Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-06-14
ACCUSED OF ACTING AS FENCE
FOR ORGANIZED GANG OF
BoxcAR THIEVES.
LEADERS UNDER ARREST;
CONFESS TO OPERATIONS
Admit They Have Been Robbins Cars
In Nahant Yards During Past Five
Ysars--Arrests Result After Six
Months Of Investigation by Railroad
Detectives.

Davenport, June 14.--1n the arrest Of
Herbert w. Rotchford. 2106 Bowditch
street, Davenport. superintendent OF
the C. NJ. & st. P. Railroad Company
ives believe they have the leader of the
alleged box car bandit gang which has
operated in the Nahant yards for the
past five years. Art Mccall, switch
man, and Rotchford. were placed UNI
der arrest by Joe Chirillo and W. J..
Falkensteen. detectives for the Mil
waukee road and Sheriff Henry A.
Kuehl. Both Rotchford and Mccall
have denied the charges. They are
being held in the Scott county Jail in
default Of $4,000 bonds. No charge has
as yet been filed against them altho
1t is probable they will be charged
with breaking and entering railroad
cars.
Ernest Petersen, John Woelk and
Ivan Robinson were placed under ar
rest by the detectives. All three Of
the men We're caught in the act Of re-
moving goods from the cars in the
railroad yards. They were closely
questioned and confessed that they had
been stealing from the cars for the
past five years Rotchford, they
claimed, was the leader of the gang
and acted as the selling agent. The
goods, as soon as they were taken from
the cars. We're removed to the ice
house, Of which Rotchford was in
charge. According to the confessions
Rotchford who was the owner Of an
automobile acted as an agent for the
gang and sold the loot the remainder
Of them splitting the proceeds. Altho
all three of the men were not permit
ted to talk to each other after they
were arrested all Of them told practi-
cally the same story when taken be-
fore the officers All of them were
questioned separately. On account Of
all Of the confessions being similar the
officers at once placed Rockford and
Mccall under arrest. Both, however,
refused to make any statement.
Many Msrohan implicated.
According to the statements Of the
railroad officers the confessions Of
three men implicated many tri-city
merchants. The names Of these mer-
chants, however, are being held by the
authorities. The officers said that they
expected to secure a complete list Of
the merchants who acted as a fence
for the gang and place charges Of re-
ceiving stolen property against them.
The officers claim many prominent
merchants purchased the goods from
Rotchford knowing that they had been
stolen.
Among the things which the gang
is alleged to hare stolen is butter. sew
eral barrels Of gasolene and Kerosene,
several cases 81 metal polish, several
cases gof vsrnish, potatoes. a number Of
cases OF eggs. a case of revolvers and
large quantities Of meat. The value Of
the goods stolen during the past few
months alone Will amount to several
thousand dollars according to the Of
flcers.
Cars Reseaied.
According to the officers the mem-
bers Of the gang had method Of re-
sealing the cars after the seals had
been broken. On this account it was
difficult to discover where the goods
were being stolen. Detectives Chirillo
and Falkensteen said that six months
ago they had been assigned to the case
for the purpose Of discovering what
was the cause Of the enormous freight
shortage. They worked along the en-
tire line without getting to discover the
cause. Two weeks ago 1t was sus-
pected that a large amount of the
goods were disappearing from the
cars while they Were being iced at the
Nahant yards. Monday night the Of
fcers hid. themselves in the yards and
after a short wait discovered Woelk
and Petersen in the act of taking a
sack of potatoes and several tubs OF
butter from one Of the cars. The men
were at once placed under arrest.
Robinsons arrest followed short time
later. AS a result Of the confessions
of the three men Rockford and Mccall
were arrested last night. Rotchford
was arrested at the ice house while
MCCALL was arrested at his home in
the Schricker fats.
AS soon as the goods were taken
from the cars they were removed to
the ice house where they were kept
until Rotchford was able to dispose Of
them. woelk. Petersen and Robinson
large quantity Of goods was found at
the ice house last night, following
Rotchford's arrest.
All Old Employees.
All Of the men who were arrested
have been employed by the road for a
number Of years. Rotchford has been
in charge Of the ice house for the past
eleven years, and was considered one
Of the most trusted employees. 1t was
not until after the confessions Of the
three men that he was suspected OF
being implicated in the affair.
"All Of the merchants who have
been buying the goods will be exposed
and charges will be filed against
Them said Detective Chirillo today.
II have had experience with box car
bandits for a number Of years. but l
will venture to say that I have never
run across gang which was as well
organized as this one and who oper-
!! :S.sa sc:. 90 long a time without being
detected"