Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-05
A CLEVER CAPTURE.
Officer Charles Peterson Creates
Excitement on Fourth Street.
ALLEGED CHICKEN THIEyESARRESTED
Samuel Kitterman Renders Valuable
Assistance to Ottumwa Omcers in
Taking Ed. Smith and j. G. Ne
ters-Other Police News.
L From Fridays Daily.l

From Fridays Daily
Officer Charles Peterson and Ed,
Smith, the latter charged with being
n chicken thief, created considerable
excitement on West Fourth. street this
morning. Peterson attempted to ar
rest Smith, and before he succeeded in
doing it compelled to fire his re-
volper several times. j. G. Peters,
charged with being a partner in the
crime for which Smith is under ar
rest, was also taken into custody by
the Ottumwa police this morning, just
as he was entering the city. Both
men are now in Jail pending pre-
liminary hearing. which will probably
be given them tomorrow morning, as
Judge Hall is out of the city today. In
the meantime the police will look up
the necessary evidence i'll the case,
which it is believed will be strong
one against the accused. The capture
of the alleged chicken thieves was
clever piece of work. for which Samuel
Kitterman a prominent farmer resid-
ling seven and a half miles north OF
town, Should have much of the credit.
The men. when arrested, had five doz-
en- chickens in their possession. Each
man had a horse and buggy, and was,
equipped for very effectively conceal
| ing the fowls. One of the vehicles is a
covered buggy, under the seat of which
| is cleverly devised coop. The other
|conyeyance, was a light spring wagon,
but the chicken coop therein was ar
ranged so that it could be covered up
and excluded from view. The five
dozen chickens were divided about
| evenly between them, and when ques-
toned by the police this morning, both
Smith and Peters claimed that they
had bought the chickens. Smith claim
ling that he had purchased what he
had from Peters, and Peters declared
that Smith sold him what he had
! Neither of the men are strangers to
the Ottumwa police. Smith resides
over near Bloomfield. and Peters was
fired out of town about year ago. af-
ter several days spent in the city, on
the preteNt that he was a detective.
MIR. Kitterman followed the men to
town this morning, and, as said be-
fore, was instrumental in their cap
pture. He, as well as many of his
lneighbors. have been losing a large
number of chickens during the past
week. Mr.. Kitterman said that he had
had two hundred stolen within the
past two weeks. He is naturally sus-
piciouss of any stranger that comes his
way. Yesterday evening Peters drove
| up to Mr.. Kitterman's house and asked
for some buttermilk. His actions
aroused Mr.. Kitterman's suspicious,
and he watched the stranger closely.
Peters, he said, seemed to observe with
more than ordinary keenness the fine
flock of fowls which Mr.. Kitterman
possesses, and this was the beginning
of the capture. Mr.. Kitterman noticed
that Peters had chicken coop in his,
Wagon, hut an attempt had been made
TO conceal it by covering it up with
old sacks While Peters was convers-
ling with other members of the family,
Mr.. Kitterman walked out to the
wagon, lifted the covering on the
coop, and saw that it was empty. A
little later Peters drove on in a north
erly direction, but was followed soon
after by Mr.. Kitterman, who notified
several of his neighbors of what he
| had seen and his suspicious He re-
turned home, and he and one of his
sons sat up all night guarding the
chicken coop. About daybreak they
went into the house to retire, and no
sooner had they got into bed than Pc
tiers came back. He did not stop, but
drove on towards Ottumwa. Mr. Kit
| terInan and his son Ancil followed
him.9 About quarter of mile south
of the Kitterman home, the pursuers
overlook Peters. He was in company
with i; man who afterwards proved to
be Ed. Smith. The latter hid, I'M
liitchsd his horse and twas grazing at
the side of the road. Smith and Pc
4 tiers We're transferring something from
one buggy to the other. The moment
1 they saw Mr.. Kitterman and his son.
approaching, Peters whipped up and
drove away. After going about three
fourths of mile further south, Peters
turned into a byroad going east. He
went a mile in that direction and then
turned north again. After making
several maneuvers as if to evade Mr..
Kitterman and his son, Peters again
started towards Ottumwa. He was
compelled to meet his pursuers, when
Mr.. Kitterman hailed him, inquiring:
You got your load of chickens, did
you?"
Yes, replied Peters.
| Where did you get them" inquired
Mr.. Kitterman.
None of your dn business re-
piled the suspected chicken thief.
Mr.. Kitterman left him there and
1 drove 10 Robert Dimmitt's who wos