The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-01-19
GOLD WATCH IS
FOUND AFTER A.
TWO-YEAR THEFT.
STOLEN FROM JOHN n. CHRIS
TIE, TiMEPlEcE TURNS UP IN
NASHVILLE, TENN, IN POSSES.
SION OF A PENSACOLA NEGRO.

BY what the police consider the
merest piece OF good luck, gold
watch, valued at 500, and owned by
John Fl. Christie, of East Romano
street, Pensacola, is now on its way
to this city from Nashville. Tenn. in
which city 1t was recovered from the
possession of Horace Crenshaw, a
Pensacola negro, arrested In that city
for some slight offense,
Chief Of Detectives Siedenbotton, Of
the Nashville force, wired Chief San
ders yesterday that he was sending
the watch by express, and that the
darkey, held there on some slight Of
Tense, gave the name of Steiner elem
ents, of this city, as the man from
whom the watch was obtained Glenn
ents, who has been arrested several
times, and who is welEknown to the
police, cannot be prosecuted for the
alleged theft, because by reason of
the statute of limitation. The offense
occurred more than two years ago in
this city
In talking with Mr.. Christie, owner
of the watch, who is also brother
in-law of Chief Sanders. he stated
that he was not sure whether the
watch had been stolen from him or
whether he had dropped it overheard,
when working a ship in the bay. He
was inclined to believe, however, that
1t had been stolen from his coat
pocket. Clements, the man who is
thought to have stolen it, and who
was named as the one who gave it
to Crenshaw, was working in the bay,
If Sva q stated ar that time
The Nashville police department,
after recovering the watch, asked the
negro about 1t and could get no sat-
isfaction from him. They thought it
had been stolen, and came to such
conclusion by reason Of the fine quail
ity of the timepiece and also by the
monogram, JHC, on the case. Getting
the number of the watch and the
makers name, the Nashville police
wrote to dealers as to whom the watch
had been sold. The dealers replied
that they had sold the watch to B.
Gerson & Co., of Pensacola. That
was quite enough clew to place the
watch in the city from which it had
been stolen, and they notified Chief
Sanders to that extent. The Pen
sacola dealer conducted an auction
sale about three years ago. it was rec
objected, and among the articles sold
in this manner was fine watch,
worth 500, but which had been dis
posed Of at small sum less than that
amount Mr.. Christie, it was recalled,
had been the purchaser Of watch in
such sale, and by putting everything
together, the ownership was traced
easily
Chief Sanders yesterday consulted
with the prosecuting attorney relative
to arresting the darkey who Is thought
to have stolen the watch here but it
was found that the statute of limita-
ton had expired. The negro, however,
a few days ago was sent to the county
Jail for some offense. Finding that it
would be impossible to punish the dar-
key here, Chief Sanders yesterday
went about the matter of recovering
the timepiece for Mr.. Christie, and
was going to make legal claim for the
property from the Nashville police,
when the telegram arrived, stating
that as the ownership of the watch
had been correctly established in Pen
sacola, that the Pensacola man was
rightfully entitled to the property and
they We're sending it by express. It |
should reach here this morning. Chief
Sanders secured the proper affidavits
as to it's sale and purchase from both
Mr., Gerson and Mr.. Christie, and
would have forwarded them to Nash
vile to support the claim.