The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-08-13
Sheriff Suspects They Have Silks
That Were Stolen
STRANGERS ENTER A DENIAL
Claim They Are Employed BY Firm to
Dispose Of Goods; Relate Their
Stories

been going about this part of the
country, stealing valuable silks. Such
thefts In large quantities. and aggre-
eating in value many thousands of
dollars. have been reported from
Brookings. Pipestone. Worthington.
Redwood, Morgan, Triumph and other
places.
Late yesterday afternoon the sher-
iff received telephone message from
lady living on Pleasant street, to
the effect that two young men had
been trying to sell silks i'm that neigh
borhood. The sheriff at once thought
OF the numerous thefts of silks. He
took out his automobile. ana together
with Deputy Albert Nerdahl and Pa
trolman Olaf Lundberg, set out in
quest of the parties spoken of by the
lady. The game seemed to be quite
important. and all of the police force
members who were on duty were no
titled to be oil the watch.
Discovered Young Men.
After a time the sheriff discovered
the two young men or Main street hill
They had with them a valise contain
ing some fine silks, which they were
INK lO ItuutG. ut at
once placed the men under arrest and
they were taken to the police station
where they were charged with peddl-
ing without license. This charge was
merely made to hold them. Both plead
ed guilty. Bond was fixed by Judge
Plymat i'm the sum of 800 I'm each
case. and in default of this. both. men
were sent To the county Jail. the mat
ter of sentence being deferred TO two
O'Clock this afternoon.
After the men had been arrested
and locked up. the silk goods were
examined carefully. II was suspect
ed that these fright have been stolen.
The two men also had i'm their pos
session some pairs of pants. which
they were trying TO sell. II was be-
lieved that these also might have been
obtained by theft.
However. thssg Is nothing thus far
to show that the men are guilty OF
any theft.
Second Hand Man Suspicious.
However, thar may be, two young
men. probably these same two. APP
peared Monday night at the second
hand clothing store of NJ. Shapiro on
North Front street and tried to sell
some pants. They offered him all six
pairs for 81. Mr. Shapiro was at once
suspicious. He declared today that
the pants were worth about 81 per
pair. But he held the men of, saying
that he would like to have them call
him up on Tuesday afternoon at four
O'Clock. They did this. and he again
thnn of tnllfnn A.
with the trousers at six o'clock on
Tuesday evening.
In the meantime Mr.. Shapiro had
notified the police. He told them of
the two men and their description
ccrrespCnded with that of the two
who had been trying to peddle silks.
Both the fellows were young men.
apparently In their early twenties.
Both were tall and rather dark. and
both were smooth faced and fairly
well dressed.
Statement BY Hall.
Ono OF the young men gave the
name of Arthur Hall. He said he was n
married man and that his home was
at Pittsiield, Mass. He said the wom-
an. who occuDicd the same suite of
rooms with him and the other man,
who was arrested with him. was his
wife. Mrs. Hall. He said he was a
ladies' tailor and that he went about
The country from place to place solic-
iting orders. He also stated that he
peddled silks. which he bought from
wholesale houses.
Hall made out that he was very in
dignant over his arrest. He said he
could prove that he had gotten the
silk goods honestly, as well as every
thing else that was I'm his possession.
He said he would show that he had
stolen nothing. He was told OF the
robbery OF silks that occurred at
Brookings. s. d.. on Monday night OF
last week. He declared that he had
never been in that town I'm his life.
and scarcely had heard of the place.
Other Lived In Kansas City.
The other prisoner called himself
Clyde Penland. He said his home
had been at Kansas City, and that he
was single and now had no home. He
said he had some relatives at Sioux
City. He said he was roofer by trade
but had of late been associated with
Hall i'm the business of peddling silks.
They had been travelling together. He
also declared himself to be prefectly
innocent of the charges of theft. He
said he had never been at Brook
ings.
Parties Came From Brookinqs.
Immediately after the two had been
arrested. the sheriff notified the au-
thorities at all of the various places
where silk thefts had been taking
place. Three interested parties came
quickly from Bookings, arriving on
the early morning train. These were
Sheriff Fred S. Miner of Bookings;
Frank Ellis, Of the Ellis Hall COM
pany. whose general store at Brook
ings was burglarized a week ago Nom
day, silks to the value of tbout 81.
900 being taken, and U. ID. Boyce.
employed as manager of the dry goods
department OF that same store. On
that night quite number OF burg
Ia 10. t<x,t, uIapa M nrrnEtvuu