The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-04-04

the marked places and began to dig.
The first thing to come to light was
large coffin This looked as though
some tragedy lurl1ed behind. and they
lifted the casket out Of the earth. 1t
was very heavy and hastily they re-
moved the lid. expecting TO see the mu-
tilated form of one Of the robbers vic
Tins. But instead of the remains Of
human being several dozens OF boxes
containing shoes were revealed. The
weakened thief standing beside them
laughed harshly.
"Corpses amt the only things found
In collins" he remarked sagely.
The officers pursued their search. dig
ging up every place indicated on the
shingle map. and great and varied was
the list Of property that came to light.
Among the things unearthed were a
shroUd. toilet set a baby carriage. for
" silk dresses. gold watches. seven
pl0ws, q harrow. surgical Instruments.
a churn. lOgchain. a grandfather's
clock. a set Of grOcer's scales. hats,
overcOats. pipes. a BARRIERS pole. even
a poIicemsn's shotgun which Knapp
had stolen from the owners house.
The men took turns at digging. and
even the thief himself was pressed into
service. until fully ten wagOnlOads OF
plumber lay I'm sight. 1t was truly a
fine exhibition of wholesale thieving.
and the marvel of il all was that
Knapp swore to having done it single
handed Subsequent developments
proved his statement to be correct.
Knapp and his wife were taken to
Erie and placed in prison. A large va
cant store was hired. and al Of the re-
covered property placed on exhibition
therein to be identified by the rightful
owners. There was no room to spare.
for Knapp had stolen enough stuff to
equip q small department store
For several years. IL appeared. the
cunning veteran had been plying his
pilfering trade In burving his p;under
he had boxed il up securely. preoara-
tory to sending it away. His met Hods
were sweetly simple. He would drive
into town in a wagon apparently for
the purpose Of selling farm produce or
garden veseta bles. and in that way OBJ
tanning a thorough knowledge of differ
ent houses, always managing to sneak
in later and carry off whatever he could
lay his hands on. Nobody knew any,
thing about him, who he was or whence
ne came. A year prior to his capture he
had settled In the secluded belt of tim
Der and kept entirely to himself.
he was tried. convicted and sentenced
to sixteen years in the Allegheny peui-
Tertiary, ana his wife. Eainst whom
nothing could be proved, was released.
But Knapp was Of far too original a
turn Of mind to rest satisfied with serv-
ing out his time He simulated insan-
ity. was transferred TO z Iunatic asy-
Z lUm, and soon after sawed the bars of
q window. escaped through the opening
[ thus provided. and was never causht.
II was not long after the Knapp cpl
sooe before thievins on r pretty large
scale began again in Erie This time il
was burglary instead Of sneak work.
as was demonstrated by the marks of
I Jlmmies on doors and windows. and the
disappearance Of quantities of fine sill
verware and jewelry. Chief Cravlav
was at first OF the opinion that Knapp.
who had escaped from the ASYLUM in
/ the meantime. was operating again. but
Murray old not share this opinion.
knowing that Knapp, who prided him
self upon his unique methods. would
consider burglary clumsy way of
stealing.