Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-05
FOUND MANY WHEELS
STOLEN BICYCLES IN ITALIAN
LABoRERs' CAMP.

There is likely to be luil in the whole
sale thefts OF bicycles Detectives Trumbo
and Grant having made an important ar
rest and recovered about twenty stolen
wheels In Alexandria county. Va, yester-
day afternoon under circumstances that
were particularly troublesome. Charles
Howard, colored nineteen years old. who
says he came here from Atlanta. Ga. about
month ago. Is under arrest for the al
legged tiiefts. He denies that he stole any
of the wheels and claims that he merely
sold them for two other men. one white
and the other colored- Most of the wheels
were recovered in the Italian camp near
Four-Mile Run. while a few of them were
found In near Alexandria.
The Italians were seen riding bicycles that
were nearly new, and the presence of so
many wheels in the camp aroused the sus-
picions of people In the county. Common
wealth Attorney Crandal Mackey learned
of the presence of the wheels there and
one of his trusted officers. Special Con-
stable Pennypacker, was selected TO go
with the detectives on their trip through
Oriani was also a member of the party,
being selected because he could act as IN
terpreter. Going to point near the camp.
the officers took up their positions al places
where they awaited the arrival OF the
wholesale dealer In wheels. They had been
there but short while before he appeared.
Not only did he call to sell wheel. but
he also wanted TO collect money that some
Of the Italians owed him. Howard was
taken by surprise by the officers and was
willing to tell them of how he had been
employed to do the selling OF the bicycles.
AS soon as he had been placed under ar
rest the four officers proceeded to search
for other wheels that had been stolen.
Proceeded to Hide Them.
They had hardly got started before
1-,.n re
what was going on. Messengers were sent
to other camps. and those who had pur-
chased wheels proceeded to hide them. One
man was SO excited that he ran down the
road with a wheel upon his back instead
of riding away on 1t. Men were seen Nov
ing about the camp and going across the
fields, and the officers did the best they
could to round UP as many OF the wheels
as possible One wheel was found sus-
pended in well, others were found upon
houseteps. and one was found in bed COW
cred with bedding and chained to the floor.
StiH others were found hidden In the bushes
and bitches When an officer had recovered
as many as he could manage he went In
search OF wagon In order to get them
where the Italians could not get their hands
upon them. The latter could not be made
to understand that the bicycles did not be-
long to them, although they bad paid for
them The fact that they had purchased
tHeIn anu pdlli LHSiE CASH iOt tiiSaits. lhSJ
thought entitled them to ownership. Beer
wagons on the road were pressed into serv-
ice by the officers and the drivers accommO-
dated them by taking the wheels TO place
where there was a man to watch them.
Having recovered about twenty stolen
wheels, the officers gave up the work for
the day. Last night they learned where
there are more wheels that had been sold
by the colored man, and arranged to get
them today. The recovered wheels reached
police headquarters late yesterday after
noon, ana owners of them were notified to
call and claim their property. This after
noon the officers are making another effort
to recover stolen property from the laborers
in the camps between this city and Alex
andria-