Archive for the ‘theft’ Category

22
Jun

Were Held to the Grand Jury

   Posted by: admin Tags: , , ,

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 22, 1903

Were Held to the Grand Jury

Henry Burk and George Dolan Under $300 Bonds.

Charged With Attempt to Steal Trousers From Hennebry Store – Waived Examination.

The men giving their names as Henry Burk and George Dolan who were arrested on Saturday on a charge of attempting to steal several pairs of trousers form the Hennebry clothing store, were held to the grand jury this afternoon.

When brought before Justice Martin for their preliminary hearing they waived examination and were held to the grand jury under $300 bonds. They were unable to furnish bonds, and have been lodged in the county jail until their case can be disposed of by the grand jury.

It is now believed that the men were successful in getting trousers from the Hennebry store on other occasions, as a pair which was located by the police on Saturday afternoon and was identified by Mr. Hennebry was sold by one of them, and other pairs were missing.

19
Jun

Grocery Store is Burglarized

   Posted by: admin Tags: , ,

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 19, 1905

Grocery Store is Burglarized

McIntyre & Mallon Store Was Entered Saturday Evening

The Glass Cut From Window

Four Dollars in Cash and Small Amount of Goods Taken — Work That of an Amatuer (sic) and is Attributed to Local Parties.

Though Fort Dodge has been for the past few months exceptionally free from the usual class of sneak thieves and dishonest characters that infest a city of this size, and most of its citizens have entertained the opinion that petty thievery had been abolished, through the activity of the local police, an occurrence which took place in the city Saturday evening will show that a few undesirable characters still inhabit the town and manage to secure an occasional opportunity to ply their nefarious trades to the loss of respectable people. The information has been conveyed to the police that the McIntyre & Mallon grocery located on South Sixth street was entered late Saturday evening and the contents of the cash register rifled. Entrance was effected by cutting out a pane of glass in a rear window, and by means of the opening thus created, raising the window sufficient to allow the thieves to enter the store.

About four dollars in cash was taken from the drawer and a few dollars’ worth of cigars and tobacco stolen. The work is evidently that of an amateur and is attributed by the police and the proprietors of the store to local parties.

4
Sep

Thor Experiences Burglar Epidemic

   Posted by: admin Tags: , ,

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 4, 1903

Thor Experiences Burglar Epidemic

Three Places Entered Thursday Night — Robberies by Same Men

Burglars Have Hard Luck

Blow Open Safe, Break Into Store, and Enter the Postoffice

Thor, Sept. 4 — Thor experienced a burglar epidemic last night, the chief characteristic of which was the hard luck attending the efforts of the hard working robbers.After breaking into three buildings and blowing one safe, they succeeded in getting away with a quantity of silk and other merchandise.

The safe in the office of the Chapman Lumber company was found this morning to be in a badly demolished condition. The door had been blown from its hinges, and the force of the explosion had wrecked the entire safe. Fortunately, nothing had been left in the strong box over night, and the burglars were compelled to leave empty-handed after their trouble.

By what is thought to have been the same persons, a second burglary was committed at the general store of Stewart Oleson, where a large amount of silks and a few other articles of merchandise were taken.

The postoffice was broken into, but not entered. A window had been forced open and the burglars were about to enter when they were frightened away by a burglar alarm.

No arrests have been made, nor is there a clue to the robbers.

18
Aug

The Ice Box Thief is Abroad Again

   Posted by: admin Tags: , ,

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 18, 1905

The Ice Box Thief is Abroad Again

Ice Box at Parel Home in the East Part of the City Rifled Last Night

No Clew to Perpetrators

Recent Change in Train Service Allows Tramps to Prowl About the City all Night and get Away in the Morning Before Being Caught

The ice box thief is abroad in the city again, and after a week or two or respite from his inroads Fort Dodge housewives will again find themselves placed in a position that will necessitate their keeping a constant watch on their supply of provisions, where they are placed in refrigerators outside the house, or in any place easy of access.

At the Parel home in the east part of the city the ice box was opened last night and considerably lightened of its supply of groceries for the coming day.

