The Cape weekly tribune. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1914, 1914-05-01
POLICE ARREST AL
LEGGED BRASS THIEF
When Arrested Had Large
Quantity of Brass in
His Possession.
KANE MAKES ARREST
Thought to Have Been Operating
in Vicinity for Sometime
Other Officials Interested.

\ young man giving his name rs
John Davis and claiming nowhere in
particular rs his home, was arrested
Saturday morning at about one
o'clock by Officer Fred Kane, who had
been attracted by the suspicious
actions of the prisoner.
Davis was seen going up the rail-
road tracks toward the depot, ON the
East Side. He was pushing bicycle
on which was tied bundle Of some
sort As he approached the depot,
Mr.. Kane slipped around then
North end and met him. When qucs-
tined the suspect stated that he wa
going up the road and that the bicycle
was his own property. When the
officer asked him about the contents
OF the sack he was carrying, he started
to run but was quickly seized and
held Investigation developed the
fact that the prisoner had in his
possession So pounds OF brass, some
of which was very valuable. He de-
MED having stolen the goods, and
stated that he had purchased them
from negro in lllmu, and that he
had paid $500 for the lot. Men
familiar with some of the pieces
stated that one of the articles was
easily worth $40. when new, being an
important and complicated attach
mcnt to steam engine. The sack
containing the brass is supposed to
have come from the cement plant
as it was apparently new and bore
the factory mark,
This man had been under the sur
violence of Officer Kane for nearly
a week. He was first seen by the
officer on Monday morning, going
North on Spanish street, riding hia
bicycle and earring n bundle. He
was seen again two mornings later
coming along the same route, but
carrying different looking package.
Several times during the week in the
early morning hours he was observed
making his way toward the North
part Of the city on his bicycle.
Since his arrest it develops that he
was in the habit Of leaving his BIZ
cycle on the East side of the depot
each morning. The presumption now
is that he would rice out of the bust
ness section and sccretc his loot at
an hour when there was little danger
of being seen. He stated that he had
been selling his brass scraps for six
cents a pound to local dealers.
Special Agent Wilson Of the Cotton
Belt came to the city to examine the
prisoner to ascertain whether or not
he is the party for whom search
Is being made 10y his company ON
the charge of stealing brass. MIR.
Sontag Of the cement plant was called
to examine the supposedly stolen
goods, but failed to identify any of
them rs being the property of his
company. An engineer from the
cement works has been sent for and.
il is thought that he will be able to
identify some Of the goods as having
been stolen.
Davis. ms he calls himself is well
dressed and presents good appear
ancc, although he has made some very
confusing statements in regard to his
movements.
Officer Kane, is deserving of com
mcndablc mention for the manner in
which he maintained his watchiul-
ness, finally resulting in AN arrest
which it is believed will verify the
suspicious that dangerous thief
has been placed in custody.