The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-09
OFFICERS CAPTURE
JUNK THIEF KINGS
Tried to Bride the Short Line
Detective.
TRAPPED BY Afford
WHOLESALE OPERATIONS IN
STOLEN JUNK.
TRAPPED BY Afford

An important capture of the alleged
kingpins in the junk stealing business
of the country, which has reached enor-
nous proportions, causing the loss of
hundreds of thousands of dollars an
nUally to the railroad companies, was
effected last night in this city by Ed
Afford, the Oregon Short Line detec-
tive, assisted by Sheriff MAYORS depu-
ties. Louis jacobson of Chicago and
Mike Gordon of Butte are now in the
county jail on charges of attempting
to bride Afford and attempting to in
duce him as a witness in the case
against Proprietor Rosenblatt of the
Utah Junk company to leave the state,
so as not to be here at the trial.
Not suspecting that Detective Afford
was camping on their trail, Mike Cor
don and Louis jacobson arrived in the
city Wednesday morning for the pur-
pose of rendering aid TO Proprietor Ro-
senblatt of the Utah Junk company
who is charged with the crime of re-
ceiYing stolen brass castings belonging
to the Oregon Short Line Railroad
company. They registered at the
Walker House as coming from Chicago.
Fortunately the railroad company's de-
tective was slightly acquainted with
the two men, whose business is said
gigantic scale, and he CHANGED to
meet them. Seeing that they were evi-
IDENTIFY Swallowed by Detective Afford
they laid a plan to corrupt him.
Yesterday morning jacobson and
Gordon called at Affords home, and.
not finding him in, they called again
later in the day. This time they found
| him at home, and in the hearing of
MRS. Afford made a proposal, it is al
legged, that he should accept a bribe
Tor hRlning To fix 2
| for the Utah Junk company in the case
pending for receiving stolen brass cast
lngs belonging to the railroad COM
pany.
Trapped by Detective.
Acting on the suggestion that they
should adjourn to a more convenient
place up town, Jacobson and Gordon
| left Affords residence and all three
/ agreed to meet at the Walker House
last night at o'clock. In the mean
time the detective had d conference
with County Attorney Christensen and
Sheriff Naylor, and it was agreed that
/ the detective should lure the strangers
/ on to the point of making a distinct of
! fer of bride.
The appointment was kept to meet
| at the Walker House, and from there
| the conference between Detective AL
Iord ana Jacobson and Gordon was ad-
| Journed to the wine rooms of the Pabst
| saloon, west of the Cullen. Here the
/ men who are charged by the officers
! with being the fences in the mann
| moth theft of railroad property, made
a definite offer to Detective Afford. the
! latter says, to pay him 5000 if he would
| leave the city and go to Seattle and
! not return to appear in court against
/ the Utah junk company. By arrange
/ ment made previously, a number OF
witnesses were in the adjoining room
and heard all that passed between AL.
/ ford and the 9llaOad .f 4 =
! junk traffic at the loss of railroad com
| panies.
! Enough transpired at this conference
! 10 constitute two crimes against public
Justice. Meanwhile County Attorney
| Christensen drew up a complaint fol
! the arrest of both men on the charge.
| of attempting to bride Detective Al
frod and to disSuade him from appear.
! ing at the trial of the case against the
Utah Junk company, in which they
! are interested. Later in the evening
Jacobson and Gordon were Iured to the
| Walker House by the detective to com
| plete the deal, and, at a signal from
the detective, Deputy Sheriff A +
Cummings placed the junk men under
| arrest
have Deputies Raleigh and Busby keey
| an eye on John w. letter, so that ht
| would not be tampered with by Jacob
son and Gordon. letter was a mem
beg of the Utah Junk company, anC
since the case against him was dis
missed he is being held as a witness
| against Rosenblatt
| Detective Afford feels certain that h
has sure case against Gordon ant
jacobson on charges of acting as TIL
! fence for stealers of railroad bras
castings in Butte Spokane Seattle
Omaha, Chicago, st. Louis and othe
places, including Salt Lake. He re
CARDS jacobson as a dangerous crimi
nal, and characterizes Gordon. whom
he knows personally, as one of the me-
in Butte who has helped to ray tn
municipal debt of that place by tn
payment of fines for violating the law
with reference to traficking in junk
It is believed that he is also wanted a
Chicago.