The officers have been notified of the theft and a watch will be kept on the neighborhood to prevent further visits.

Captain Long stated to a Messenger man this morning that the reason for the frequent inroads upon the ice boxes lay in the recent change of train service on the (Illinois) Central (Railroad). “Hoboes (sic),” said he “can enter the city at 11 o’clock at night now and they need not go out towards Sioux City until 4 o’clock the next morning. This leaves them the whole night to prowl around the city and they they can get away in the morning before there is any chance of their being caught.”

From Fort Dodge city directories:

In the 1899-1890 city directory, only one Parel is in the city. Miss Katie R. Parel boarded with Mrs. M.A. O’Connor. No occupation is listed.

In 1898, the Parel family lived at 1508 First Ave. S. The family included Miss Nellie (teacher), John, Miss Katie (teacher), Miss Mary (milliner), Miss Annie (teacher), James (fireman), Thomas (miner) and William.

In 1908, the Parel family lived at 1508 First Ave. S. In the household were Anna T., John, Katherine, Mary J. (a milliner), Nellie (a teacher) and William, an operator with the Great Western Shoe Co. There is also a listing for James I. and May Parel at 1311 11th Ave. S. He was an adjuster, but no company is listed.

`In 1909, most of the family lived at 1602 Third Ave. S. This included Anna T. (teacher), John, Katherine, Nellie (teacher), and William, still an operator at the Great Western Shoe Co. James I. and May Parel lived at 1311 Fourth Ave. S. and he was a clerk.

10
Aug

Refrigerators in City are Robbed

   Posted by: admin Tags: , ,

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 10, 1904

Refrigerators in City are Robbed

Residents in East Part of City Are Up in Arms Over Petty Depredations

Bad Characters in the City

Everything Left in Refrigerators on Back Porches in the Neighborhood of Second Avenue South and Thirteenth Street Disappears

Residents in the eastern part of the city have been suffering lately from the depredations of sneak thiefs (sic) and are arming themselves and have determind (sic) that if they catch any one around their places in the night hour it will go hard with them. Of late several people living in this vicinity have had their refrigerators opened in the night and have in consequence found everything eatable gone in the morning.

The refrigerators have been so thoroughly stripped that people when they see the doors of their refrigerators open in the morning are surprised if they find the ice has not been taken. The people in this neighborhood have decided that the matter has gone too far all ready (sic) and are making strenuous efforts to locate the petty thieves. Mrs. D.B. Johnson had her refrigerator opened Monday night and everything was taken. The next night the refrigerator of W.A. Shephard which was sitting on the back porch was opened and everything was found to be gone the next morning. The contents of both refrigerators were all gone, the thieves taking everything in one, from some cold chicken and meat down to the butter, eggs, and milk. From the quantity and from the variety and class of everything taken it is shown that the thieves are not looking just for dainties but are feeding solely from the articles taken from the different refrigerators over town.

Whether it is the members of some family who are doing this to get a living or is some one who is in the city attending the races is not explained, but the residents in the part of town where the depredations have been committed think it is men who are living at the race course and are able to get all their food in this manner. The depredations as far as reported have only extended to the neighborhood of Second avenue south and Thirteenth street, but as the people in this part of the city are all preparing to put a stop to it and are not leaving things where they can be got at, it is probable that the thief’s (sic) will be forced to commence operations in another part of the city. So every one who has been in the habit of leaving things in the refrigerators on the back porch are advised to discontinued (sic) the practice at least while the races are going on as disreputable characters are sure to be around at such a time.

While every effort is being made to apprehend the guilty persons it is a very difficult matter as with so many bad characters in the city at such a time the city police have a great deal to look after.

(Editor’s note: This was an issue the following year, as well.)

Information from the 1908 city directory for Fort Dodge:

W.A. Shephard: 1322 Second Ave. S. He was the president of Shephard Hardware Co., 831 Central Ave. (Hardware, Tinsmiths, Heating and Plumbing). His wife’s name was Georgia.

