The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1914-07-23
CROOKS CAPTURE
CHANGERS Cash
FARMER SANTER COUGHS UP
DOUGH TO. COUPLE OF
SMOOTH HEBREWS.
fine WORK BY Chief FISH
SWINDLERS BROUGHT BACK
FROM ST. PAUL-PAY A
STIFF FINE.

STIFF FINE.
Despite numerous newspaper warn
ings and the dictates of horse sense,
on Friday last duo of smooth He
brews visited the farm of VIM. Santer
one and one-half miles from town,
and convinced him that in order to
make the proper appearance in So
ciety it was necessary for him to pro-
cure new rainment, and forgetting
the fact that our local merchants
make a speciality Of all kinds of mems
apparel, from overalls to dress suits,
they succeeded in unloading upon him
$40 worth of shoddy cloth, coupling
the sale with a promise that a little
later a fashionable tailor would ap-
pear upon the seems of action and
make them up in way and manner
that would make Barry Wall ashamed
of his habiliments. Mr.. Santer did
not have $40 in currency on his per-
son but he did have a fat deposit in
the bank and he gave the precious
pair an order for that amount. The
money being covered by a certificate
of deposit the bank very properly de-
clined to honor the order. The crooks
discovered in some way that the de-
post was 1925 and quickly returned
to the residence of Mr.. Santer and
suggested that he sign the certificate
to them and they would pay the diff
ference in cash. By some legerdemain
of crookdom they succeeded in getting
him to transfer the same to them up
on a payment of $165, then they has
tily returned TO town, checked their
baggage to st. Paul and straightway
flew the coop.
After their departure Mr.. Santer
began cogitating and as result il
slowly dawned upon his mind that his
friends so solicitous about his person
al appearance hadn't only gotten away
with the price of the cloth but also
with $40 extra as a sort of an after
payment for their benevolence, and
he came to town and put up a lurid
scream about being swindled.
The local sleuth, Chief of Police
George Fish, came to his assistance
and began Sherlock Holmsing. Inves-
tigation developed the fact that the
children of Israel had checked their
baggage and bought tickets for St.
Paul. Mr.. Fish promptly notified the
st. Paul Chief of Police and took the
next train for the Sanity City. By
shrewd and rapid work he located the
pair, placed them under arrest and
brought them to this city on the flyer
Monday night.
Tuesday morning at nine - o'clock
they were arraigned before Judge
Diehl, C. c. McElwee, the noted GRIM
inal lawyer of st. Paui, appearing in
their behalf. Although the swindling
the farmer out of $40 was clearly a
penal offence the smooth and persuas-
i've Mr.. Nc. succeeded in having the
complaint changed to a misdemeanor
and when this was accomplished he,
in behalf of his clients, plead guilty"
with a speed that made everyone in
the court room dizzy. Judge Diehl
fined each one of the culprits $25 and
costs. Afterwards they were arraign-
ed on the charge of peddling without
! license. AS it was shown that one
of the parties did not do any actual
peddling the charge against him was
dismissed, although being in company
with and acting as an an assistant to
the peddler made him technically
guilty. The total amount of fines and
costs amounted to $133.40.
The maximum fine in each case
could have been made 500, and while
we have no desire to criticize the
the Court, it seems to us that this
was a case where the extreme pen
atty should have been inflicted.
Attorney McElwee promptly dug
up roll of currency and liquidated.
and they departed wiser but porer
crooks but hilariously happy that they
escaped as lightly as they did.
Credit is due George Fish for the
prompt and capable maner in which
he handled the matter as the slightest
delay or mismanagement would have
resulted in the criminals making a
clean getaway.