The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-06-26
|ClPTURED THIEF
TRIES TO KILL
HIMSELF
JOHN HooARTH. NAesED WILLS
sTEALiNc 6ELTs, IS LATER
FOUND HANGING IN CELL; CUT
DOWN AND REVIVED.

John Ho5arth, 30 years ola, VINO
gives his address as the McGregcr
mission. attempted suicide by hang
ing himself with strap ne used as
belt In his cell in Hunt-st. station
about o'clock. Thursday morning,
after he had bsen locked up on
charge OF breaking and entering. He
vas cut down IN an unconscious con.
tdition and revived with great dlthenI,
" by the attaches OF the station.
Hogarth is declared by the police 10
be the much-wanted belt thief who
has been footing manufacturing es-
Establishments on the east side for sew
aral weeks past. Like the pitcher
that went too often 10 the well,
kogarth finally came 70 grief in the
plant Of w. >. Piggins K Sons. stone
lcontractors ut Leland and Dequindre-
sts.. which has been the belt thiefs
favpsite mark. No less than seven
lbelt3 have been stolen from the place,
I'm spice OF the fact that men have
Ebeen employed to guard the place
~ niyst. And even policemen N
plain clothes have taken a hand in
the game with the same result. They
would no sooner leave Ia the morn
Ing than another belt would be taken.
"Wednesday night F. S. Piggins. OF
the firm, and his foreman. Robert ..
Stanley, concealed themselves In th3
epgi.e room and awaited develop
mems. Shortly after O'Clock Thurs
day morning their vigil was rewarded
when Hogarth made his appearance
Entering very stealthily. he made his
way toward a brand new belt with
an open jack knife in his hand. os-
tensibly for the purpose OF cutting
the belt. Before he could do So now
ever, Mr.. Piggins and the foreman
ntepped forward TO grab him.
HogaFtA rushed toward them WITH
the open knife appraised. but just then
= shotgun In Piggins' hands spoke and
the intruder dropped in his tracks.
The charge does not appear TO have
struck him however for a city physi-
clan who examined the man later fail
ed to find any traces of wound. He
was dazed for a moment. but quickly
recovered and put up a stiff fight be-
fore he was finally beaten into sub
mission.
Mr.. Piggins then notified the police
and held Hogarth prisoner pending the
arrival of Precinct Detective Golden,
Of Hunt-st. station, who took the pris-
oner to the station.
Just before he tried 10 hang him
self, Hogarth had talked with Capt
MarQuardt. of Hunt station. and. the
captain says. freely confessed 10 the
various belt robberies that have been
complained of. AS the captain was
q L. 18th al sAH
him TO send a doctor 10 him. COM
planning that he felt sick at the stom-
ach.,
Scarcely two minutes after the cap
tain returned TO his desk, Doorman
Ehrisman heard a slight noise Ia Ho-
gnrth's cell, like the shuttle OF feet,
and, on Investigating found the man
dangling at the end Of strap he had
used to support his trousers. The
other end was fastened securely TO a
crossbar near the top of the cell.
The doorman's alarm brought Lieut..
achenk and Capt. Marquardt, the
former Of whom cut the prisoner
down. Hogarth was already uncon-
scious and the three worked over him
for Is minutes before he opened his
eyes His first words were:
Why did you wake me up?"
Hogarth was arraigned before JUS
tfce Jeffries In the police court later
"A the forenoon. His examination was
set for July 8. In default OF $500 bail
be was taken TO jail, where he is be-
Ing watched closely lest he make an
other attempt on his life.
Pfggins & Sons estimate the value
OF the belts stolen from them at about
500. Other firms from whom the po-
lice say Hogarth admits stealing belts
are ]. F. Weber 4 Co, No. 384 Ora
tlotave.. and the Detroit Metallic Cas-
let Co. No. So Gratiot-ave.