The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-27
FORTUNES in GARBAGE
VALUABLEs PLACED IN THE RECEP-
TACLEs BY MISTAKE.
Washington Citizens Ask h Police
to Protect Them from Effects OF
Their own Carelessness.
Washington Times.

Washington Times.
Warner Stutler, superintendent OF the
street cleaning department, yesterday sub
mitted to the District commissioners a re-
port relative 10 the silverware recently
found in the possession of two Of the gar
bage collectors OF the city and one OF the
laborers employed at the reduction plants.
A case growing out OF the improper dis
posal of some of the articles in question
was disposed Of in the Police Court a few
days ago. Mr.. Stutler says:
within the past few months this depart
ment has received a number OF inquiries
from citizens relative to table silver, when
they stated had been inadvertently placed
in the garbage receptacles, and asking that
If found il be returned to the owners. with
the aid OF the officials OF the washington
Fertilizer Company, these cases were In
vestigated, but the department was never
able to discover any of the missing articles
"A provision I'm the contract for the coll
lection and disposal of garbage and dead
animals stipulates that articles OF spec1al
value. such as silverware, dog tags ana
collars found in garbage or on dead animals
collected shall be kept by the contractor.
and lists of such articles forwarded TO Mr..
Suffers office from time to time
"~Inasmuch as nothing was turned In py
the collectors, IL occurred to Mr.. Stuuer
that they might be appropriating such aru-
cles to their own use
Major Sylvester was then consulted and
aSSlRne0 DCIeCIlNe GIOClOI W dScicl III IL
vestigating the matter. A number of sec
ond-hand stores and restaurants were visit
ed and ii was learned that garbage col
lectors had been selling tableware at some
of these places. From a description given
by the secondhand dealers two of the col
lectors were identified and search warrants
were procured"
Mr.. Stutler gives a list OF thirty-four
pieces of table ware, marked I'm various
ways. Some of them came from Kann's
store. others from the Concordia Raths-
kn110r while others were marked Win
initials or individual names. All these
articles are now at the detective bureau.
and may be had by the owners thereof
upon proof of property.
According to the report. the police au-
thorities Of Baltimore, under date Of Oct.
81, informed Major Sylvester that they had
arrested a man who claimed to be an en-
ploye OF the Washington Fertilizer Com
pany, at Cherry Hill. Va, for trying 10
dispose OF marked table s~ilverware in that
city. Forty-eight pieces were found In
his possession, the majority Of which were
marked. These were forwarded to Major
Sylvester on the eth inst, and are likewise
at the detective bureau for Identification
by the owners.
When these facts were presented TO the
officials of the Washington Fertilizer Com
pany the president offered a reward OF Is
for information leading to the arrest or
any OF his employees emptin 10 dis
pose OF articles found in the garbage, or
on dead animals. The superintendent OF
collections and the superintendent or the
reduction plant were also informed, and
both have warned the men under them
In the garbage. The secondhand dealers
have been asked 10 report 10 the detective
bureau all cases where garbage collectors
attempt 10 sell silverware.
Mr.. Stutler says IL is hoped that these
measures will break up the practice
among the garbage collectors, and thus
enable his department 10 recover and re-
turn to the citizens such articles as may
find their way into the receDtaCleS.