Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1914 — Alf Randle Turns Car Over to Chicagoan. [ARTICLE]

Alf Randle Turns Car Over to Chicagoan.

-Arthur Spooner, whom it was alleged was the owner of the Ford touring car which Alfred Randle of Rensselaer, recently purchased of “Hank” Granger of Thayer, was down from Chicago Tuesday and was examined by W. H. Parkison, Mr. Randle’s attorney, before Court Reporter Wagner. Mr. Spooner had not been very near to the car since it was located here, but went on to tell ,pf various small distinguishing mark® that only one who had been intimately acquainted with the car could possibly know of. He told of some little details in the way of fixtures that he had put on the car and which Mr. Randle had removed, as he did npt want them, told of a hole in one of the rear tires at a certain place, etc., etc., and thor-

oughly convinced Mr, Randle that he was the owner of the car. He also had the original bill of sale ot the car from parties from whom he had purchased it. Accordingly Mr. Randle turned the car over to Spooner, and Wednesday morning, in company with W. H. Parklson and Harve Moore, Handle drove up to see Granger and find out what he proposed to do in the matter. The latter admitted that he was legally responsible to Randle for the value of the car, but denied any knowledge of its having been stolen. Told how he had come by it, etc. But he did not have the money just at the time to repay Mr. Randle, saying that he had bought and paid, for three cars that had been taken away from him, which had exhausted his funds. This car was stolen from Spooner s garage in Chicago on Sunday night, Oct. IS. On the 20th Mr. Randle was through Thayer and saw the car standing in front of Granger’s place. Granger told him that he had bought the car for his own use but lie had later got a heavier car and had no use for the Ford, and desired to sell it, so Mr. Randle states. Randle rode in the car to Lowell and was well pleased with it. He arranged with Granger to bring the car to Rensselaer the following Thursday, Oct. 22, which the latter did, and Mr. Randle gave him a check for $295 for the car. ' It has since been learned that the car was in Rensselaer on the 19th, in charge of a couple of strangers who tried to sell it here to Harve Moore and others, and that the parties said they had started on some long trip with the car and the wife of one of the men had taken sick and to give up the trip. It is reported that they offered the car to Moore for SIOO. We are told that when Randle and Parkinson were at Thayer Wednesday, Granger told them that he had bought the car of a couple of men who are supposed to have been the same who were here; that he paid $250 for it, giving a check for 5195, all the money he had in bank, and borrowed the other $55 of some one in Thayer. Granger informed Randle and Parkison when they saw him Wednesday morning that he had been arrested the evening before on an auto stealing charge and would have a preliminary hearing at Kentland before Squire Mauck on the 2Kth inst. It is reported to be the Intention

of ilio oillcers, if possible, to connect Granger directly, in some way, with tlie stealing of one or more of these cars and take him to Chicago for trial, but whether this can be done or not, remains to be seen. Mrs. B, F. Fendig, Mrs. I. M. Washburn and Miss Catherine Watson entertained the, three sew clubs at the home of the former on McCoy avenue Thursday nfternoon. Vern Jacks, who has been living in Lafayette for the pajst seven years, moved back to Rensselaer this week and occupies one of C. B. Steward’s tenant houses Jn the west Part of town. F. M. Norman, Jesse Nichole, C. B. Steward, Eph Hickman and Bert Overton returned Thursday evening from attending the grand lodge I. O. O. F. in Indianapolis. Mr. Norman was the delegate from Iroquois lodge of Rensselaer, and Messrs. Hickman and Overton, delegates to the «x---campment.