The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-29

+, good their escape and none of the goods
| were ever recovered.
On the night of June IS Lieutenant Gov
| ernOr Northcott of Illinois, who was prom
| inently connected with the Red Men, had
| his room robbed at the Claypool. The
/ sneak got his watch and his wife's. At
/ tached 10 the watch of the Lieutenant Gov
/ ernOr was a thirty-second degree Masonic
| charm, in which was A three-fourths karat
| highly by him because 1t had been pre-
sented to him by the Illinois Legislature
Besides. SS0 in money was taken.
on the following night the room of c. a.
COOK, at the Denison House, was gone
through and lady's watch, with a valua-
bic chain, to which was attached a COM
pass charm was stolen, as we'll as Sc. The
police investigated both of these robberies
very Thoroughly, but no clew could be
found as TO who was responsible and no
arrests were made. The police, however,
were sure of one thing-that both of the
rooms had been entered by professional
hotel thieves, for both rObberies occurred
between 3 and in the morning.
Last November, when Hydes comedians
were playing an engagement at the Grand
Opera House, the room of Richard Hyde,
the manager of the company. was entered
about 3 o'clock in the morning while Mr..
HYDE was asleep in bed He, however,
awoke in time to see man going through
his trousers pockets, in which he had about
Sl.2OO Mr.. Hyde did not do like the average
man when he sees a burglar in his room
pretend that he is asleep and lie perfectly
quiet-but he sprang from his bed and be-
fore the thief had time to escape the the
atrical manager grabbed him.
CAUGHT THE THIEF.
Quite severe wrestling match took place
in which Hyde was victorious and able to
hold his man and give the alarm, and soon
aid came. The man was desperate, but was
quickly overpowered, the police were sum-
moned and he was taken to headquarters,
where he was recognized by Bert PARROT.
the Bertillion clerk, old offender and
enc of the most notorious hotel thieves in
the country. He gave his name as George
Baker, but was also known to the police
Kelley. Because of his cleverness, he had
been named THE Artful Dodger," and by
this last name he known to policemen
all over the country.
1t so happened that PARROT had a picture
of Baker which had been taken fourteen
years before his arrest in this city. This
picture did not resemble him in the least,
but PARROT identified him by his profile and
a small the side of the face. The
''artful dodger" at first denied that he was
the man, but when confronted with the
facts that he had at one time been arrested
year sentence in the Louisiana State prison
and had escaped before his time was out he
acknowledged his identity and received a
sentence from the local courts.
Another hotel robbery here, which created
quite an amount of excitement occurred at
English's a few years ago, when man
travelling for jewelry concern OF New
York had his room entered and jewel case
containing a valuable amount of jewelry
stolen. No arrest was ever made, and 1t
was always thought by the detectives that
the person who did the work had been fol-
lowing the salesman for some time and when
the first opportunity presented itself, the
sneak took advantage of it
Some time ago a Southern lumberman was
stopping at the Grand Hotel and his room
was robbed He attempted to hold the hotel
company responsible for 1t, and in fact
brought suit against 1t, but he lost his case,
as the hotels not responsible for the
goods and valuables stolen from the rooms
of guests.
Four of the most notorious hotel thieves
in the country George Baker, Red Hile,
Philip Toner and Robert Rockwell. Three
of these men have been arrested by the
local police and the fourth and oldest has
his picture in every rogues' gallery in the
country.
Red Hile was arrested here last fall at
Stubbins's Hotel South Illinois street.
He had made an attempt to rob the place,
but was caught in the act. Philip Toner
was arrested here during the knights OF
Pythas encampment at the Denison Hotel.
OF Robert Rockwell. or Rock Cannon as
he is more commonly called, there is not
much known here further than that he has
been arrested a number of times in all
parts of the country, and has lately been
serving sentence in the New York State
Prison. He Is now one of the oldest GRIM
inals the road, and also one of the most
successful. Rockwell has caused the police
forces trouble in all parts of the United
States and one of the detectives re-
Gently remarked lit is pretty near time
for old Rock to get out of prison and then
we will have to begin again to look for
him, for he will not be out thirty days
until he will be back at his old tricks"