Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-10
POLICE SECURING
THE UNDERWORLD
----------------- -
With a Late Start They Try for
Clues in Diamond Rob-
berry Case.
SHEETS GIVEN EMPLOYMENT.
BOYD Park Thought Former oihei ;
knowledge OF Back Alleys Would
Help In the Matter,

Nv detectives and members on the
Salt Lake police force the city uhue'
world is receiving "a more thorough
overhauline than It has had for years
past. Pinkerton men acquainted with
criminals the country over have ma
terlally helped IN the overhauling WIN
the general knowledge Of crooks ana
their ways of working. over Il score
OF well known crooks were recognized
last night. but no arrests were made
in the case OF the Park diamond rob-
berry. which occurred Saturday after
noon last
on that date tray OF mounted dia-
mond and pearl studs, totalling in value
$3.50, was taken from the front show
case on the south side of the store
Yesterday morning former Chief Of
Police George A. Sheets was called in
In private capacity to assist IN the
search for the robbers. Boyd Park, in
giving the details to Chief Pitt, hav-
ing pledged him to secrecy as it was
not desired to have the story publish
ed a few minutes after former Chief
Sheets was given the facts and asked
20 use his knowledge OF the local IN
der-world to help in the search, nows-
paper men were in possession of the
story. and arrived Mt Parks store to
make inquiries.
Enmity to the police department is
considered TO be the cause for the
'leak' in the case and no one con-
nected with Boyd Parks store thinks
this morning that Chief Pitt gave out
any data connected with 1t,
REWARD OFFERED.
A reward of $500 has been offered,
$3.50 for the recovery Of the stolen
goods and $3.50 for tho detection of the
thief, 1t is not likely that any of the
jewelry VIII be offered for sale even
through a pawnbroker who would serve
as a fence" The usual procedure in
such cases is to melt IN the gold
mountings and dispose of them while
the unmounted gems are sold by them
selves, 80 that detection Is almost inn
possible.
The fact that the police were not
notified until MonGay. while the rob
berry was discovered on Saturday when
the city was filled with conference Wis
itors and the throng of crooks that
are attracted wherever crowds congre-
TO move on before being detected De-
tectives of the Plnkerton force were
not called In until after the police had
been notified, with u request that Sc
crecV be preserved. so that no start
was made until Monday evening to rur
down the case.
Boyd Park stated this morning that
the store had no clews as to the thieves
that were at all definite, that they may
nave been men or may have been wo-
men. Three women who looked some =
what suspicious TO Alex Thomas lott
cred about the case and their descrip-
tion has been secured, but Mr. Park
says there is nothing moro definite to
connect them with the robbery.
The robbery occurred about o'clock
Saturday afternoon, at n time when
many customers were In the store and
In the presence of the manager of the
store and eight clerks.
MINGLED WITH CUSTOMERS.
Mingling with the customers two wo-
men, supposed to be professional
thieves, took positions at the south
front showcase which contained n largo
quantity of valuable iewelry and gems.
A third woman then took a position at
the west end OF the showcase.
Aleck Thomas, son of Postmaster
Thomas, and q clerk in the store, ap -
preached the pair to wait ON them. one
OF them nodded in the direction of a
woman who was making purchase
and said they were merely waiting
Tor her.
ROBBERY DISCOVERED,
During the afternoon Mi Park de-
cided to check the contents of tray
of mounted diamonds and pearls but
10 his amazement the tray was gone
and SO were the three women Word
was at once sent to police headquarters
and Chief Pitt detailed Detective Frank
Wheeling on tho case. After working
on the case from Saturday TO today the
police have made the startling discov-
cry that the gems We're stolen, and
that the thieves have not been appre-
hended. Had the story OF the robbery
not been suppressed the detectives
would probably have learned more
about the affair.
The police managed to get sort of
description OF the supposed thieves The
one who Is supposed to have deity
snatched the tray from the case Is de-
scribed as being about 26 years OF age,
weighs 12J pounds, Is about feet and
inches IN height She is dark and was
dressed In brown
The woman nearest her, thought to
be her confederate. appeared 10 be a