Plymouth Republican, Volume 45, Number 41, Plymouth, Marshall County, 29 August 1901 — Page 1

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vmo cpuoi Recorders office 17feb01 VOLUME 45. PLYMOUTH, INDIANA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1901. NO. 41

SHREWD POSTAL CLERK MYSTIFIES DETECTIVES

Indianapolis Railway Mail ftoent Captured ftUer Three Years Unconfirmed Suspicion o! His Guilt. Indianapolis, Aug. G. One of the most remarkable letterstealing records made since the establishment of the railway mail service is credited to Frank M. Smallwood of this city, who for three years baffled detection and so won the confidence of the government officers that they actually apologized to him on one occasion for having suspected him, and afterward counseled -with him as to the best means for catching the thief. At times it seemed as if the thief was actuated only by an in ordinate curiosity, for there were weeks at a time when letters addressed to women only and written by women only were tampered with or actually stolen. Then again packages containing jewelry, dry goods and other articles would be rifled or opened and inspected and then forwarded to their destination At other times letters only would be opened or stolen. So adroit was the thief that the government officers could not get him with decoys, for these always passed through the mails with their contents intact, and in the meantime letters were disappearing from the mails at the rato of ten or a dozen a day. Smallwood lived with his wife and three children at 1717 Park avenue, and since 1S90 had been running between this city and -Tittsburg, Pa., on the Panhandle lino. He worked in a car with a number of other clerks, but he -was assigned to mail destined for Kansas, and it was from this mail that letters and packages legan to disappear in December, 1898. Inspectors Holmes and Fletcher were assigned to run down the thief, and they have leen working on the case ever since, it being only last week that Smallwood was caught, redhanded, and made a full confession. Soon after the officers began an investigation they were convinced that there was no trouble west of this city, and that the letters were rifled between here and Pittsburg. In one month sixteen letters were lost, and all of these were addressed to persons in Topeka. Suspicion at once fell upon Smallwood, and he was transferred from Chief Clerk Blackburn's crew to that of Chief Clerk Miller, and a close watch was kept on the Kansas mril. Ttfprs continued to disappear or reach their destination i after being opened, but, as the same mail was handled at other points, there was still room for question as to Smallwood's guilt. About this time the suspect was injured and had to lay off for thirty days. The Kansas mail was carefully watched . during this time, and on one occasion three letters were found to have been opened. This threw the officers entirely off the scent and they "reachel the conclusion that some one else was robbing the mails and that the thief, whoever he was, was trying to throw suspicion on Smallwood. The finding of the opened letters in the Kansas mail when Smallwood was not on the run fully justified this theory, the officers thought, and they turned in other; directions to find the thief. As soon as Smallwood recovered Inspector Holmes sent for him to come to his Cincinnati office,, anct there ho told him candidly of the suspicions that had rested upon him and the satisfaction it gave the officers to find that he was not the thifc!. Holm s and Smallwood then discucsed pfcns for catching the robber, and Smallwood's manner

