The San Francisco call., 1904-08-15
VALISE THIEF TRAPPED
IN FERRY BUILDING
Robert Benson Is CIeverIy Caught by
the Police With a Baited


AAlC OIlCt " I'LL Dd1lC0
Suitcase.
Many complaints have come to the
police of grips stolen from the waiting
rooms and around the ticket offices Of
the Ferry building, and yesterday
morning a trap, baited with a suitcase,
caught a thief.
The dummy case was prepared and
left in a waiting-room, where it could
be found by the man looking for things
Policemen James MCGOWAN and
Thomas Conlon Of the Harbor Police
station, wearing plain clothes, placed
themselves where they could not be
seen by the possible thief.
Presently a young fellow came saun-
tering along through the arcades of
the big building, apparently on a tour
Of observation. He strolled into the
waiting room, looked around and
walked out. But he did not go far
away from the locality He did not no
tice the two men who were so intently
looking up Market street, but he care
fully noted Sergeant Tom Mohoney,
who was gallantly showing a handsome
blonde lady the way to the Stockton
boat That officer was too far away
and too busy to be dangerous, so the
young fellow walked back into the
waiting-room.
He looked at the timetable on the
wall and then picked up the nice new
suit case lying so temptingly in the
corner Of the empty apartment He
moved with a business-like air across
East street and was about to board a
car when the two policemen over
hauled him. Their inquiries as to
where he got the case met with an in
diGnant reply. He insisted that it was
3 his When f6ax- . Il
showed him that it was loaded with
/ several sticks Of wood he weakened
and confessed that he saw the grip
ownerless and alone in the waiting
room and just took it along. He thought
. he might as we'll have il as any other
stranger. At the police station, where
he was charged with petty larceny, he
gave his name as Robert Benson, oc-
cupation a sailor.
Several days ago a young man ner-
vcus and hurried came into the Ferry
building, set his suit case down and
stepped to the ticket window. When
he returned the case was gone and
with ii his wedding suit, the license
and the ring that was for a girl across
the bay. After that bridegroom not to-
be-that-day had recovered little from
the mighty Jar of his loss he went to
the police station for assistance in the
/ finding of his lost property and to the
clerks office for a duplicate license
When the wedding came off next day
/ he stood up in his business raiment and
wondered what girl his fine, made-to-
order suit was lowering around then.
A young lady bound for Santa Cruz
last week lost a dainty suit case while
she was getting her ticket She re-
/ turned home from her visit to the city
by-the-sea sooner than she expected,
because in the case was a smart bath
/ ing dress she intended to wear, but
didn't
An elderly man hurTying for the Ma
rim County golf links became separated
4 from his suit case full Of tweeds and
after a bitter denunciation at the po-
lice station of the man who is now
wearing out his clothing went back
home.
The Harbor police officers are encour-
aged by their first days fishing for
suitcase thieves and viii plant their
bait in the Ferry waiting rooms for
more caDtures