Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 108, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1914 — SUSPECTS ALL JAILED BYVIGILANT POLICE [ARTICLE]

SUSPECTS ALL JAILED BYVIGILANT POLICE

Information That Crooks Accompanied Show Proved Ample Warning for Rensselaer. Marshal Shesler followed a plan on circus day that we believe will receive the approval of all otf our citizens and his action was doubtless responsible tor the fact that there was not a robbery committed during the day or night. The marshal of Roachdale had sent a warning to the effect that burglars and crooks preceded the show and that at Roachdale and other places stores 'had been robbed. He told what make of clothing had been stolen and gave descriptions that would have resulted in the airrest of the burglars (had they shown up here. Marshal Shesler and Night Watch Critser got busy Tuesday evening and gave every stranger the “once over,” but no’ suspicious characters were seen. Upon the arrival of the show, however, (there were a number of suspects about town and Marshal Shiesfler, with special officers Billy Parks, Elmer iGwin and Peter .McDaniel put in a busy day and* when evening came they had six underworld fellows in the county jail. Three were white men and three were negroes. To the credit of the show management, be it said, that they gave every possible assistance to the officers and the men who were jailed were all- declared to have no connection with the circus. They were all without money and could not give any good reason why they were traveling about. The three white men were rounded up at the match factory, which is the haven of the Weary Willies. The six men were kept in jail over night and shown the way out of town the tollowing morning and informed that it they were caught in town they would be put to work on the rOck pile None of them doubted the marshal’s word and their fear of Work caused them to “beat it” out of town. (Marshal Shesler seems to have handled the show menace in very commendable style and it was far better to have jailed the suspects and thus issued a warning to all crooks than to have taken a chance on them Committing some act that might have caused them to remain boarders at the jail for a long time. The only incident of crooked dealing at the show ground occurred in the afternoon. Judson Michal met a man who wanted paper money tor some* change. Jud accommodated • him, giving him three one dollar bills and one two dollar bill, $5 in all, and taking change in return. He counted the change and found that he had re> eeived only $2.90. He reported the incident to Marshal Shesler and offered to point out the short change artist He found him in the animal tent and the fellow made a weak protest and then forked over the $2.10 balance. James Warner lost his watch, but believes he dropped it while running and does hot think it was stolen. A purse containing some money and which the owner can probably readily identify, awaits the owner at this office. Tt was picked up by Carl H. Sternberg, the dredge ditcher. The circus day passed off very pleasantly. The crowd was not so large as It usually is tor the big circuses, but the show was a very creditable one and those who saw it enjoyed it very much. The side show did a big business and was as “Xakey” as most sideshows, while a hooehy-coochy dance, which the barker announced would be “760 per cent hotter than tobacco sauce,” adding confidentially, fia word to the Wise is sufficient” and it was Sufficient to the “unwise” who made their quatrers rattle on the ticket sellers’ desk like bricks on a tin root The hoodhle coochie is said to have been after the pattern off the “Streets of Cairo” at the World’s Fair in 1893, and at least “760 degrees” more disgusting than it was hot The show had about a twothirds crowd both afternoon and night, but the manager stated that he was well phased. At Linden the day before the khow did no business at all. •