was so open and frank and he

seemed to enter so heartily into the proposed plans, that, if any lingering suspicion had remained it would have been entirely dis sipated by the interview. The mail clerk returned to his run and letters and packages address ed to Kansas people continued to disappear in increasing num bers. Having become convinced o - Smallwood's innocence the officers went in other directions for the thief and, of course, the further they went the further they got away from the real cul prit. In the meantime Small wood made regular reports to the office of letters which were opened and was apparently do ing all he could to assist Inspec tors Holmes and Fletcher to catch the thief. Hundreds of letters were now disappearing every month from the mails and the officers were getting desperate. They had now been after the thief since 1898, and did not seem to be any nearer a solution of the mystery than they were the day they be gan their investigatton. Every trail was run down with dogged patience and they were finally compelled, though reluctantly, to oeiieve tnat ömaiiwood was the thief and that he was laugh ing in his sleeve at the facility with which he was gulling them. It was then that they changed their plan of investigation. Every day when Smallwood left his car the officers entered it secretly and went over all his mail. Then they actually travel ed to Kansas m the car to see that no letters or packages were abstracted between this, place and the points of delivery. This was kept up for some time, and always with the result that the missing letters had been taken out before reaching this city, and all the opened letters were in the sacks when they came in on the car. Still actual evidence of Smallwood's guilt was wanting and the officers knew that it would not do to arrest him unless they were sure of finding some of the stolen mail on his person. One morning last week Inspectors Holmes and Fletcher were at. the Union station when the Panhandle train arrived, and when Smallwood got out of his car the officers were looking at him through the glass or a partly closed door. Smallwood came jauntily alosg swinging his lunch basket in his hand, and, as he passed through the door one of officers caught him by the arm and the other took possession of the basket. When the latter was opened it was found to contain a number of letters to Kansas people, several articles of feminine wearing apparel, such as women send through the mail, tw or t,hree stamPed Phages and a lady's -nurse with some money in it. 11 omauwooa saw mat ne was caught and confessed that it was he who had been so long robbing the mails. He says he does not know why he robbed the letters, but he could not help it. The officers believe his peculations 'will amount to $2,500 or $3,000 and confess that it has been the hardest case that they ever worked on. Islands to be Sold. Montreal, Que., Aug. 28. The number of islands in the St. Lawrence Thousand Island group to be placed upon the market by the Dominion Department of the Interior numbers approximately 500. They are distributed over the river between Kingston and Brockville, and range from five acres to two-one hundredths of an acre in extent. As soon as the plans of the islands and the conditions of sale are printed offers to buy will be received by the department. In the event of two or more applications for tho same island, the parties will be asked to tender, and the property will bo sold to the highest bidder.

RICH MISER

PADDY K EARNS DIES IN SQUALOR OF STARVATION An Eccentric Characte of Tarry town, N- Y., Who I hed on Gartxice, Refused Medico Aid and Thought it a Shame to Waste Moneu on a Coffin tor His wife. Tarrytown, N. Y., Aug. 27 "Paddy" Kearns, miser, hermit, and an eccentric character, is dead. He died at his home in North Broadway, where he has lived for over fifty years, and the doctors say he starved himself to death. Kearns was taken ill last week. He lived alone and had no one to care for him, excepting his cousin, Mrs. Thomas Fallon, who called once in a while to see him. He refused to call in a doctor, saying he could not afford to spend the money, and he was stubborn until the end. The cause of death was "starvation." Kearns was one of the characters of North Tarrytown. He came to this country from Ireland in 849 and settled in Tarrytown. His home was a rickety one ana a nur story ouuaing, and was an eyesore to the neighbors. Many wealthy people lived near him, and he was often 0 ' offered more than the value of his property, but he stoutly re fused, saying, "not if you offered me 810,000." In the room down stairs he had a stove, table and two cnairs. He bought bread once in a while, but generally he' ate his neigh bors garbage. He always plead ed poverty and was a mean man. He owned one of the best wells in tne village, yet ne would al low no one to take a pail of water from it. If any one attempted it ho would throw dirt in the pail. Many stories are told of his miserable ways. Kearns always was a laboring man and worked hard as long as his age permitted. During tho panic in the early '70s Kearns went to the Westchester savings Pans in Tarrytown, where he had his money, and drew out every cent of it. He went to the bank with his dinner pail, The money he placed in the lower part and his dinner in the upper section. ' He thought no one would suspect that he had money.' After he drew the money out he was in terrible dread of everybody, and he walked the floor all night with the dinner pail in his hand. At sunrise next morning he started to walk o New York, and he. deposited the money in the Bowery Savings bank. Airs, aiion, ms cousm, once rented part of his house, and as she" stayed two days over he asked her for 60 cents for over time, and she paid him. He even regretted paying his wife's funeral expenses when she died eight years ago, saying it was a shame to put so much money in a lovely coffin to put underground. He had good health up to the last year. Not long ago he wanted to get married, bu:, would only consent to taking a young girl. It was expected when he died that he had big sums of money concealed about the house. A search was made today and not 1 cent was found. He always carried a pocketbook and two silver watches, but these were missing. His bank books were found, showing he had 87, 000 deposited in New York and Tarrytown banks. Kearns' property was assessed for 82, 000 personal. This he swore off last year. ; Sweden Running a Mine. , : Stockholm, Aug. -27. The imperialistic spirit of the great nations is forcing Sweden to socialism. The Gelivare Mining company, which began work in the enormous iron fields in Lap land, is reported . to be in financial straits. It is expected that the Swedish government will be

compelled to work the mines itself, and warned by the Transvaal's fate the government in order to keep out foreign capital is ouilding railways and keeping the developments of the country within safe bounds.