Mrs. D.B. Johnson: 1328 Second Ave. S. Delbert B. and Anna Johnson. He was a conductor on the ICRR (Illinois Central Railroad). He is not listed in the 1909 directory. There are three possible listings for her. Anna M. Johnson was a stenographer for Fort Dodge Grocery Co., boarding at 900 I St. West Fort Dodge. (Note:  Street names changed a couple of times, so this is not the same I Street as today.) Anna O. Johnson boarded at 204 H St., West Fort Dodge. Anna S. Johnson was a seamstress, boarding at 234 N. Second St., North Fort Dodge.

1
Aug

Ice Box Thieves Operate Wholesale

   Posted by: admin Tags: , , ,

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 1, 1905

Ice Box Thieves Operate Wholesale

Five Familiies (sic) in East End of City Find Storage Boxes Tampered With

Entirely Looted of Contents

Hoboes (sic) Thought to Be the Guilty Parties – Made no Discrimination but Took Everything in Sight – People Should Telephone

After a relaxation of several weeks, from the inroads of the burglar and the petty sneak thief Fort Dodge people have again begun to be troubled by those who believe rather in making their living by dishonest practices and at the expense of others than through honest labor. For several nights, recently, inroads upon the stores of ice boxes, of Fort Dodge residents have been made but last night the practice was carried on in a wholesale manner. Five houses in the east part of the city were visited by the refrigerator thieves and the ice boxes entirely looted of their contents.

At the Larrabee, Price and H. Weiss homes, with several others, the names of whose occupants we have been unable to learn, the thieves came boldly onto the rear porches and into the cellarways taking anything and everything within the coolers that they fancied, and leaving them as bare as the proverbial cupboard of mother goose fame.

In most every case not only eatables but dishes and such commodities as lard, molasses, eggs and a stray bottle of blue ribbon or two were removed. The ice box thief usually confines his larceny to bread, potatoes, cooked meats, pastry and such other edibles as can be eaten without cooking or preparation, but these fellows seem to be of a new class and no doubt are laying up a supply for a coming famine, should they strike a territory where the people take unkindly to their requests for donations.

A search of the wood in the vicinity of the city would probably result in finding three or four weary Willies ensconced in some cosy nook surrounded by groceries and supplies, in ample proportions, and engaged in preparing a delicious meal with what they had taken from the supplies for Fort Dodge tables. At one place a fine six pound roast of meat, purchased that very day from the butcher is reported as among the things taken. Juicy porterhouse, pork chops, tea and coffee, pies and cake all went to garnish the woodland board of the hoboes (sic), for such the thieves are supposed to be.

Two hungry looking specimens of the genus tramp, called at several east end residences yesterday morning and it is thought that they are the fellows whose hands have found their way into the storage boxes. Mayor Bennett stated to a Messenger man this morning that the people of the city were in a large measure to blame for such results.

“If they had telephoned to the city hall when the fellows called there we would have placed them in safe keeping and the ice box thefts would not have occurred” said he. “Instead of doing this, however, they let them go. only to have them return in the evening and help themselves to all that they could lay their hands on.” Local residents are cautioned to notify police headquarters when suspicious characters or loafers are seen in their neighborhoods under pain of suffering similar inroads upon their stocks of provisions.

(Editor’s note: This is not the first time this was an issue.)

City directory information on the likely victims:

In the 1908 city directory, there were two Larrabees. It’s most likely Charles Larrabee, a vice president at Iowa Savings Bank, living at 1508 Fourth Ave. S. The name Winston is in parenthesis after Charles, which is usually where a spouse’s name would go. I’m guessing that Winston was his grown son, living at home. In the 1909 directory, they are living at 1222 Sixth Ave. S.

There are three Price listings in the 1908 directory. Bertram J. Price, wife Jessie, lived at 1435 Fourth Ave. S. He was the county attorney, with an office at 305-306 in the First National Bank Building. In the 1909 directory, he is listed as attorney at law, with his office in the same location. They had moved to 1215 Sixth Ave. S.

