The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-05-15
PROTECT SHIPPERS
A Federal Statute Against
Breaking Into Railway
Cars now in Operation
SUPPLEMENT LOCAL COURTS

Within the past three months no
less than ten freight cars on the Chi
cago, Milwaukee and st. Paul railway,
and the Chicago and Northwestern
railway, have been broken into and
considerable merchandise stolen. Most
of the robbel1es have occurred be-
tween Chicago and Milwaukee and de-
tectives are working on the same. A
new law was recently enacted pertain
ing to this class of crime, in other
words it is an act to punish the I'M
lawful breaking of seals Of railroad
cars containing interstate or foreign
shipments, the unlawful entering Of
cars, and it reads as follows:
"Be it enacted by the senate and
house of representatives Of the United
States of America in congress assem-
bled, that whoever shall unlawfully
break the seal of any railroad car con-
tanning interstate or foreign ship
ments of freight or express; or shall
enter any such car with intent, in
either case, to commit larceny there
in; or whoever shall steal or unlawful
ly take, carry away, or conceal, or by
fraud or deception obtain from any
railroad car, station house, platform,
depot, steamboat, vessel, or wharf,
with intent to convert to his own use
any goods or chattels moving as, or
which are a part of or which consti-
of freight or express, or shall buy, or
receive, or have in his possession any
such goods or chattels, knowing the
same to have been stolen; or whoever
shall steal or shall unlawfully take,
carry away, or by fraud or deception
obtain, with intent to convert to his
own use, any baggage which shall have
come into the possession of any COM
mon carrier for transportation from
one state or territory or the district Of
Columbia to another state or territory
or the District of Columbia, or to a
foreign country, or from a foreign
country to any state or territory or
the District of Columbia, or shall
break into, steal, take, carry away, or
conceal any of the contents of such
baggage, or shall buy, receive or have
in his possession any such baggage or
any article therefrom of whatever
nature, knowing the same to have been
stolen, shall in each case be fined )
more than five thousand dollars or i'm
both, and prosecution therefor may be
instituted in any district wherein the
crime shall have been committed. The
carrying or transporting of any such
freight, express, baggage, goods or chat
tells from one state or territory or the
District of Columbia into another
state or territory or the District of
Columbia, knowing the same to have
been stolen, shall constitute separate
offense and subject the otfender to
the penalties above described for I'M
lawful taking, and prosecutions there
for may be instituted in any district
into which such freight, express. bag
gage, goods or chattels shall have been
removed or into which they shall have
been brought by such offender.
Sec. 2. That nothing in this act
shall be held to take away or impair
the Jurisdiction of the courts of the
several states under the laws thereof !;
and a judgment of conviction or ac-
quittal on the merits under the laws
of any state shall be bar to any
prosecution hereunder for the same act
or acts.