The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-12-11
some CLEVER DETECTIVE WORK
Accomplished by Officer Gold.
smith, of Cleveland, at the
Plant Thursday Noon.
STOLEN PROPERTY RETURNED
Chandeliers, ManteIs, Metal and Fix.
tures to the Value Of $500 Said to
Have Been Pilfered...Thieves Re.
leased end Dismissed From
Service After Confession.

Detective A. Goldsmith, Of Cleve-
land, came to Canton Wednesday to
ferret out number Of thieves who
have been stealing supplies from tho
shops of the Best lighting company in
this city. He did a clever bit OF de-
tective work in a short time, having
been in the city only "a hours when
he caught one of the culprits in the
act of Juggling away property that be-
longed to his employer.
S. j. Best began to miss small guam
titles of merchandise from his lighting
plant about tw oweeks ago. He insti-
tuted a systematic guard over his en-
ployes, it Is said, but was unable to
ascertain who was robbing the
company. Then he sent to Cleveland
for Detective Goldsmith.
. After arriving in Canton, the detec-
tive held a conversation with Mr.. Best.
The Cleveland officer then secretly
watched the men as they left the plant
at noon and the close OF the day. His
suspicious were aroused Thursday noon
when he saw a young man leave the
building with quantity of material
bulging out from beneath his coat.
The detective Immediately took the
fellow into custody and marched him
into Mr.. Best's private office, where he
was searched. Several pieces OF stolen
property were found on his person.
The prisoner broke down and cried
like child, confessing that he had
been systematically robbing his en-
x1at
several other young men working in
the plant who had stolen metal, cham
deliers, chimneys, burners, torches and
other articles Of value. Each OF the
men named by the prisoner was taken
into the private office, separately, and
questioned. Each admitted his guilt,
1t is said, and promised to return the
stolen property.
The detective, accompanied by the
young men in question. one at a time,
went to their several homes to search
for the property About s400 worth OF
fixtures was recovered, 1t is said. The
total value OF the property stolen ex-
| ceeded 500, 1t is reported. All the
young men implicated in the thefts are
married. When their wives learned OF
the predicament in which their hus-
bands had been implicated. they begged
| of Mr. Best to pardon them, that they
| might escape Imprisonment for their
crimes. Mr.. Best consented to do this
| on receiving promises Of good behavior
| in the future. The dishonest employees
were dismissed.
| Detective Goldsmith went back to
| Cleveland Thursday night.
For short time, the same state Of
affairs has existed at the works OF r.
Kohler g. Co, in East Tuscarawas
street. 1t appears that small articles
mapufa ctured there have found their
way out OF the shop.
! Foreman Martin Rohn has endeavor-
ed to locate the party or parties who
were guilty Of the thefts but he has
been unsuccessful. When Mr.. Kohlcr
learned of the wholesale stealing which
occurred at the Best works and he re-
called the fact that one Of the men
who confessed had been in his employ;
other circumstances also were apparent
which caused Mr.. Kohler to report his
suspicious to the police
He secured the services Of one of the
officers, Thursday night, and together
they visited the home of the man in i.
Fourth street. The man was not at
home, but he was afterward found, and
he accompanied Mr., Kohler and the
officers to his home. There he was
accused by the officer OF theft. The man
made no attempt to deny the charge,
but admitted that he had taken some
of the articles missing from the shop.
and he permitted a search OF his place
being made, Articles manufactured at
the Kohler place. which aggregated
only few dollars in value, were found
and carried away from the home OF the
man and turned over to Mr.. Kohler.
Mr.. Kohler was not desirous OF hav-
ing the man arrested because Of the
disgrace which 1t might bring upon the
fellows wife and family, and the man
was not taken into custody. 1t Ia moi
probable that any criminal charge will
be filed against him.
Mr.. Best said to reporter, Thurs
day, that he did not care to discuss
the robberies and capture of the thieves
THE story as you have received I,
from others is correct" he sad, after
the News-Democrat man had recounted
the details. "The dishonest employees
have been dismissed and the incident Il
| alnaad % he