Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-12-18
Fleet Smith Convicted
For Stealing Meat From L. r.
Waesche. Jury Out Twenty
Minutes.

M uuIcS.
| After motion by Samuel A. Lewis to
have his appearance as counsel for the
defense stricken out, had been over
ruled by the court, l.. Benjamin Smith.
known generally as Fleet Smith, of near
Thurmont was pronounced guilty of lar
ceny of meat from Thaddeus Creager
and L. r. Waesche of Thurmont in the
Circuit Court Friday morning last and
was placed in the custody of Sheriff
William o. Wertenbaker to await sem
tence.
At $50 o'clock Friday morning the
jury was selected and the hearing of
evidence began. The states testimony
indicated that two pieces of meat be-
longing to l.. R. Waesche and one that
was the property of Thaddeus Creager,
were taken from the meat house of the
former the night of March the % or 80;
that Smith was suspected and his house
searched for the meat which was not
found at the time, but that later Smith
shipped barrel of potatoes which was
opened at Deerfield and found to con-
tain the three missing pieces of meat.
Ross Smith, brother of the accused,
was placed under arrest at the time, on
suspicion of being partner in the crime
but broke Jail and is still at large.
l.. D. Crawford, freight agent at
Deerfeld, testified that when Smith
brought the barrel of potatoes to the
station to be shipped. the end of the
barrel burst open and he saw some pack
ages mixed in the potatoes the packages
being wrapped in paper and burlap.
He added that Smith took Ratchet and
after rearranging the packages nailed
up the head of the barrel again.
Deputy Sheriff C. w. Lidie stated that
when Charles H. Brown and himself
opened the barrel at Deerfeld and ex-
amined it they found the three pieces of
meat insids. Later the pieces were
shown to Mrs. Creeger and she identified
them as the ones that had been stolen.
Smith testified that at the time. indi-
Gated he was home in bed. In this his
testimony was confirmed by that of his
wife. Smith added that he shipped
barrel of potatoes and that if they con-
tanned the three pieces of meat he was
unaware of the fact. He stated that the
barrel was packed by his brother, Ross
Smith. He admitted that the barrel
burst open and that he nailed it up, but
stated that he neither saw nor recognized
any packages
The case was given to the jury at
O'Clock and it returned verdict at 1.20.
At the request of counsel for the de-
tense the jury was polled but the verdict
was unchanged.
Smith was sent up for four years to
the Maryland penitentiary. and was
placed there last Saturday.
Mrs. Victoria Wiles, aged 62, of near
Lewistown was found guilty Friday af-
ternoon in the circuit court of the larceny
of gold watch belonging to her cousin
John Weddle. and was committed to the
custody of Sheriff William o. Werten-
baker to await sentencing. She was ac-
quilted of larceny of silver watch be-
longing to Mrs. Charles F. Ramsburg,
Lake View. An indictment of having
received stolen goods was dropped by
the States Attorney at the outset of
the hearing. Mrs. Wiles was defended
by Samuel A. Lewis.
Samuel Stamoaugh, Is, Earl Bentzell,
81, and George Black. 20, all of Thur
mont. were paroled by the court Friday
in consideration of their youth, previous
good behavior, and the fact they had
good parents. after they had been found
guilty of larceny of some automobile
accessories belonging to Harry Fox of
Thurmont.