Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-31
SIX PUT ON TRIAL
FOR CONSPIRACY TO
LOOT R. R. CARS
Two Special Policemen, One Con-
ductor, Three Brakemen Charg
ed With Systematic Thefts.
FIND G DDS IN HOMES

Charged with conspiracy to loot freight
car. in the Edge Moor yards, John L.
Horncr, Ross GcIser John J Oakley,
Arthur u, C0hcc, Robert Mck night
and Henry c. Smith. all Of Wilmington,
we're placed on trlal yesterday In General
Sessions Court
The attorney general told the jury
he would show that IIorncr and GclEer.
who were special policemen At the freight
yari, and the others, one Of whom was
a freight conductor and the others brake
men entered into = compact systematic
ally to rob freight cars OF great variety
of merchandise during several months
Of 1918 prior to June He sad the State
would prove that vast quantity ot
merchandise Of the Sane brands rs that
stolen all new and labeled goods had
been found IN the homes Of the defend
ants
james T. Ward. captain of police for
the Pennsylvania railroad company nc
Edrc Moor. testified that Il was Horner's
duty 70 investigate the many complaints
of thefts and that he never got any re-
suits lie testified to the finding cf gosis
alleged 10 have been stolen in the hosue
NJ the six defendants.
N,vin keech, another railroad police
man. eorroborated Wards testimony
and told Of recovering other goods includ-
ing tools belonging 70 the company at
the home of Cohces father N Maryland
Harry J. Ralph, employed hy the
T.. NJ Townsend Company e New
Y orb, testified that a case ci the lady
Grace Niger Brown Stockings, 4S pairs
uf uhIch were found at the home of
Arthur H. Cohee, 1911 West street, and
other pains in the homes Of other defend
ants. had reached hs firm III a broken
condition and many pairs were reported
missing.
RAD As rR. sToCHrNGs.
In attempting 70 show that the eix
defendants named and ono other brake
man. RAYMOND A Elliot, who fed from
the jurisdiction Of the Court, had formed
a compact to loot freight cars on large
scale, the tate laid particular stress
on the finding in the homes of the several
defendants of various lots Of merchandise
of the same brand, then producing
evidence that such goods had been stolen
en- transit from the freight cars
States witnesses testified hat IN the
home of Arthur f., Cohee. 1911 West
street, As pairs of stockings of the Lady
Grace Niggar Brown" brand had been
found. two pair of the same brand had
been recovered in the home of Ross
Gerser at Eighth and Monroe streets and
s pairs of the same stockings found IN the
home of Henry c. Smith at l02S Poplar
street II was also testified that 25 pairs Of
the stockings were found IN the posses
SION of Cohee' wife II q her IN Baltimore.
The same line was followed in respect
70 the finding of whisky of the same
brand in the possession of several Of the
defendants and also OF large number of
new shirts of certain make. 1t was
testified that 23 new shirts, fourteen
quarts OF whisky and a new hammer
marked as belonging 10 the p r. and "
railroad were also found in Cohee's room
WHISKY CASES LOOTED.
The freight checker and assistant fore
man IN charge of relo4ding freight at
Harrisburg, testified that the box contain
ing shirts consigned to Chester, Pa, and
which was looted en- transit. was IN good
condition when the car left Harrisburg.
Freight Conductor Newall who took the
car into the Edge Moore yard, testified
the seals on both doors were intact ou the
arrival at the ward
Similar officials at Baltimore then testified
that the car containing 30 cases of whisky
of the brand found in the home Of some
OF the defendants. had left Baltimore
with the whisky cases untaTnpered With
Thirteen of these cases were looted before
the car reached Camden.
Wilmer w Millicent, the freight con
ductor who took the Car into the Edge
Moor yard, testified that the seals on
both doors were intact when he left the
car in the yard
Alonzo Bullock, q patrolman in the
ward near Camden, testified that he had
found a leather cigar case, q small fash
light and a brakeman club on the floor
of the car and on the box which had been
broken open before the car reached Cam
den
An attempt was made by the State
10 put one Of the defendants, Patrolman
Ross Geiger, on the stand, but his ooun-
sci objected and tie court sustained the
objection and the State then rested, OBJ
tanning permission from the court TO
call another witness whose arrival was
expected soon from Baltimore.