Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-20
Charles NJ. Propst Arrested
Saturday Evening, Charged
With Serious Crime
AND is FORGIVEN
Returns Property Stolen From D. J.
Evans, and Latter Refuses to Prose
cute, Withdrawing Information -
Propst Prizes Open Desk in Evans
Office Taking Ring and $40.

Charles NJ Popst, an Iowa Central
switchman living in this city, at enc
time night yardmaster here, was ar
rested Saturday evening at Liscomb, by
Sheriff Hutson, upon warrant issued
by Justice w. Nj. Clark on an informa-
ton filed by D. j. Evans, charging lar
ceny from building in the daytime.
Sheriff Hutson delivered his prison to
Justice Clark, before whom Mr.. Evans
appeared during the evening ana WITH
drew the information. In the mean
time Evans had wrung confession
from Propst, was returned the stolen
diamond and a part OF the casa. Sc
curity, in the shape of watch, was
left for the balance of the none!
The case of Propst is one of those re-
grettable actions in which, possibly, the
victim was hardy responsible for his
actions. MIR. Evans does not think
Propst would have committed the theft
had he not been drinking. AT any rate
he was willing to give the man the BEN
eiit of the doubt. Propst cried like
babe after he broke down and con-
fessed, and begged not to be prose-
cuted Propst Is a married mal and IS
so years of age.
The circumstances leading UP to che
robbery were such that the man prob.
ably could not resist the temptation to
steal Evans has accommodated Propst
at several times with small loans. and
had an appointment with him Saturday
at o'clock. Propst wanted to borrow
SIS. and Evans had agreed to let him
have the money. +. NJ. Sutton, VINO
offices with Mr.. Evans over West
Main, had gone to lunch shortly before
IL o'clock. and in leaving the ouilding
failed to spring the lock. Propst came
in after he had left and found tae office
open. While he was there e. H.ollings-
worth called to see Mr.. Sutton, and left
shortly afterwards, with Propst still In
the office. MIR Evans came in at about
1 o'clock, and the first thing he noticed
was that his desk was partially open
Upon investigation he saw u mark just
below the lock, which later proved to
have been made by a screw driver that
was lying on the desk. Prorst MAD
pried up the catch of the lock, openei
the desk and from the right hama
drawer had taken a pocketbook con-
ta!ning S. IN paper, about SIS in silver
and the diamond ring, valued at be-
tween $50 and $50. Seventy-dive dol
lars in an envelope in the same draw
er, was untouched.
Mr.. Evans Immediately thought OF
Propst when he discovered the loss. and
after satisfying himself in his own
mind that he was the guilty on. filed an
information before Justice Clark. When
Propst had made his appointment with
Evans he had told him he was anxious
to go to Clifford at 1925, saying, that he
had been engaged in spottint. cars in
the gravel pit. Mr.. Evans verified this
to be a fact and Sheriff Hutsson, with
a warrant, left for the north at $50.
Deputy Sheriff AIva Nicholson, who
had been assigned to watch the train
from the north. at 5.55, learned that
Propst had been a passenger on NO.
as far south as Liscomb, and by quick
work on the telephone got messenger
to Liscomb ahead of the arrival of the
train Sheriff Hutson arrested his pris-
oner at Lscolnb and returned with him
to the city on n freight.
Propst denied to Sheriff Hltson abb
solutely any knowledge of the crime, as
he also did to Mr.. Evans when ques-
toned by him. Finally. before Mr..
Evans alone. he admitted everything
and promised to return the property If
he would only withdraw prosecution.
This Mr.. Evans promised to do. With
Sheriff Hutson, Propst went to the
Wellington bar and there, on cop of the
big ice chest, secured the pecketbook,
containing "a little change and the dia-
mond ring. where he had thrown it di-
rectly after leaving Mr.. Evans Office.
Propst was very penitent aftesc the con-
fession and promised anything and
everything in the way Of retrbution. ii
he could escape what was forclbly
shown him to be an entrance to the
penitentiary. 1t is thought by Mr..
Evans that possibly the man did not
know the diamond ring was in the
pocketbook, or that If he did he was not
aware of it's value. Whether conscious
of the value or not, he took precautions
at once not to have 1t on his person,
and managed to dispose of It as soon
as possible after the theft. Propsts
friends are inclined to be charitable to-
ward him, and all say that they think
he never would have comraitted the
crime had he been himself