The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-08-12
GET GYPSY THIEF

IIANIJlfD1SD 0GASb hONiN
BAND TO CAMP TWO MILES
FROM CARBONDALE AND RE-
COVER S21 IN REAL MONEY,
ALONG WITH THE COSTS.
The band of gypsies that invaded
Wayne county Monday, driving four
wagons up from Hawley to Homes
dale and then up the valley to Car
bondale, got into trouble before
they made their exit from Wayne.
They were rounded up in their
camp. between Pond No. and
Wight's station Wednesday morn
ing at 430 by County Detective
Nick Spencer, who had Justice
Hams warrant to take the crowd
for stealing S27 from David Potter
of the Halfway house.
The strollers called on Mr.. Potter
Monday along toward dusk. They
had driven from Hawley that day
and had been delayed in the woods
between White Mills and Indian Or
chard because one of the wagons
lost a couple of nuts somewhere on
the road and the whole outfit
started in search of the nuts, which
it took three-quarters of an hour
to find. They didn't stop at the
Indian Orchard house, but at the
Halfway they pulled up and one
of the women trotted into the bar
room. AS usual, she wanted to tell
fortunes. Mr.. Potter, who was be-
hind the bar counting a roll of bills,
said there wasn't anything doing in
the fortune telling business at his
place that day and the woman went
out.
Just at that moment, Mr.. Pot
ter says, he was called into the
room that opens off his bar and the
money, which lay on top of book,
he left right where it was. He
wasn't gone more than a minute,
but when he got back the bills
had left the bar.
He suspected the gypsy woman at
once and he drove to Honesdale and
got out a warrant, which Detective
Spencer took. Mr.. Potter went
along and after driving all night
Spencer and Potter overhauled the
four wagonloads of gypsies, camp
ed near farmhouse just beyond
the pond. The whole crew turned
out, jabbering incoherently. Eight
horses woke up snorting and paw
ing. Seven dogs began barking.
Five or six babies commenced to
cry.
The head of the gypsy band pro-
tested that he couldn't talk Eng
lish. He mumbled something about
being a Brazilian and wanted to
know if either of his visitors could
talk Spanish. They admitted they
couldn't Then a woman asked if
there was anybody around that was
well up in German. Nick and Dave
owned up their scholarship didn't
go that far.
"All I know in those languages"
said Dave, lis, What will you
have?"
Finally a man was found who
could be induced to talk United
States.
Line up your crowd" said De-
tective Spencer, "and let's see your
women"
At the first lineup the woman
they wanted wasn't on the job and
Potter was about to give up the
Identification when a comely girl
with glstening white teeth and two
long braids down her back sneaked
up into the light of the campfire.
Detective Spencer told the leader
of the band that he had warrant
to take men, women, children,
horses, dogs, the whole shooting
match back to Honesdale and put
everything except the horses and
dogs in jail.
me settle $10," said the chief.
He was told that wouldn't answer.
After a little further parley. he
allowed he could raise more than
$40 in the wagons, and then he
paid Mr.. Potter the S27 swiped off
the bar at the Halfway house, as
well as the officers fees and the
price of the rig that had chased the
gypsy outfit from Honesdale.
ME don't want no trouble" he
explained"
Detective Spencer ana Mr.. Potter
got to Honesdale at 10 o'clock We'd
nesday morning. The latter was
glad to get his money back. He
was not so anxious to punish the
thief as to get his $27.
KOTICE