Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-27
OFFICERS At WATERLOO PROB.
ING WHoLsEsALE STEALING
FROM ILLINOIS CENTRAL.
CHIEF SPECIAL AGENT OF
RAILWAY ON THE SCENE
Thefts Occurred From Baggage Cars
Of Passenger Trains--Four Homes
Searched and Many Articles Re-
covered-More Arrests to Follow
Those Of Conductors and Brakemen.

Waterloo, Oct. 27.-What appears to
be an extensive theft of merchandise
railroad is being gradually unearthed
by special officers and the sheriff's Of
flee. Chief Special Agent Kelleher, of
Chicago, and District Agents Ward and
loss of property entrusted to the care
of the company. 1t is said these thefts
have been going on for some time, but
it was only recently that Special Agent
George s. Ward, whose headquarters
are in Waterloo and who has been here
only since last spring, has been able to
get positive evidence against certain
Individual trainmen. Before the de-
tectives complete their work it is eX-
pected there will be sensational dis
closures involving other employees Of
the company. For several months the
railroad had been making good the loss
of property entrusted to it. One Water
loo girl lost property in transit worth
500, which the company made good.
Last Sunday, 1t will be remember
ed Conductor Ernest May and Brake
man A. D. Williams were arrested on
charge of larceny. That particular
offense was alleged to be the theft Of
suit case and valuable contents be-
longing to Mrs. w. I. Evans, of Park
ersburg- William is still in jail, I'M
able to furnish $1,000 bonds for ap
pearance before the grand jury. May
was released when he furnished bonds
of $500.
Search Warrants Secured.
Yesterday afternoon Special Agents
Ward and Healy, Sheriff Shores and
his deputy, AL Raymond, and four
consta bles, armed with search war
rants, simultaneously swooped down
upon a number of Waterloo homes. At
four places goods thought to have been
stolen from the Illinois Central We're
located and brought to the sheriffs Of
flee. At one place the officers found
three suit cases and two quart whisky
bottles, one partially full. At the other
places were found ten pairs Of mems
new socks, a new skirt, a bolt of cloth,
d box of new four-1n-h hand ties and a
new fur overcoat. slightly worn
overcoat was found in one Of the suit
cases.
Other search warrants will prob
are hopeful of locating much other
property supposed to have been stolen
from mercandise cars.
At a given signal yesterday the Of
ficers visited all the places at the same
time.
Thefts Said to Be Enormous.
1t has been learned that for a long
time the company has been missing
nd hoc
cessitating the outlay of considerable
money to make the losses good to the
shippers and the passengers.
Some time ago we'll known Water
loo young lady, while making journey
to distant point, lost a piece Of bag
gage that contained valuabIes to the
amount of 800. Tho the company
made an earnest effort to loc>te the
lost property 1t was without avail and
the loss was made good by the COM
pany's paying the passenger the amount
claimed.
Much baggage, it is said. has been
missing for a long time either from
depots. from trucks that awaited the
arrival of trains or from baggage cars.
In one instance at least a suit case
was stolen from a baggage car by
trainmen when the baggageman's at
tention was momentarily diverted. The
baggageman, both agents and passen-
gers, have not watched the trainmen
as closely as they would have watched
strangers, and it is said that many of
the losses occurred because of train
men turning thieves.
But the biggest losses of all have
come from the merchandise cars while
in transit. Hundreds of dollars worth
this source, and the special agents have
gone on the theory that outsiders would
not be apt to rob the cars.
Jurisdiction is Bothersome.
The special agents have been work
ing on the threads Of evidence gathered
by the officers, and the question of
jurisdiction has arisen. If the freight
cars were robbed of portions of their
contents the offense might have been
committed in any of the counties thru
which the railroad passes. In order 10
fix definite charge against person
accused of larceny, the Information
must state in what county the crime
faced some difficulty in this respect
when it was proposed to prefer definite
charges against two trainmen.
More Arrests Made.
Following closely upon the arrest of
Brakeman A. B. Williams for the theft
Of a, suit case from an Illinois Central
baggage car. and Conductor May for
completely, Special Agent George $.
Ward Wednesday arrested Brakeman
H. S. Jones for breaking into an IL
linois Central car in transit and steal
ing case of whisky. Dan Killfon,
freight conductor was also taken into
custody on a charge of petit larceny.
Both cases are distinct.
VIII 0AN9T ICEODn