The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-02

The detective bureau has had a long,
trying and perplexing hunt for gold
thief. 1t has extended over four months
and could not be sooner brought TO fin
ish, for the reason that several were
suspected OF completely and had TO be
watched day and night. while the real
thief worked under a cover that was very
clever and misleading.
The George II. Cahoone company man
ufactures gold jewelry In one Of the
buildings on Beverly street 1t employs
more than 90 hands. and these are trust
ed to handle a large amount Of gold pro-
vided for their work.
Last fall the company began to miss
but these lots were taken with such reg
ularity that the sum total of the thefts
netted quite a heavy loss.
Capt. Parker was consulted with ana
put some Of the detectives to work upon
Headway was made slowly There were
several OF the employees who might have
been taking the gold stock because or
opportunities presented and until the
real thief was picked out all the help had
TO come under suspicion.
Just before Christmas one or the hanos
was detected in the act OF stealing gold
scrap: but as his home afrairs were In
sorry condition he was not prosecuted .
The thefts still continued and suspicion
narrowed down to two or three. and I'm
ally fell upon Charles II. Leach. Tne
later is but Is years old.
He was born in Georgiaville, and was
so smart with his work that his pay was
advanced to 81 per day. and ne was mace
assistant foreman over the % hands at
the bench.
office as we'll as that of the shop. II
was incumbent upon him TO give out
stock and to look after the scraps and
filings at the benches.
Captain Parker ascertained that Leach
was using the mails and the express Tor
the shipping of packages: but he couldn't
get on to the contents Of the latter and
did not dare hold up any OF them. Tor
the bright country boy conducting pri-
vate business scheme I'm the building at
the corner OF Westminster and Dean
streets. where he had hired an office.
Leach sent out circulars inviting the
public TO send TO him for supplies or
cheap scarf pins. Each was To sell
certain number Of these pins TO friends,
remit the money and secure a prize. IL
was one of the many endless chain
schemes.
1t was in filling these orders that Leach
sent the packages referred 10 ana
ra ther than intercept any of them and
thus scare off his game, Captain Parker
let the suspected man run on until he
was sure that he could catch Leach with
stolen gold in his possession.
The time for springing the trap arrived
yesterday afternoon.
Within an hour another theft had been
committed and under such circumstances
that there could be no doubt as to who
took the gold
Captain Parker dropped into the shop.
called for Leach. accused him OF theft.
found a package of gold In the young
mans pocket and placed him under ar
rest.
This morning Leach was ARA igned be-
fore Judge Sweetiand on a warrant charg-
ing him with the larceny OF $1,000 worth
of gold from the George III. Cahoon com
pany.
without any hesitation Leach pleaded
guilty and was held for the grand jury
I'm $4,000 Subsequently he confessed In
the presence OF two newspaper represen-
tatives that the stealing had been going
on for about 7.y months.
He was 15 years old when he went into
the gift scheme and for n while made
good money out Of H.
Lately the business had been a losing
one. and TO make good what he dumped
into IL he began TO take the gold.
This he did up in packages and ex-
pressed 20 Goldsmith Brothers, Chicago!
Schwitter & Canada. OF 25 John street
New York: l.. Lelong q Brother. Of New
ark. ~. J Wendell e. Co, OF SO Williams
street. New York r. II. Hagstoz Of 709
Samson street. Philadelphia, and ID. Lowe
a. Co. OF Salem. Mass.
These firms all do n refining business.
Each sent Leach money for the gold. re-
serving enough 10 pay them for refining,
etc.
Leach admitted that he had received
about 5000 In all from these firms. and
that the Cahoone company lost about
5000 through his transactions for he had
also stolen quite a quantity or small
pearls and opals.
The gold which Capt. Parker found In
Leach's pocket. together with that dis