The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-02-04
WAGON LOAD
OF PLUMBER
Nearly $500 Worth Of Stolen
Goods Recovered.
WERE TAKEN TO CITY HALL
Reese Roberts Tells Mrs. Churchman
He is Sorry He Helped
to Burglarize Her
House.

Detective Bernard j. McVey and Off
Ger James 9. Shields yesterday morning
recovered nearly $500 worth of goods
which burglars had carried off from the
residence of Caleb Churchman at
Grubbs Landing on Tuesday night last.
A sensation was created at the City
Hall. about 11.30 o'clock yesterday morn
ing when Detective McVey and Officer
Shields arrived with a two horse wagon
of stolen plunder. The wagon was fill
ed to overfowing and the officers were
forced to sit far out on the dash board.
The goods were taken into the Municipal
Court room where they were spread out
for identification.
The robbery had been reported to- the
authorities and Detective McVey and
Special Officer Harkins went to Grubb's
Landing on Saturday and investigated
the Churchman property and made an
effort to secure clue to the burglars.
They secured clue. 1t was followed up
in this city Saturday night and resulted
in Detective McVey and Officer Shields
arresting Reese Roberts, colored at Front
anu lAing Streets.
When arrested Roberts was clothed in
stolen property. He had on coat, vest
and pants belonging to Mr.. Churchman'S
nephew and a hat, sweater and pair
of shoes belonging to Mr.. Churchman.
He admitted that he was one of the
parties who robbed the Churchman resi-
dence. He also admitted that he had
broken into the two houses of Mrs.
| Lodge near Claymont. He told the Off
GERS where the stolen property could be
recovered.
The officers yesterday morning secured
/ F..N.. Nt,p,,1 ,11s, IL
Dougherty and acting under the instruc-
tions given by Roberts, drove to the
residence of Clarence McSorley on the
| Philadelphia pike about two miles this
side of Claymont. Roberts had been
staying with McSorley for sometime of
late, it is said. McSorley said he bought
the stuff from Roberts for SIS.
The goods recovered included two sets
of harness valued at $100 belonging to
Mrs. Lodge.
After the stolen plunder had been
taken to the City Hall Mr.. and Mrs.
Churchman. who are spending the win
ter at the Clayton House, were sent for
and identified the goods as their prop
erty. Roberts was identified as man
3who had been in their employ as SER
want for sometime.
Roberts told Mrs Churchman that he
was very sorry that he had committed
the deed.
Among the articles taken from the
Churchman property which were re-
recovered were: three silk dresses, one
valued at S10O; lot of fine chinaware,
iseveral sets worth $100 each and several
plates worth $40 apiece; ten dozen nap
kins, ten dozen towels, one dozen linen
heets, one dozen linen table cloths, sew
eral sets of blankets, embroidied silk
quilts, silk spreads, in value at $50; two
suits of clothing, fine down quilts and
pillows three dozen linen pillow cases.
1t was beer bucket that betrayed
Roberts. The robbery was discovered
by Mr.. Churchman, who, upon visiting
the kitchen of his residence, was sur
prised to find small bucket which had
beer froth in it. This led him to make
M investigation of the house and he
saw then that it had been burglarized
The bucket was turned over to Detective
McVey, who learned later that Roberts
was seen going along the pike on Thurs
day night with the bucket in his pos
| session.
In all about $1,000 was taken from the
Churchman residence. Churchman will
he given hearing before Magistrate
Sasse this morning at 10 o'clock.