The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-07
EDUCATED FOOL 4 THIEF.
ALLEGED CHICAGO SOCIETY BUR-
CLAIR AND FORGER ARRESTED.
Jacob T.. Guthrie Charged with
Theft of Jewclry. Silvcrware, Bric-
a-Brac and Art Treasures Valued
at S25O.OOO - Family Physician
Terms Suspect an Educated Fool"
Cause of Mental Alteration As
signed to InccsSi,nt Reading of De-
tcctivc and Problem Novels.

Chicago, August 4-After twenty
four hours work the police today COM
pleted an inventory of the art treas
ures, bric-a brac, jewelry, silver plate
and other articles stolen by Jacob F.
Guthrie, alleged society burglar and
forger, now under arrest, and an
nounced that the goods received are
estimated to be worth $25O,OOO.
Last night, after partial eXamina-
non or the barn and the room in a
forage warehouse, which Guthrie used
to hide portion Of the articles stol-
en-, the police estimated the value at
$4,000. This was nearly doubled
when half dozen additional trunks
and chests filed with jewery. laces
and bric-ab brac were discovered
Much of the stolen property was found
in Guthrie's home, where he lived
with his mother, sister and brother,
who Is a Chicago policeman.
Further investigation Of the young
mans history revealed that after
graduating in a course in electrical
ngineering at a Chicago technical
institute he obtained employment with
an electric company. Later he was
employed in the municipal laboratory.
Subsequently he was appointed an in
structor in electrical engineering ut
one Of the public high schools.
Guthrie is 26 years of age, six feet
in height and weighs 200 pounds. He
is poorly dressed. although at the
time he was arrested he had more
than $4,000 deposited to his credit
in Chicago banks
DR.. Leslie w. Schwab, who has been
physician for the Guthrie family for
a number of years, talked with the
prisoner for an hour today and later
conferred with Capt. Halpin, of the
detective bureau.
DR.. Schwab said: Guthrie is an
educated fool in my opinion. 1 have
known him since childhood He has
always been a boOkworm. He read
detective and problem nov els in
cessanty. The effect of this has been
to create a peculiar mental condition.
He has all the characteristics of q
confirmed kleptomaniac. l believe he
has periods when he is mentally ir-
responsible. 1t is my intention to
nave an alienist examine him in "A few
days"
Chief of Detectives Halpin said
Beyond doubt Guthrie has obtained
the most valuable collection of stolen
articles | ever saw in all my cOnnec-
ton with the Chicago police depart
ment. There is an endless list of all
kinds of jewelry, silverware. bric-"-
brac and art treasures. There are di-
Almonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds
and pearls worth thousands of dollars
each.
"All his burglaries were committed
In the homes of the citys wealthiest
citizens. He read the society column
in the newspapers and when he no.
ticed that some wealthy woman had
left home for few days he would
break in % the house and steal the
most valuable articles he could find
"He has confessed to entering the
homes of score of wealthy persons.
have no idea what percentage Of the
tolen goods we have recovered. He
apparently kept all the things he stole
which appealed to his artistic tas,e.
But he must have disposed of n large
quantity Of the plundcr."