Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-26
A BOLD SILK ROBBERY
Thieves Make Way With Bolt OF
Silk From Mrs. Newcom.
er's Store.
Two of the Men Captured in a
Depot Saloon and Are
Identified by Clerks.
Two Similar Robberies Occur
and an Organized Gang
at Work.

~ OaIHi SILK ToDDsTy, the HISt u NC
reported this winter, when thefts from
stores are Usually expected, occurred
this morning at about 7:30 o'clock from
the dry goods store OF Mrs. Nellie New
conner, and several thefts from other
stores We're reported, indicating that an
organized gang is at work in the city.
AS it was early in the morning but
three clerks. Mrs. Gillespie, Jacob Wit
tel and Victor Merryman, were in the
Newcomer store when three strangers
entered. One of the men asked to be
shown baby coats, which are kept in the
extreme rear end of the store, and one
OF the clerks waited upon him. The
other asked to see some other line and
was accommodated. The third sat ieis-
urely awaiting his companions on the
edge of the counter. When unobserved
the third man reached over the counter
to the silk shelves behind, and took
from the lower shelf the largest .bolt.
containing nearly fifty yards of black
gros-grain silk, valued at 81 per yard.
AS soon as he had secured the silk the
man did not await his companions, but
walked slowly out of the door. After all
had gone, the remaining two finally de-
Gliding that they did not care to pur-
chase, the clerks remarked to one an
other that the men acted strangely.
Luckily Wittel noticed that one of the
bolts of silk was missing, and then the
fun began.
Wittel and Merryman put on their
4, Il -tr a.
men. Wittel encountered one held him
up bodily and searched him, receiving a
badly sprained right hand. Merryman
followed the men towards the depot, in
formed Officer Clark and City Marshal
Nicholson Of the theft, and assisted In
the searching. Wittel after he had his
hand attended to, followed Merryman to
the depot, but in the meantime Officer
Clark had arrested one OF the men on
his own responsibility and Nicholson
another. Merryman identified them
both as two who were in the store, al
tho one. little, short fellow, had
changed his light overcoat for darker
one several times too large for him. The
third man. who originally stole the silk,
could not be found, yet Officer Clark had
seen his man earlier in the morning, be-
fore the robbery was known, carrying a
parcel under his arm. When searched
neither of the men had the silk upon
them, their possessions consisting of
pint OF whisky and few minor trink-
cts. In memorandum book carried by
one was contained the names OF Nate
Connors and Harry Williams. Iowa
Business College. Des Moines. !"
When arraigned in police court before
Mayor Jones the two men gave their
names as George Hendryx, OF Minneap-
oils, the one Marshal Nicholson arrest
ed. and John Miller, of Kansas City, Of
ficer Clark's man. Miller has been seen
here before and was recognized by the
officer as crook. Both pleaded not
guilty to the charge OF larceny and
their hearing was set for tomorrow
at o'clock. Each of the men,
however, was positively identified as
being two of those in the Newcomer
store. by Merryman, Wittel and Mrs.
Gillespie.
SILK is RECOVERED.
To show how well the police worked
On the case when the men were brought |
before his honor, Mayor Jones, the
bolt of stolen silk was produced as
against the men. The silk
was found by Officer Clark in a small
she'd between Second and Third aven-
les. an Market street. Why the officer
searched this particular locality is not
Known, any more than he remembered |
having seen Miller walking on Market |
street earlier In the morning. before he
had known Of the theft. AT any rate
he most important thing in the case,
he recovery of the goods. was accom-
olished.
OTHER ROBBERIES.
AS result of the robbery this morn