Of the
iae wss another one Of the gang crowd,
ilg the people towards his companion.
in the outside OF this line OF people twS
Of the other crooks were lowering ant
wegs evidently trying 60 pick the pockets
OF the ticket buyers whiis their oompan.
ions crowded the people close together
The men onthe outside of the line eacl
carried over his arm thin coat as al
professional piokpockets do, and tney wer
evidantly operating under this coat.
Finally one of the men who was doing
the osowaing st the d cket sellers win