The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-07-23
OFF WITH $500
CASH; JEWELS
WORTH $1,000
Chief Sanders Effects the
Arrest of Man Wanted
Here.
CHARGED WITH
EMBEZZL EMENT
Woman in Case, the Victim
to Return for Prose
cution.

Sam Stearns, alias Carl Reno, white,
about 38 years of age, and wanted
here ON charge of grand embezzle-
ment, was arrested in Atlanta, Ca,
Saturday morning, and is held pend
ing the arrival of an officer from
Florida, with proper requisition, to be
returned to Pensacola to stand trial.
He is alleged to have embezzled the
sum of 5000, a diamond sunburst and
a diamond ring, both aggregating in
value the sum of $500. These arti-
cles, as well as the money, were the
property OF Mrs. Antoinette Evans of
New Orleans, moving picture star,
in Pensacola, it was stated, upon the
representations of the man Stearn, a.
moving picture promoter, who had
offered her salary of 1000 a week.
Mrs. Evans was accompanied by
her son, a bright-faced lad of IL years,
and was on the way to Jacksonville,
to take up the work.
Stearn, or Reno, will be brought 20
Pensacola for trial. Chief Sanders
received the advice of his arrest by
wire last evening, and at once set
about making arrangements to have
the promoter brought back here to
answer the charges against him. As
it is not in the province of the police
department to handle such questions
ordinarily, Chief Sanders turned the
whole matter over to the sheriff's Of
fee, but asked the governor of Geor-
gia, in a wire, that the suspect be
held pending the arrangement for his
return to Pensacola.
When Stearn was arrested he was
with another woman, who gave her
name as Alice Martin. He had the
sum of $1,570, and was wearing the
alleged stolen jewels when taken n
custody. The woman had lot OF
costly jewelry, and sol in cash. Their
arrest by the Atlanta police was said
to have created quite a sensation in
that city.
Stearn, as the police heard it, in.
duced Mrs. Evans to go to Jackson
vile to work in the Wise line there
Her husband, it is stated, is manager
of that movie line in New Orleans
She conducted herself in a thoroughly
proper manner in this city while here
it was stated, and appears to have
been acting in extremely good faith
The transaction which led to the
arrest of Stearn occurred last weel
in Pensacola. Stearn prevailed upor
Mrs. Evans, it was reported, to con
sent to the repair of one piece o.
jewelry, diamond having been founc
loose in its setting. Mrs. Evans con
: scented to SteaEh taking the valuable'
to a jewelry store for the work. Tha-
was the last heard of Stearn until HI
was arrested in Atlanta yesterday
He left the same day that the jewelr!
was said to have been taken by hin
to the shop for repairs. The womal
he is reported to have with him j
not known to the police officers here
1t was due strictly to the good worl
of Chief of Police Sanders that tn,
man was arrested in Atlanta. Mrs
Evans, when she discovered that sh
had been victimized, reported he
trouble to the chief, and he set abou
laying plans to intercept Stearn a
some point. With the cooperation o
the railroad company, Chief Sander
ascertained that tickets had bee
bought and baggage had been check
ed to Atlanta. Thereafter it was cas-
sailing. The chief at once got int
telegraph connection with the Atlant
police department, aud was rewarde
yesterday in the receipt of the wir
that Stearn had been arrested H
then wired Mrs. Evans at New Oh
leans that the man was behind tn
bars, and she lost no time in replyin
that she would be here on the frs
train.