The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-08-23
SMITH RELEASED
Not Enough Evidence To Convict Man Who
Was Charged With Money Theft

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in a discharge of Charles smith. who
was before the court on charge of
grand larceny.
Mrs. Lillian Soreuson made a com
plant to the Justice that during the
night OF the 19th to the 18th Cf July
last Charles Smith, who was one OF
her boarders, stole tin box containing
forty five dollars in cash besides other
checks aud papers and after taking
the money, hid the box in one of the
wood sheds in the rear of the boarding
house. The box was subsequently dis.
covered by one Of two strangers who
also had taken meals there tnat night
The box was found cut open nd a
search of the premises resulted in the
finding of a pocket knife in one OF the
trouser pockets of Charles Smith bear
ing scratches on the large blaze. lead
ing Mrs. Sorenson and the officers VINO
made the search at the time 10 believe
that the knife was used in opening
tnat box
Chsres Smith was arrested Monday
following the theft and accused by
Mrs Sorrenson with having stolen the
money. but denied all knowledge Of
the transaction.
Mr.. Kinney travelling man selling
cutlrey and similar hardware was also
staying at Mrs Sorrenson's boading
house at the time when the theft was
committed and on various occasions
displayed his knives 10 the boarders In
an effort 10 make sale. Later on Mr.
Kinney missed one of those knives. but
could not tell what had become OF il
until the knife was found in the pock-
ets Of he'tousers belonging TO Charles
Smith. He was then arrested for steal.
ing the knife and plead guilty and was
committed by Judge Dawson 10 thirty
days in the county Jail AS soon a
his time was up. the charge OF steal.
ing the money was preferred against
him and the hearing took place We'd
nerday The prosecuting attorney con-
Quoted the examination for the people
Mrs. Sorenson testified that on July
18th al half past ten at night she had
occasion to make change and that the
money box was in the drawer OF the
buffet in the dining room and that n
few days before that he saw Charles
Smith late at night lettering around
in the dining room when she asked
him what be was doing there and and
he claimed that he wanted some lunch
and helped himself to some cookies
! At eleven clock at night of the i2
tn her daughter Olive before retiring,
called her mother in order 10 stay up
until all the hoarders came in and the
defendant and Mrs. Sorenson mother
and her daughter were alone in the
office Mrs Sorenson mother and
daughter shortly after that went ID
bed. leaving the defendant In the office
alone as Mrs Sorenson herself bad not
yet come to the Office in answer TO her
daughter s call A noise in the dining
room finally startled Mrs Sorenson
and when She went in and inyestigat-
ed she found her money oox goue out
OF the buffet drawer She immediately
asked hei daughter and mother IL they
bad taken 1t away and they knowing
nothing about IL, the search was in
stituted with the above result. Mrs.
SoreDson also claimed that one OF the
two strangers that asked for lunch
after the loss Of the box was discovered
found pieces Of the box in one of the
ont houses.
Mr.. Kinney, the travelling man testi
fed that the knife was stolen from
him and belonged to him. but tina. the
scratches on the knife were made by
coming in contact with whet stone
and ne exhibited number Of brand
new knives in his sample cass bearing
similar marks An experiment with
the blade OF the knife disclosed the
fact that the knife could not have re.
box. The defendant claimed that be
went to Iron River In a machine. leay-
ing the boarding house shortly after
eleven o'clock at night that he and
the driver OF the machine ana another
man went 70 restaurant In Iron
River and had q lunch and then re-
turned 10 CRYSTAL Falls where thev mr.
rived az about twenty minutes 20 two
No money was found on him AZ the
time Of his arrest nor any evidence
produced showing where he spent an
unusual amount. he having received |
twelve or fourteen dollars that same
Saturday from his employer and hsv
ing paid ont OF that snm five dollars
to Mrs Sorenson for the weeks board. |
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