Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-03
FINDS STOLEN SILK
CHIEF OF POLICE GRAY REcoV
ERs GOODS VALUED AT $500.
SUSPECT ARRESTED LAST NIGHT

SUSPECT ARRESTED LAST NIGHT
Bloomfield Silk Robbery Cleared and
Goods Recovered - Important Cap
ture by ottumwa Polce-Neimyer
Held for Completely in the Crime.
From Tuesdays Daily.
Over 400 yards of stolen silk valued
at $500. was found yesterday by Chief
of Police John W. Gray and last eve
ming man whom the officers
have no doubt was one of the
robbers was arrested. The goods
were stolen from the dry goods
store of Hill & Co., at Bloomfield,
last Tuesday night. Yesterday morn
ing Chief Gray became acquainted
with the fact that the goods were
hidden near the Wabash tracks. in
South Ottumwa. He recovered the
goods and telegraphed the Bloomfield
authorities to that effect. The sheriff
from that place arranged to come to
the city last evening on the o'clock
passenger and the chief had planned
to cover the hiding place of the silks
and catch the men when they arriv-
ed. The train did not arrive, however,
owing to the Wabash wreck and Chief
Gray notified Officer Hess to get a
man and go at once to the place where
the silks had been found. The chief
| then started for the place but he
H,r,I t<><, lot ,rf
| boarding the car as he got off at the
end of the Sheridan avenue line. He
learned that they had been seen in
the neighborhood where the goods
were hidden and he Immediately
tracked the men to Erbachers saloon
on West Main street. One of the
men, August Neimyer, was arrested
there, but the other two had made
their escape.
Discovery of the Goods.
Yesterday morning man who re-
sides in the vicinity of the Peck gro
Gerry on Finley and Madison avenues
telephoned to Chief Gray that some
silks were hidden on his property.
The latter at once investigated and
he found at least 400 yards of costly
goods secreted in pile of lumber in
a lot in the rear of Madison avenue
| The lumber was obscured by tall
weeds and it was while cutting the
weeds yesterday that the discovery
was made. The goods were secured
and Chief Gray at once planned to
hide last night near where the goods
were secreted and await the arrival OF
the thieves.
Wreck Frustrated Plans.
The delay in the arrival of the Wa
basil train frustrated the plans of Chic
Gray. The Pain production in thu
/ West End required the services of sew
oral of the officers aad there were non,
to snare to accompany him on his hun
for lie thieves. He depended on TIL
Bloomfield sheriff and his deputy to g
with him to the place where the silk
were hidden and to catch the mel
1 there when they came to remove I'M
stuff, which the chief believed woult
be done last night, rs the cutting o
the weeds which obscured the hidins
place made it an undesirable place tt
store the goods.
Arrived Too Late.
| When Chief Gray learned that Their
had been wreck on the Wabash ant
the passenger would not arrive FOR sev
/ eral hours, he arranged with Office
Hess to get man to assist in secul
ing the criminals. John Shockley vo
mteered to accompany the officers az
he, with Officer Hess, started at one
for he end OF the Sheridan a-a1l.
street car line, where they were t
meet the chief. They arrived too late
however, as it was found that the me,
had discovered that the goods wer
found and had returned to the city.
; Residents Terrified.
The officers at once went to TIL
place where in the morning the good
had been found and it was found tina
several OF the residents of that neigf
borhood were terror stricken. 1t wa
learned that three men had bee
prowling around but a few minute
earlier The men answered the d.
scription of the three men whom Chic
Gray saw board the Sheridan avenu
car as he got off at the end of the lin
i. He Immediately gave chase an
learned that the two big men had &C
/. off at the railroad crossing, while tn
smaller man, who was known to tn
i, police, took transfer west.
: The Arrest.
S Chief Gray called Night Captain Ga
S lagher, Sergeant Grammer and Office
! Nelson to his assistance and they wer
t to the Erbacher saloon on West Mai
e street, where one of the suspects wa
e known to spend a great deal of hi
e time. Upon arriving there the officer
f searched the house and found that tn
!. man was locked in the kitchen. TIL
e door was kicked open and the ARE:
: was made. Neimyer, the man arres
j ed, was sentenced to jail short tim
: ago on vagrancy charge He wa
= held again this morning on that chare
t pending the arrival of the Bloomfiel
j. sheriff.
q Searching for Escaped Suspects.
The Erbacher saloon was searche
from the cellar to the garnet, but r
trace of the other two men could b
found. The police believe that thes
9 are the same men who broke into tt
MCGEE tailoring establishment Sunda