The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-12-07
OVERCOAT THIEF CAUGHT
civilian WISE" TURNS OUT TO
BE NOT so WISE.
FEATHER" WAS TO CALL AND PAY


Secured Fur Coat at the Star
Clothing store a Month Ago, Got
Another Last Night.
[From Saturdays Dnlly.1
An overcoat thief who has appar-
emily been stealing expensive gar
ments from Norfolk stores for several
years. was captured Friday night in a
manner that sounds like story book
tale. He gave the name of william
Wise" but 1t is believed his real name
ing on farms south of Norfolk in Stan
ton and Madison counties, having re.
Gently been employed at the Basll
farm. He was caught in the act of
getting a coat from the G. & N. store
under false pretenses, pleaded guilty
to the same game a month ago at the
Star store and is suspected of having
obtained a fur coat in the same man
ner a couple of years ago from Baum
Bros. store. Just as he was about to
drive out of town with young woman
who teaches school in Madison county,
he was apprehended and jailed. Satur
day morning he pleaded guilty to the
charge of obtaining an overcoat UNI
der false pretenses," and was fined IS
and costs by Justice Eiseley. The
young woman who had driven to town
with him went to the home of friend
in the city and she was asked by the
prisoner for enough money to pay the
fine.
How He Got the Coat.
Just before o'clock in the evening
Gebhart entered the G. & N. store and
asked to look at overcoats. Ed Ken
neoy, a salesman, produced samples
and found one that seemed to suit the
stranger.
"Ill take this" said the young man.
"My father is at the barber shop and
I'll go after him. He'll be in shortly
and pay for the coat"
Then the young man looked around
and picked up pair of gloves that he
liked. He kept constantly walking to
the door and looking out into the
street. Another customer came In, the
salesman's attention was distracted for
an instant and the young man with the
overcoat disappeared. Search on the
street failed to locate him.
Mr. Kennedy had "hunch'' that the
fellow would strike for the Junction
in order to catch train. He there
fore made straight for the south but
failed to locate the mysterious strang
err around the railroad yards or sta
of no IL
ing across the street wearing a fur
overcoat and carrying a bundle over
his arm. Kennedy drew closer and
recognized the thief The man was
just getting into a buggy in which sat
young woman.
"How about the coat?" asked Ken
nedy.
it?" asked the amazed young farm
hand. "Well, here's your money
then"
Fur Coat Stolen Too.
Mr.. Kennedy then recalled that a
fur coat had been stolen from the Star
store about a month ago. Something
seemed to tell him that this was the
SdIlltHI uOW WOlu ny luc yOuuS HAL.
An arrest was essential.
Under the pretense of telephoning |
up town in order to see if father had |
dropped into the store and paid later"
Kennedy induced the young man to
enter a drug store and wait for mo-
ment. Meanwhile the police were no.
titled. Gebhart insisted that Kennedy |
get into the buggy and be driven up
town. Kennedy agreed Gebhart en-
tered the vehicle and Kennedy went to
the horses heads to detain the team.
At that moment policeman arrived
and the arrest was made.
Peculiar Coincidence.
Kennedy had wanted the arrest
made because of the fur coat theft |
from the Star clothing store. Yet he
had no evidence. He took chance,
however, and the man was taken in
charge by an officer. Kennedy hailed
a passing cab and climbed into it. BY
another peculiar coincidence Sol G..
Mayer, owner of the Star clothing
store, CHANGED to be in the cab. I'm
mediate action followed. Gus Kuhl
from whom the lost fur coat had been
procured, was notified and came down
town. He entered the store, where the
prisoner was held and, walking up to
the young fellow, exclaimed:
"Well, William, it took your father
a long time to get that shave"
William" had worked the same bar
Der shop game on Kuhl for the fur
coat
Was the Coat, All Right.
1t was the same fellow and the fur
coat just as Kennedy's intuition had
told him, was the one that had been
lost The thief, when he entered the
Star store on the tWenty-SeVenth of