Evening star., 1905-08-20

sighting Scofield, turned his horse to the |
curb at the place the latter was waiting. |
The three men engaged In conversation for |
a moment and then l saw Scofleld raise his |
hat from his head At this signal walked |
rapidly to the spot and Mr.. Giles came driv-
ing toward the group Quickly he locked |
his buggy wheel into the wagon One Of the |
men jumped and started to run, but |
caught him. and after lively tussls sue |
ceeded in getting handcuffs on him. While |
doing so l saw his companion throw bag |
from the wagon and start to run.
Shoot him. I called to Scofeld. Then |
the other officer ran to the scene and the |
escap ping thief was soon I'm custody.
From the description given by Scofeid |
was confident that the more forward of the |
men who had been negotia ting with him |
was James r. Barron, and Barron 1t was
who leaped from the wagon almost into
my arms The bag contained about $1,000
worth OF the watch chains stolen from
Mills. Barrons companion Was Ignatius
Schoen, who, it developed was one of Bar
rons valuable aids in the disposal of stolen
property. 1t had been Barron whom had
seen leaving the Clark street jewelry store
some time before. and, incidentally. the con-
nection established IN this case between
Barrons hotel thieves and the tewelry store
referred to resulted In the sudden dlsap-
pearance of the proprietor Of the store and
the closing of his place.
Barrons attorney appeared before JUS
tice scully. secured a change of venue to
Justice Van Woud, and this magistrate
moved the discharge of the prisoners on the
ground that there were no warrants In
court on which to hold them although there
were John Doe" warrants at police head
quarters.
IF these men are discharged by your
honor. I said Il shall not allow them to
leave this court room free
1.-THE prisoners are discharged declared
Van Woud.
Barron started to leave the room and
again took him into custody. He fought
despera tely. and 1 overpowered him. The
magistrate promptly fined me for contempt
of court. This fine was Immediately paid
by Chief Washburn. who had come to watch
the proceedings, and held to my man.
Barron and Schoen were taken back to the
old police station at Union and Madison
streets, despite the indignant protestations
of their attorney. On March q Barron was
| released from custody bond of $4,000.
| although the value of the property involved
| in the theft was 81, COO and this bond was
| found to be straw: The king Of thieves
disappeared.
| Chagrined as I was over the apparent
| end Of this case, determined that Barron
| should not escape me If 1t were In my
| power finally to settle" him behind the
| gates of the penitentiary With this gen
| eral purpose in view 1 went about my other
| duties, but, through the information Sc
cured from Mrs. Kelly. 1 kept in touch with
| his movements in general way. One day
| the following August Chief Washburn called
/ me into his office.
"The Union Star Line of Freight Trans
portation" he said has been suffering
losses from the theft of merchandise from
| cars to enormous total. w. W. Chandler
| informs me that he had already paid out
| $4,000 to consignees for goods shipped to
| them but which were stolen en- route. We
| believe Jim Barron Is at the head OF the
gang doing the work. Can you find Bar
| ron?
| YES" 1 answered.
! you seem very confident" said the chief
| questioningiy
'If could not find him I would not con-
slider myself worthy of a position IN this
| office"
'All right" concluded the chief. II will
| take the other men off the case"
| The Star Line robheries had been COM
mitted on the Pennsylvania railroad be-
| tween Liverpool, Ind, and Chicago. The
| methods employed were daring and in
genious well. The robbers had care
| fully posted themselves on the stretches of
| upgrade track as the trains travelled west
| ward. In the night, as a train came to
standstill at the intersection of another
| railroad, the thieves boarded the train, tore
| Off the tin and leaden seal of car. and
| then, while the train was toiing slowly up
| one of the grades suited for their purpose.
| boxes and bales were dumped out of the
| car.
| After accomplishing this, the thieves left
| the train under cover of darkness and
| escaped. Their confederates, provided with
a farm wagon, followed the train to be
| robbed along the wagon road and gathered
4 up the booty, hauling most of it to Barrons
| various depots in Chicago. Occasionally
| some of the packages were taken back to
| Crown Point and shipped from there by a
| man giving the name Of ~. H. Banks to
| Rarrons fences in other cities. The thieves
| were expert In their selection of the most
valuable freight packages in car. and.
| as the goods stolen were consigned to first
class Chicago houses by eastern mills and
factories, they represented a large sum Of
| money.
|
robbers and his disposing Of the goods
| stolen were established beyond question. /
reported to Chief Washburn that I knew
| where Barron was and was ready to go
after him.
| How much will 1t cost to bring him
| back?" asked the chief.
From $50 to $1oO." I said
| Il don't know where the money IS to
| come FROM" he replied. but I will see
| If can get the board to appropriate it."
In this he failed, and disappointediy In
! formed me that the matter would have to
| rest where It was for the time being. AL
most immedia tely afterward Chief Wash
burn was removed from his position on ac-
| count of personal quarrel with the police
| pointed chief. He realized the Importance
| of the capture of Barron, but like his pre-
decessor said he did not know Just where
! the money was to come from. During this
| time. presumably because the rest Of the
| detective force had been relieved from work
| on the case when l was assigned to II,
MATTERS AT headquarters were not made
any too comfortable for me. Every morn
| ing 1 was asked by my fellow detectives in
a sneering wi.y:
We'll. have you found your man.
l kept my counsel, but determined to have
the last laugh Going to Chief Rehm, I
| told him l would pay the expenses myself
| II he would do all he could after I returned
| to see that 1 was reimbursed This he
promised. and. believe, faithfully kept his
promise, but he did not succeed, and to this
| day 1 have not recovered a cent Of the
money spent on that trip.
The same night boarded train for Buff
| falo. Barron, according to my informa ton,
was conducting dry goods store at 232 Ba-
| tavia street In that city under the alias of
William Davidson. So far as the Buffalo
| public knew he was a reputable merchant
and was doing thriving business In com
| pany with Buffalo officer detailed to as
| sist me- shadowed 80 Batavia street for
| more than an hour. At length Barron
| emerged into the street. Acting in accord
ance with prearranged plan. my assistant
went one way and / another. meeting Bar
| ron at the next corner. He looked me
| n he will clio