Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
FAILS IN HYPNOTISM
THEN SAMUEL JONES, A CoLoRED
MAN, TRIES LARCENY.
Makes Confession to the Detectives
and Much Of the Stolen Goods
is Recovered.

1t required but little sweating at po1icc
headquarters yesterday afternoon on the
part of Detectives Hartigan and Baur to
get Samuel Jones. colored, to confess that
he was guilty of wrongdoing. Sam readily
admitted that he had robbed his employer 5
store a score or more of times during the
past few weeks and that he had committed
as many thefts at the houses of patrons of
his employers store where he went TO de-
liver goods. Jones, Washington, as his
friends know him, has made an earnest
effort to learn how to get along withous
doing any hard work, and reached the con-
clusion that he had succeeded when the
detectives came along and completely upset
his plan.
Seven or eight years ago the young man
came to this city from his home, near Lu-
ray, Va. and sought employment. He CD
tanned a good situation and was apparently
doing well, but q better position was Of
fered him, that of porter in an + street
store. and he accepted it.
.'What made me do wrong?" echoed the
prisoner when questioned by a Star le-
porter. Il just naturally could not resist
the temptation. Down in Virginia l was
always taught to do right. but when l came
to the city another boy who had been IN
New York told about the New YORK
ways He told how easy it was to get along
without working and told all about jesse
James and other people. If he hadn't toid
me about the New York ways 1 wouldn't
be behind the bars now.
His Start in Crime.
He said his name is Jones, but that most
people call him Washington, because SO
many of the Washingtons in Virginia are
related to him. His first move in the dITec-
ton of dishonesty, he said, was after he had
been told about it by another boy. He
commenced by taking small articles from
his employers store. He avoided the snip
ping clerk by taking the plumber through
the basement in order that he would not be
called upon to show his delivery checks.
Then he would stop al home and leave what
he had taken. At houses where he went 70
deliver goods he would pick up a piece OF
bric-a-brac or other article OF value ana
carry it away with him. Many BOOKS were
taken from houses in this way.
1t was not until theft of this kini was
committed at the house of Mrs. Catherine
d. Young, 2O27 Hillyer place, that Jones
was suspected. He was arrested and then
he made clean breast of what he mad done.
The detectives visited his room and found a
large amount of plumber. Costly articles or
wearing apparel were found there, ana all
the property was taken by the officers.
At headquarters yesterday these articles
were spread upon table and the prisoner
told from what houses he had taken many
of them He says he will admit to the juase
of the Police Court the truth of his miscon-
duct and will ask for mercy.
Issues a Circular.
In his efforts to find something easy,
Jones tried hypnotism, preaching and lee
turing. One set of cards he had printed
contained his name as Samuel w. s. w.
Washington, and gave the additional infor-
nation that he was a lecturer of the Amefl-
can Reform Society. AS such he issued a
pamphlet containing what he termed An
Appeal to Justice This appeal was direct
I'D hi ind fritz
time had come when firm stand against
barbarous treatment that is being meted
out to the colored people OF the United
States Continuing, the circular, among
other things, alleges:
1.-The colored people have been treated
most unfair by the pulpit and press. the
assertions that the colored man is ignorant,
and commits such atrocious crimes the only
excuse found for such tyrannical treatment.
My friends, this is one of the greatest false
hoods ever inaugurated. Even SO, does the
colored man commit any crime that WHITE
man is not guilty of? If SO, should he not
he given a legal trial to determine the
cause? Will lynching, burning at the stake,
and numbering the innocent, make them any
better? Can you find any that are perfect!
Do the colored people deny the fact that
there is a bad class among them? Are all
white men righteous and holy before COO!
Have they no faults of their own?
1--WE are all making our journey over the
same road, and at the eternal judgment
his own deeds and works, and as sin can
not correct sin, the tyrannical cruelties
now being practiced In the United states
are obligations thrust before the eyes OF
the Christian people. If those who preach
the gospel and their followers fail to raise
their voices against such conditions, 1t Is
contrary to the doctrine and teachings of
Jesus Christ For this cause l appeal to
you and ask your assistance in an endeavor
to curb this selfish competition in the name
and honor of Almighty God"
Fails in Chosen Occupation.
The prisoner says his venture in the hyp-
motto business was not much Of a success,
although he had cards printed which ad-
vertised him as teacher and gave the fur
Their information that he could cure dis
eases without the use of medicine. He said
he belongs to the Baptist church, and that
he is missionary. His meetings, he says,
were held in a hall on 7th street and they
were we'll attended Lately, he says, his
conscience troubled him and he found 1t a
difficult matter to steal in the day time and
preach the gospel at night.
when l get out of this trouble" he said
II will do more missionary work and let