Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-12-26
MASON CITY EPISODE
Prominent Young Man Of the City
Caught Stealing From Cloth
ing Store.
Friends Of the Erring Man Ter
ribly Surprised at the
Discovery.
A Series Of Petty Burslaries May
Be Traced to the Same
Party.

Mason City, Dec. "a sensational
episode which occurred sunday morn
ing at Ensign,s clothing store hetwesilil
tie hours of 4 orr clock has just be- {
come public. For a month or six weeks I
there has been q. series of petty burgla- I
RES and hoid-ups ard evidently one Of
the guilty partiesx was caught. young Z
turner boy had come ii. from the couil
try with a team belonging to S'adSyelt II
livery stable ard ne happened TO notice
a glimmering light IN the rear Of En-
chance that iils should see I and N sI:e-
ported the matter TO Night Watch coe,
who summoned Night Watch lslavls, and
looking in at the front door they a,s
a mans head suddenly disappear behind
il pile OF clothing. officer Coe left Off
cer Clark at the front door TO guard
while he went to the rear and there he
discovered that the burglar had e fected.
an entrance by prying off the wooden
Shutters Of one OF the windows and
Islreaking in twoEthe strong iron bar
(which held the shutters in place, C'Qe
then wanted to attract the attention Q t
I MIR Clark to come TO the rear and was
compelled TO fire his revolver IN the a
in order to do so. When Mr.. Clark
llushed around he told him 10 call up Mr.
Ensign and to bring a force If possible
land he would guard tn. burglar
lcape Mr. CLARK teephoned Mr.. Ensign
lend he hurriedly dressed armed him s "
with a revolver and shotgun ans! called
IChunk Williams. who likewise took his
lrevolyer. and they were soon on the sIof
ready to Wing any nlarauder who might
Ietteslpt tnsescape .tbout the time llsy
| lad arrived t.oe called IN the fellow
IL come out and he did so. and
.gas greatly surprised to see Ellis
i3loomheld, a young man with yNtlons n
had worked IN he employ Of ca {iS Il 4
t'adwel and Wiap had eretasors botlss
Ian enviable reputation for sabrifty and
|prsbity Bloomfield begged 70 be re
seasAd but cpe had o subject his per-
soma friendship to. the higher duty q
I. ALLEGIANCE to the city and took tila
Young man over 10 caawell's liver-
i stable where. after consultation, he " as
silaksn 10 the county jai and locked W
flor the night The young man MAS ye2y
sIspenitent, but very rs-ticert and all tlaat
lsthey could eiicit from him was thai llt
4 wanted TO get married and Was at
slstempting to fit himself in a suit in this
Way. Fl e stoutly affirmed that y oias
a else was, an aceonIIiee. that he has
q Icomrlitted the act alone and uraissee
and that's was his first offsnse. He has
been arraigress Al the request of flieai;s
:, af his family and VAS rel leased on bal
of $500, i. w. Keerl going on his bonGs'
The surprise WAS genuine al around
lIn the first place young Bloomfield syas
surpfissd ard the officers ard Mr. En-:
sign and eryb9aa connected with I
would have thought him the ast maj
IN the city TO be guilty Of burglary IN
lIpubtedly the young :llan WAS in thrss
for the purpose Of getting a suit 81
ll5clothss and most likely NOT for the pgs%
"A pose of taking any property for gain
II OF coursp the case Wiz b. tried on il.
lssnefis and a decision rendered accord,
slingIv. i might be we'll u state In tsli:
) conaection that the people general i
q are waking up TO he fact that he cif,
has become large enough now 10 hay.
4 Fat east tss business portion lighted d
) all night. The darkness Of the city
/ pscially in this portion, gives burgia:
Il eyery opportunity to commit tlie
theft:'. and If man should be aiseoy
Il Tered he could easily get away from AZ
policemen by lodging into an aiiey an
"a thus be lost in the darkness.