The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-26
BASSETT
CAUGHT
AT LAST
Waiting Detectives Pounce Upon
Him as Hs Is Preparing TO
Make Off With Stolen Goods

A very cieverly operating crook was
gathered in by Captain Parker and De-
tective O'Malley at the swarts building
on Weybosset street last night
The crook Is Charles H. Bassett. whom
the police have had In their grip three
times before
At Cranston he was fined for fast riding
OF his bicycle Later he was up for en-
bezzlement, and a few days ago he reck-
lessly ran down and almost killed Miss
Ida NJ. Reed. as the latter was alighting
from a car near the corner OF Washington
and Mathewson streets.
Miss Reed was sent to the hospital
where bad cut on the back Of her head
was sewed up. Fortunately her skull
was not broken by the frightful blow
caused by Bassett's wanton disregard OF
the rules applying 10 riding in a public
highway.
He was very willing to plead guilty 10
the charge OF fast riding and paying
fine OF $40 and costs, got out OF the Cen
tral station as quickly as he could.
At the time he appeared TO be not at
all anxious to be interviewed There
was a very good reason for this, as de-
velopments attest
Last fall Captain Parker was notified
that considerable hardware. such as fine
tools In their original packages. were be-
ing disposed OF In various parts OF New
England and, personally notified all the
local dealers, hoping TO Iind trace OF the
thief.
No responses came as a result Of these
notifications, and the matter was dropped
until a few weeks ago, when Captain
Parker was notified that the janitor OF
the Swarts building had found In an air
shaft several bundles of hardware.
The property was identified by Belcher,
\ lie q ~ .Nf hat II
watch was set and other goods were
found TO have disappeared.
Captain Parker and Detective O'Malley
hid themselves in the building last even
ing. having positions from which they
could safely watch the air shaft door.
The watch was long and tedious one,
but at II o'clock the game walked into
the trap. The hallway was but dimly
lighted and suddenly there flashed upon
the aar-shaft door the ray OF a small elec-
trio searchlight.
The door was opened, several packages
were selected from the many bundles and
placed upon radiator ready to be re-
moved. and then the detectives fell upon
the. thief
The latter with about 500 worth OF
goods was taken to headquarters.
He gave his name as Charles Lewis and
refused to talk until today.
This morning Mr.. Loomis and Captain
Parker were closeted with the thisf. He
insisted upon seeing lawyer before he
would consent to talk.
This Captain Parker would not assent
to. After a good deal of fencing the thief
admitted his identity. He was Charles
H. Bassett. 2S years old. OF Pond street.
He had made II practice to secrete
himself in the store, TO take stock out
through a door leading into the second
floor hallway OF the Swarts building and
hiding II in the air shaft
He had procured key which fitted the,
front door, and watching his chance
slipped i'm that way, selected a lot OF
goods from his storehouse, put them in a
bag and took them out of town to dispose
OF.
He had more than $500 worth OF chamois
skin In one package which was in the
lot found in the air shaft last night.
He IL the same fellow whom Patrolman
Dorsey tried TO overhaul a few nights
ago, and who I'm running away dropped
several tools upon the sidewalk.
Bassett will be arraigned tomorrow
morning.