To. Make Lime Cheaper. Rockland, Me., Aug. 28. Scientists have just completed here -an investigation of a new process of burning lime which it is claimed will revolutionize the industry in that it will reduce the price of making lime from 50 to 75 per cent.- For the last week Professor Carleton Ellis of the Massachusetts " Institute of Technology, William 0. Webber, a Boston expert, and John C. Combs of Boston have, been here conducting elaborate tests at the kilns of Bryant & Kent. At the conclusion of their work they expressed themselves as entirely satisfied with the results obtained. By the new method, which is known as the Eldred process, a cheap grade of coal is used where heretofore wood has been necessary to get the best lime. ORIGIN AND STATUTES OF COLOMBIAN REVOLUTION Colon, Aug. 27, The United States gun-boat Machias has anchored in the harbor here. The German cruiser Tineta is expect ed shortly. The Chilian cruiser Ministro Centeno has been or dered to Guayaquil, and will probably proceed to Panama. The government sent troops on Saturday to Boca del Toro i. i j .i . . near wnicn town tne re Deis are reported. The censorship here prevents the transmission of political news or news unfavorable to the government. The revolt of the liberal Co lomoian reoeis, now two years old, lately assumed a more seri ous aspect by the liberal's con centration on the isthmus. It is believed they are contemplating aggressive action. Consequent ly, uneasiness prevails at Pana ma, the liberal objective, which was nearly captured a year ago. It is not believed the rebels wil molest the railroad, or interrupt traffic. The recent rebel raids along the railroad amounted to bloodless raiding, and ihe rob bery of Chinese storekeepers, the presence of a few govern ment troops apparently stopped There is a report that the gov em ment is bringing troops to protect the isthmus. This wii be difficult, without exposing to rebel attacks" the points whence they are taken. The area of the revolt is extensive. The Colombian government is m straits financially. At present forty Colombian paper dollars are equivalent in value to one gold dollar. The government is printing paper money indiscrim inately, lately established 'heavy export duties, payable in gold, and has sold monopolies and privileges of all kinds, all of which has greatly injured com merce. The conditions in the interior are bad. The government is well supplied with ammunition and this week unsuccessfully tried to become possessed of consignments of the same to Ecuador and Nicaragua in transit over the Panama' railroad. Dashed to Death. Bloomington, 111., Aug, 27. By the breaking of a cable in the Chenoa coal mine yesterday four miners were dashed to death, falling a distance of 247 feet. There were six men about to descend upon the cage, but just as it was about tö be lowered one boy and a grown man became alarmed over the snapping of something and stepped o Just then th9 cable parted close to the cage and it dropped to the bottom. The four men were instantly killed, the' neck of each being broken. Owing to the fact that there was nine feet of water at the bottom of the second vein it was a matter of difficulty to recover the bodies.

