The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-05-20

Central Union Telephone Co., at
Culver, at the preliminary hear
ing of Carl Suseland and Mace
Rohrer charged with stealing 800
pounds of copper wire, and try
ing to sell the same Tuesday ev-
ening, which was held before
Justice of the Peace b NJ. Sey-
| bold Thursday morning, the wire
stolen was the property OF the
Beh Telephone Co. Mr.. Butler
identified the wire as having be-
longed to the Bell Co. The
charge against the two young
men was changed from petit to
grand larceny. Justice Seybold
found the evidence sufficient and
bound the young men over to the
circuit court, under bond of 5000
each. They were unable to fur
nish bond and went back to Jail
to await a hearing in the circuit
court. Attorney S. \. Stevens
will represent the young men
and entered in a plea OF mot
guilty" for them. If no bond is
obtained, they will be forced to
lie in the county Jail until next
September, that being the next
term of the Marshall Circuit
court, unless a writ of habeous
corpus is secured.
Discovery Accidental.
The discovery of the theft OF
the Bell telephone wire was
purely accidental, and resulted
from a watch being made by the
Winona Telephone Co., OF this
city, for wire which had been
stolen from them. Tuesday ev-
ening when a clue was obtained
that the wire was to be sold to
Myer Franklin the Junk dealer,
who has his headquarters at the
Did Brown barn, southeast OF the
Michigan street bridge, it was
thought that the wire to be sold
Vas Winona Co. wire, but after
it was conhscated by the officers,
and the young men in whose pos
session it was found were ar
rested, it was found that the wire
lid not belong to the Independ-
emit Co. An Enquiry at the Bell
| Exchange, disclosed the fact that
a gang OF linemen had been in
his city short time ago, ref air
ing broken lines. 1t developed
that the linemen made their
headquarters at the Detwiler liv-
cry barn, from which place Rhor-
er and SuSeland were seen driv-
,ng with the wire Tuesday night
| The manager OF the Bell Co. at
| Culver was sent for, who arrived
| Thursday morning and promptly
Identified the wire as that which
had been replaced by new wire
IN the vicinity of this city, and
which was supposed to have been
left at the Detwiler barn, during
1.-THE stay of the linemen in Ply
mouth. i was known that Rohr-
err was employed at the Detwiler
barn, and it was soon guessed by
| the officers that the wire conhs-
Gated, was not Winpna but Bel
wire. 1t was also learned by the
officers that the Bell gang has
made two trips to this city re-
Gently, in the forepart of 'Febru-
airy and later about three weeks
ago.
Value of the Wire.
Samuel Butler testified Thurs
day morning that there appeared
to be about 800 pounds OF copper
wire in the quantity conhscated
by the officers Tuesday evening
This Re states can be marketed
II for from Is to 80 cents pei
pound. He stated that he believ-
ed that old copper is now bring
ing about II cents per pound
"A Junk dealer will always pay
10 cents per pound for the cop.
per and be glad to get it at that
price," he said. Mr.. Butler fur
Their stated that under no con
dition is any subordinate EN-
ploye of the Bell Co., allowed to
sell or dispose of the, old copper
wire. This wire must always be
accounted for, 10 the company
This would preclude any ples
that the wire had been bought
or otherwise obtained from the
linemen who took the same
down, some time ago replacing i
with new wire. Mr.. Butler saiC
that in his mind, it was beyond
question. that the wire confiscat
ed was easily worth $50, and pos
sibly double that amount. This
estimate of the value of the wire
raised the charge from petit tt
grand larceny.
Stored in Loft.
1t was said by the officers
Wednesday, that by the amour
of straw scattered about the small
roof on the rear of the Detwilel
barn, that the wire had been stor
ed in the straw loft and dragged
out on the back roof and from
there dropped into the buggy
waiting. Officers , were aware
that the wire was to be solo
Tuesday night, and the barn as
we'll as the streets and junk shoI
: were watched. The rig wa:
seen leaving the Detwiler barn
and was tracked north on Center
street to Jefferson, where it turn
ed and crossed the river to Lib