Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-02-08
CAUGHT Tin N|R[ act
Silk Thief Captured While Rob.
bling the Store Of A. NJ.
Parker.
He Had Made One Raid and Was
Back Alter the Second
Installment.
Merchant Police Anderson and
Officer Hanson Make the
Capture.

"A man VINO is evldently a mem Der OF
an organized gang of thieves was cap
tured at an early hour this morning
while robbing the store of A. NJ. Par
ker, No. 106 East Main street. The cap
ture was made by Merchant Policeman
Anderson and officer Hanson and the
man taken into custody is one who is
known to the police. He says his name
is Black.
AT 1:1O o'clock this morning the of
ficers were making their rounds and
We're working east on Main street.
Several people were on the street at
that hour on the way home from a
dance, and just as the Parker store was
approached a man was observed to step
into the building. The officers supposed
1T was one of the clerks who had been
out late and stopped atthe store for
some purpose, but concluded to iilvesti-
gate. Merchant Police Anderson stepped
Inside the store. the door being un-
locked, and inquired who was there He
received no answer and started to in
vestigate, with the result that he found
the man crouched behind showcase.
The officer reached for the man, his
lantern and his club at the same time.
but the fellow did not stir, pretending
to be drunk. officer Hanson. who had
remained on guard outside. was called
and together they got the prisoner out
and on his feet but still he feigned in
toxication. Several citizens who had
arrived remained on guard at the store
while the officers led and carried their
prisoner to the county jail, and then
Mr. Anderson returned to make fur
ther search.
No one was found, but on the floor
where the man had been cronchine
We're seven bolts of silk which he was to
all appearances in the act of gathering
up when the officers arrived. AT the
Jail the prisoner said his name was
Black and that h. came to Marshall
town from independence. In the pocket
of his coat was found a bottle of whis-
ky, but the contents had not been
touched.
MIR. Parker was summoned to the
store from his home and an investiga-
ton was made revealing that s51 worth
of silks had been taken from the store
This proved conclusively that this was
the second trip If the thief and that he
undoubtedly had confederates near by
to whom he had turned over the first
lot before going back for the second
The goods stolen consisted of bolts of
plain pink. blue, lavender, green. China
and yellow silks ten yards of each:
fifteen yards of black. besides fou.lards
of blue scroll and flowers and few
short lengths of China silks. The thief
probably visited the store during bust
ness hours andNobtained a good idea of
the surroundings and the place where
the silks are kept The more valuable
black silks, 1t SO happened, had been re-
moved to another part of the store be-
= fore closing an Thursday evening The
second installment that the thief had
piled UP but didlnot get was worth $50.
Black Is q man about 80 years of age.
His attire is better than that worn by
the ordinary tramp. Last spring he was
arrested with others by Deputy Sheriff
Hutson for the theft of goods from Il
store at Ferguson and served thirty
days in the county jail for larceny. AT
that time lot of skeleton keys were
found on his person. The Parker store
lock was picked with a skeleton key.
Black is supposed to have had two
pals.
An attempt was made to enter the
Perry harness store during the. right.
as Officer Anderson found q skeleton
key fast in the lock. The lock had to be
removed before the key could be re-
leased and the door opened.