The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-10
HELPS HIMSELF
TO THE FREIGHT
Southern Pacific Com
pany Robbed by an
Ex-Convict.
Most of Stolen Property Is
Recovered by Detec-
tives.

Sam Clements, q notorious ex-convict,
was arrested on Saturday afternoon al
the corner OF Bush and Kearny streets
and his name was placed on the small
book pending the investigation OF Detec-
lives Ryan and O'Dea and Special OH
GERS Dewin and Kindelon Of the Southern
Pacific Company. The officers in charge
OF the case have since secured sufhcient
evidence TO warrant the making Of three
charges OF grand larceny against Glenn
ents. His alleged ,aceomplice, Daniel Cur
Tin. q second hand dealer at 1l2S Marker
street, was also arrested and charged
with receiving stolen goods
For some time past packages Of freight
have been missing from the delivery
sheds of the Southern Pacific Company
at Fourth and King streets. Suspicion
was directed against Clements and a
watch was set upon him. When the strike
commenced Clements obtained a position
with Schussler. the drayman, and learned
the ways of the shed. He was the first
man severely beaten by the strikers, but
he returned to his work soon as he
was able TO be about.
The detectives who have worked up the
case against Clements are satisfied that
had il not been for the presence of the
officers who were detailed to watch his
truck he would have secured considerable
more property. AS ii is, however, the
QGlGGuAES nave recovered property Ndl-
ued at $500 and have woven a net of evil
oence around Clements and Curtin that
may result in long terms OF Imprisonment
Tor both.
prisonment for both.
Thefts Committed by Clements.
Clements series OF thefIs which the de-
tecuves have so TAR fastened on him are
s. follows: On November 16, from the
local delivery she'd where ne obtained
al the stolen property ne got TWO cases
containing respectively 50OJ and IL 0O0
cigars. On November Is he secured l0J
dozen pairs Of socks. On November Y
he got crate containing four cases of
kasellne ana two cases or VINE bitters.
On Friday last he attempted to take
10000 cigars contained in two cases, but
as a special .Orncer was detailed to watch
him he left the cases OStenslbly TO get
a shipping receipt for the goods. While
he was going after the alleged shipping
receipt he incidentally picked up TWO rolls
OF mating IN another shed. Ala the prop
erty has now been recovered and Glenn
ents admits all the charges made against
him. Curtin, who received the property
also admits his participation in the
crimes.
Clements methods were very simple
He procured a truck and drove TO the
delivery sheds. As he was well known
there but little attention was paid to him
He would fold a shipping receipt in his
mouth, take a hand truck and run the
merchandise cut. Then he would drive
on and sell the property to Curtin for
whatever amount the latter was willing
10 give. sometimes ne received as mucn
as 81 80.
Has Long Criminal Record.
Clements is about forty years of age
and has a long criminal record. He goes
under the aliases of Frank Fuller and
Frank Williams. He was first sent to
San Quentin on October Z 1888. for six
years for burglary. On July Is, 1889, he
was sentenced TO four years on a similar
charge. In August, 1887, he received a
sentence of two years and half in Fol-
som on a burglary charge. On Novemb Der
10. 1893, he was sentenced to thirty DAYS
in the County Jail on q conviction for
petty larceny. On February Is of this
year he was arrested on a charge of burg
larry, but IL was reduced to petty larceny
In the last case woman known as Ethel
Grihths, and who posed as his wife, was
also convicted and served the same time
The Southern Pacific Company will
specially prosecute the case against Glenn
ents.
Great credit is due the officers who made
the arrest for the manner in which they
worked up the cases against Clements
and Curtin. Detective Ryan went to Cur
tins place few days ago to recover some
property which he learned was hidden
there He was bitten on the leg by
bulldog belonging to Curtin. Later, on
the same day, Special Officer Levin saw
q bargain sale of socks in a furnishing
goods store on Seventh street and pro-
cured a search warrant, recovering all
but few pairs that had been sold. Last
night the officers in the case recovered
a large quantity of the stolen cigars
which had been hidden in a cellar in the
Mission.
Curtin has been arrested several times
before on charges of receiving stolen
property, but has generally got off with
light sentences. He is a graduate of the
Whittier Reform School.