Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1912-03-01
HELD AS GRIP THIEF
SCHOOL TEACHER is THEN CON.
VcTED OF LAND FRAUDS.
Suit Case Gives Better Evidence Than
stolen Property-Man is Given
Term In the Leavenworth
Prison.

Sioux Falls. s. D.-J. e. Darling,
school teacher and alleged profession
al wholesale grip thief. has been ta-
Ken to the federal penitentiary at
Leavenworth. Kan. to serve a SEN
tence by the United States court of
one and a half years for perjury In a
land case.
Darling combined his alleged grip
stealing with teaching and making en-
tries OF homesteads. For time he
taught In little country school in
remote region in Brule county. a Mis-
souri, river county in the central part
OF the state. and, later, in country
school at Crandall. Brown county. in
the north central part of the state. ,
1t was at Crandall that Sheriff
Parmley of Brule county found him
with a warrant and arrested him on
the charge of the larceny of some
grips. The sheriff was then unaware
OF the Importance of his capture.
Thirty-fve grips, 1t was alleged. were
found in Darling's possession, and his
arrest on federal charge followed in
spection of the contents of his own
grip. In which, 1t was charged. were
found papers showing he had made
entry to several homesteads under diff
ferent names. The federal authorities
charged him with perjury and he was
indicted on this charge.
For two and a half years grips
were stolen at stations in several
states. Some Of the best railroad de.
tectives In the country were put on
the trail Of the grip thief, but were
unable to catch him because he fit
ted about the country from place to
place and frequent changes in name
also helped to battle the detectives.
1t was decided that the same grip
thief was operating in the states from
Ohio to Montana. About two hundred
grips were stolen at railroad stations.
The grip thief would check stolen
grips to himself at some other point,
go there, steal the grips again. hide
them, and then complain to the de-
pot agent Of his loss. Then a claim
would be put in against the railroad
company, and in many instances he
was paid for the grips declared to be
lost.
1t was while travelling about the
country engaged in stealing grips.
1t was alleged. that he made the va.
rious entries of homesteads charged
to him. One entry was in the name
of William P. Darling, one In the
name Of Alton, ]. Darling. another in
the name of Earl Darling. and he is
said to have assumed the names Of
Andrew ]. Brown and Abraham G.
Darling. 1t was said that he made
two homestead entries in the Rapid
City IS. d. land district, and one
each In the Belle Fourche and Lem
mon land districts in western and
northwestern South Dakota.
Darling, 1t was charged, checked a
grip to small station. where youth
was agent, baggage-master and opera
tor. stole the grip, hid 1t. and when
the boy agent could not honor his
| check. declared the grip contained
$1,000 worth of jewelry. for which he
must be reimbursed or he would have
the boy discharged
The frightened agent. It is said. paid
$50 to Darling and promised to pay
the remainder in $40 monthly pay.
ments. several Of which were paid. 1t
is alleged. before Darling was arrest
ed and convicted in the land case.