The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-04-21
ALLEGED COPPER
THIEVES LODGED
IN COUNTY JAIL
Charged With Stealing Appara-
tus From Electric Railroad
TWO STEINER BROTHERS
Offence Said to Have Been Committed
Saturday Night Near Dusway
Switch.

William and Frank Steiner OF Norm
Adams are in the county jail charged
with the theft of copper and brass be-
longing to the Berkshire Street hall-
way company.
William was first arrested and AT
ter he had been given a hearing ana
nut under $500 bonds to await the ac-
ton of the grand jury, he talked
enough so that little difficulty was eX-
perienced in apprehending his brother
Frank on the same charge. The lat
ter was lodged in Jail yesterday
The charges allege that the thefts
took place near the dugway switch
which is just over the line In Yer
mont. Passengers on the trolley car
bound for North Adams from Benning-
ton at g:45 O'Clock Saturday night saw
men in the neighborhood where the
thefts are alleged. A man, apparent
| ly in an intoxicated condition and a
little further down what was appar-
emily sick horse hitched to buggy
and with which there was another
man provided the clues. Ii was at
| 1920 o'clock in the evening Saturday
when the car went through on this
trip. Superintendent Nary was pas
senger on the car 1t was also learn
ed that the car on the trip next made
out of Bennington for North Adams
stopped at pole in this locality TO
allow two men to get on.
This was about 11;26 o'clock One
of the motormen, John Chase. report
| ed these facts and superintendent
Nary got busy in the matter of an in
vestigation at once. The plates re-
| ferred to in the larceny weigh eighty
pounds and are considered of value
They are buried underground for the
purpose of grounding the high >ten-
sion wires over crossings in case of
breaks.
The North Adams police were called
into the case and Mr. Nary had the
assistance of several of his own men.
Captain Jones and Officer n. Walsh
and Sidney Houran worked on the
case and their work was highly com
nendable At O'Clock in the morn
ing. the same sick horse, hitched to
the same buggy was found by the in
Ivestigating party hitched to a post ip
front of the Jepson house. In the
buggy was a young man who was max
ing il appear that he was asleep.
There was jug half filled with cider
in the buggy and other articles in
Guided among them being an axe, ply
ers and such things. This outfit man
and all. was taken into custody with
the result as announced above.
The street car people have missed
brass and copper for some time and
the officials have been at work on
some scheme to detect the offenders.
They feel that in this capture they
have succeeded in getting after the
meat of the whole trouble The ar.
rest OF the two men and the possible
arrest of others will have a tendency
to lessen the thievery for awhile at
least The street car people or the
police will not go much into detail
about the matter as yet. How exten
sive the thefts have been or how n uch
ofsthe goods have been recovered they
do not say. Neither will they give
out at this time the names of those
who are directly connected with the
business as receivers of the stolen
goods
The detection OIL the men digging
into the earth was due to the alert
ness of motorman. The clever
method OF the men was evident anC
showed the skill of men apparently
trained and familiar with such work
Interruptea in their work the mer
would claim to be street railway men