The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-17


charged with the stealing of six pairs
Of gloves from Auerbach's store and
believed to be members Of a gang of
shoplifters, were yesterday discharged
by Justice Pardee upon motion of As
sistant County Attorney Gunter. The
reason for the motion was that not
enough evidence could be obtained 10
secure a conviction. Ralph Emery, the
associate of Burton and keene, con-
fessed to the police officers that he and
he alone was responsible for the Inert
of all the goods found in the room &C.
cupied by the three men. This, II was
thought by Assistant County Attorney
Gunter, left no case against the other
two. and they were yesterday released
for that reason. Emery was released
by agreement in consideration Of his
disclosing the whereabouts of the seal
skin sacque, and now the whole three
are at liberty.
Had Enough Evidence.
The release of the alleged shoplifters
aroused considerable criticism from
Sheriff Howells and his force yester-
day They had no objection to the re-
lease of Emery. but they asserted that
there was enough evidence in their
possession to convict Burton and heene
on two charges of petit larceny, one Tor
the stealing of six pairs of gloves from
z. Auerbach's store, and another Tor
the theft of four pairs of gloves from
the Lace House. In addition to~th>i,
Burton confessed on Thursday in a cell
of the county jail, with Deputies Har-
ries. Macduff Dowse and Giibranson as
witnesses, that he had a hand in the
stealing of the sealskin sacque, and had
received one-fourth of the money got
ten from its sale. This confession, they
assert, was obtained without any prom
Use of release. Burton and Keene were
also seen on Thursday taking a valise
fun of goods from their room at 81
South Main street.
1.-THE evidence against the two men
was conclusive" said Deputy Sheriff
Montgomery last evening. Burton con-
fessed that he had stolen four pairs of
gloves from the Lace House, and also
that he and Emery had stolen the
sacque and sold it for $50 L regret
greatly the dismissal of the case. 1t
was all through a compromise plade by
the police and the county attorney to
dismiss all three of the men if Emery
produced the sacque. Such compro-
misses are an outrage on public jus
tice, and are getting altogether too pro-
miscuous.''
Merchants Indignant
T. H. Atkins, retail manager of F.
Auerbach'S store, who swore to the
complaint, said last night that he had
not been consulted upon the dismissal.
Il think l ought to expect that much"
he added, ''inasmuch as l was the COM
plainant in the case. Had they con-
suited me certainly never would have
consented to a dismissal. l do not
think it right TO return one mans Sto-
len property at the expense of another.
Nor is it right to turn loose such men
as those-professiona shoplifterS- upon
a community, for the sake of recovering
a sealsl1in sacque worth $500. 1t is
worth more than that to keep them
where they can do no HARM
L. g. Ransohoff, of the Lace House,
was equally as severe in his condem-
nation of the dismissal. I'VE were will
ling" he said, that Emery should go
free, but just why the other two should
be released. is not very clear. They
certainly should have been made an eX-
ample of.
Howells Criticises Police.
Sheriff Howells in an interview yes
terday made several statements con-
demnatory of the police officers and De-
tective Sheets in particular. He assert
ed that they were behind the whole
business; that he located the gang of
shoplifters, and so notified Chief Hilton,
who told him to confer with Sheets.
Sheets gets sulky and won't play"
went on the sheriff. i might say where
he was, but that isn't necessary. We
go ahead and he gets hot, and yester-
day when myself and chief deputy are
out shooting, the police fix things up
on compromise basis for the benefit
of city Jail bird. 1t is not the first
time this kind OF business has hap
pened. But once and for all, before
the entire people, 1 want to enter my
protest against the work of squaring
things with hunkeys, prostitutes and
shoplifters.'
Chief Hilton's Defense.
Chief Hilton last evening made q