Henry L. Weiss and wife Ida E. lived at 1411 Fourth Ave. S. in 1908. He worked at Thompson, Kehm & Co. In 1909, he worked as a clerk at Plymouth Clothing House, but they are still at the same address. There are 14 listings for Weiss in 1908 and 10 in 1909

21
May

Caught in the Cash Register

   Posted by: admin Tags: ,

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 21, 1906

Caught in the Cash Register

Thief Loses End of Finger in Russell M’Guire’s Store Saturday Night

A young man who resides in this city is minus the tip of the small finger on his right hand today as the result of a very bunglesome piece of robbery Saturday night in McGuire’s shoe store. In attempting to snatch money from the cash register while Mr. McGuire’s back was turned, the rascal caught his hand in the cash drawer as it was closed.

Mr. McGuire can give no particulars concerning the thief, although he knows him very well by sight. He is a young man about twenty-three years old who has been living in Fort Dodge this winter. The store was very crowded on Saturday night and Mr. McuGire (sic) was kept very busy waiting on trade. Several customers were lined up along the side of the store near the register. Mr. McGuire had just made a sale and was registering it. When the drawer of the machine closed it caught this young man’s hand and held it until he had snatched it away, leaving the tip of his finger to tell the tale. Mr. McuGire (sic) was very surprised, for he had not noticed the attempt until he heard the soft thud of the finger as it was crushed. With a coolness which belied his pain, the thief wrapped his finger in his handkerchief and walked from the store.

16
May

A False Arrest Made

   Posted by: admin Tags: ,

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 16, 1906

A False Arrest Made

So Says “Nutty Willie” who is Charged With Trying to Get a Free Meal

One L. Willie who goes by the well known appellation of “Nutty” in the absence of a know given name was arrested by one of the night patrolmen last night ont he charge of trying to beat a restaurant keeper out of a meal. Willie entered an eating house near the Central depot and ordered a good feed. When he had finished he turned about, said to the man behind the counter “Let’s see who can walk the fasted” and made for the door. He was captured by an officer before he had gone a block and placed in jail. This morning he claimed that a false arrest had been made for he had merely strolled out for a little air and had forgotten to pay his bill.

14
May

Horse Thieves are at Work

   Posted by: admin Tags: ,

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 14, 1904

Horse Thieves are at Work

Farmer Living Near Gowrie Loses a Horse Friday – Scheriff (sic) and Police Notified

Peter Olson, a farmer living between Harcourt and Gowrie, is mourning over the loss of a horse which was stolen from his farm Friday night. The animal is described black with star on forehead, weighs 1,450 pounds, and is four years five months old.

The horse was taken from the Olson farm some time late Friday afternoon or evening. It was through possible that the person or persons in whose possession the animal now is came in the direction of this city. Sheriff Henry Olson was notified this morning and is offering a reward of $50 for the apprehension of the thief or thieves.

28
Mar

Left On The Prairie in His Stocking Feet

   Posted by: admin Tags: , ,

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 28, 1903

Left On The Prairie in His Stocking Feet

What Happened to the Man Who Tried a Game of Bluff on a Gilmore City Merchant.

Gilmore City, March 28. – A high handed game of bluff was worked on Charley Neel on Thursday evening of last week, by a fellow who is working for his board, for a prominent farmer west of town. He represented himself as being the owner of a farm a short distance out, and was very much in need of a pair of rubber boots, but did not have the money with him to pay for them.

He put up a great talk, at the same time putting on a pair of boots which just suited him, but he thought he wouldn’t take them today, but he would wait till Saturday when he would be in with some butter and eggs. A lady customer coming in at this time, he changed his mind, and while Mr. Neel was waiting on her the fellow walked out, carrying his old shoes in his hand, saying that he would throw them in his buggy and then come back.

Mr. Neel was suspicious that all was not right, and went out to investigate, and discovered his man sauntering along towards the north, and followed him until the fellow turned west, at Hunter’s corner, and increased his speed. Then Mr. Neel put Marshal Stebbins on his trail and the fellow was overtaken on the bottom west of town. He refused to come back within the incorporation without a warrant, but was finally induced to give up the boots, and he was left on the prairie in his sock feet. Instead of being a prosperous farmer, the fellow hasn’t a dollar.