The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-22
NOT HARD TOPAWN.
STOLEN CLOTHES.
Police Declare That Few CUES
tons Are Asked When Thieves
Appear With Loot.
MASON CASE is A BIG ONE
Former Porter for Burk & CO.
Held on Evidence od Whole
sale Pawning.

In the arrest and alleged confess
sion OF Henry Mason. alias sharles
sion of Henry Mason. alias Charlie,
stealing about $1,000 worth Of clothing
from Burk &c Company, 300 East Main
Street. detectives have discovered what
they had partly guessed bcfore--that
II Is comparatively easy to pawn
stolen goods In Richmond. and that
few questions. IL any, are asked the
thief as to how, when and whore he
obtained them.
Mason was once employed as por-
ter in the clothing store He knew
its every turn, corner, nook and Granny.
He was discharged. But he returned,
and he must have returned innumer-
able times. for he. it is alleged, carried
away enough clothing to stock dou-
Bile team wagon. That he had littlo
evidenced by the fact that he pawned
az many as twenty coats and trousers
In one shop. With rare exceptions. ho
always used the same name. And yet
1t seems. no suspicion-at least they
informed the police of no suspicion
on the part of the pawnbrukers was
aroused But all the clothes were new,
and it hardly seemed reasonable, the
police assert. that any one could be-
licve that one negro could have coma
honestly by so many suits Of clothes,
trousers and overcoats.
Police Are Indignant.
Whether any action can be taken
against the pawnbrokers remains 10 be
seen. But there is great ind, gnation
Ut police headquarters over the fact
that e robbery of such huge proper
lions should occur, and that II should
be such an easy matter for the thief
TO dispose Of the stolen property. II
no legal action can be taken, IL is
probable that the Board of Police
Commissioners will be asked to taks
the matter up before the ensuing Leg
tsluture with the request that that
body frame some law whereby pawn
brokers may be reached in the same
manner in which the police reach the
Junk dealers. from whom they receive
daily reports as to what is taken in
by them.
When the robbery wag first discov-
cred the clothing firm stated that
nothing was missing. investigation
however. proved that very much was
missing. Then Detective Sergeants
Wiltshire and Bailey and Detectives
I Gentry and Bolton began systematic
search Of the pawnshops. They Wig
tied and recovered clothes from the
following dealers: West Broad Street
Loan Office. A Gellman. proprietor 2l2
West Broad Street, fourteen pledges
for coats and trousers; y. Cohen.
West Broad Street. twenty pledges for
/. trousers. coats and hats; Sam Stern,
ago North Sixth Street, eleven pledges
for trousers. suits and overcoats; s
Sidenberg, 1916 East Main Street, nine
pledges for trousers; Seventeenth
Street Loan Office. NJ. Kaminsky, pro-
prietor. l09-lll North Seventeenth
Street. nineteen pledges for trousera
and coats; J. Weinstein. 3o4 North
Sixth Street twentyone pledges for
trousers and coats D. Friedman, $50
Brook Avenue. twelve pledges for coats
and trousers: Elsnnc Brothers. 1906
East Main Street. ,nree pledges for
trousers.
The articles were pawned for sums
far below Their real value. 1t Is be-
lieved that some of the clothing has
already been disposed of by the pawn
brokers' as the robberics extend over
period Of four months.