TURKEY'S DANGER

SULTAN'S BAD FAITH GAUSES FRENCH MINISTER TO WITHDRAW Time Tor Promises Has Passed and Turkey Nüst Now rulflll Her Undertakings The Situation is Critical and tne Integrity ot the Ottoman Cnplre Is Threatened. Paris, Aug. 23 A semi-offi-cial note just issued says: "On August 17 an arrangement concerning the various disputes between France and Turkey was effected with the Porte. The terms were drafted by the Ottoman Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tewfik Pasha, with the approval of the Sultan, who promised M. Constans, the French Ambassador to Constantinople, that the full text would be handed to him on August 18. M. Constans tel egraphed on Aug. v19 that none of the Porte's promises had been fulfilled. : "On Aug. 21 M. Delcasse, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, tel egrapnea m. uonstans tnat, in view of the complete disregard of its undertakings by Turkey, France was unable to continue the negotiations. M. Delcasse requested M. Constans to inform the Porte that he had received orders to leave Constantinople. "M. Constans communicated this to the Porte on Aug. 23, and announced that he would depart on Aug. 26. As none of the Porte's promises had been kept on that date, M. Constans left Constantinople." It was announced from the best source that the departure of M. Constans from Constantinople, in the circumstances, is tantamount to a partial rupture of Franco-Turkish relations. Munir Bey, who is in Switzerland, will be informed, as set forth in the semi-official note, that the French government does not desire him to return to Paris. The current affairs of the two ambassies can be carried on by the charges d'affaires, but all negotiations of a political nature will be entirely I suspended until the Sultan yields to the French demands. Tho French government holds that the Sultan has broken his word. He had promised full pay ment of the long-standing indem nities to the Frenchmen, amount ng to 12,000, 000 francs, but at the end of last week declined to pay the full amount, and offered a reduced sum, which was .refus ed by M. Constans, who waited Until yesterday, and then departed. - The Sultan made a final attempt to induce him to stay. M. Constans had left Therapia on board the Vautour, for Stamboul, where he was to take the Orient express. A court chamberlain arrived at Stamboul in post-haste from the Sultan, begging M. Constans to return to Therapia, and promising that everything would be satisfactorily settled. M. Constans declined to return, declaring the time for promises was past, and that it was for the Sultan to fulfill his undertakings. The French government will take no further steps in the matter, but will wait for the Sultan to move. It is thought the Sul- j tan will not allow the present situation to last very Ion i or Mag Mean End of Turkish Empire. Washington, D. C, Aug. 28 It is feared in - official circles here that the withdrawal of the French Ambassador from Constantinople marks the dissolution of the concert of European pow ers, under wnich the integrity of Turkey was guaranteed. By the reaty of Berlin all the -great powers of Europe subscribed to an agreement to refrain from any act that would tend to destrucion of the Ottoman empire. This action was taken to forestall what were conceived to be the designs of Russia to - -

seize on Turkish territory, and

Russia herself -was led to sub scribe to the agreement by force of circumstances. Although several times severe ly strained, notably by such events as the last war between Turkey and Greece, this pact has so far endured without amend ment; but it is apprehended now that, if the action of France is carried out to the extreme indi cated in the dispatches, each of the other signatory powers will feel obliged in self-protection to disregard the agreement and press upon Turkey the vast financial and other claims that have accumulated in the past quarter of a century, with a resuit of disrupting the present Turkish government. The Inevitable End. Boston, Mass., Aue. 27. The Northeastern Indemnity, a fraternal benefit insurance oreanization, with headquarters at Lowell, has applied to the insurance ! department for the . appointment r.f n rpppiwr tr tnVo rViaira its afpnirc Tf. nr,M 1 meet its death losses. ANOTHER HEATH APPOINTEE DISGRACES GOVERNMENT. U 1 U.LN , AUiT. -U, irrOOj .o. x.. x ever made m connection with the smuggling of Chinese across the Mexican border into the United States were made in Ari wucu win. x. Xiuey, uuiv J lector of customs at ogales: B. T . . 0 . F. Jossey, an immigrant inspec tor; Frank flow, a Chinaman liv ing ax uinton, aiex., just across the border from Nogales, were taken . into custody by special agents of the treasury and se cret service operatives. Other arrests are expected to follow wunra a aay o.- iwo. - It is stated that, with two or three exceptions, the whole customs and immigration adminis trations at Nogales are involved. ine numoer 01 uninamen wno nave oougnx meir way into me i 1 1 . . . 1 United States through the connivance of the rosrales officials is not known, but is believed to be large. Hoey was appointed from Muncie on the recommendation of Congressman Cromer and Perry Heath. Previous to his appointment he was foreman in the Midland steel plant at Muncie, and his selection for the Arizona collectorship was made as a recognition of labor, and especially of the organization to which Hoey belonged. His appointment was indorsed4 at the time by leading citizens of Muncie. One of Hoey's Indianapolis friends, who helped him arrange for his bond when he was appointed to the Arizona office, says Hoey's friends urged him to to remove all the men on the old collectors force and begin his

term with a new force. Hoey, it 52 years old. They were maris said, had the impression that ried twenty-one years ago and

his Indianapolis republican friends were trying to dictate to him and he declined to follow their suggestions. - . Hoei' flurioa ThurdB. Washington, D. C, Aug. 28 Developments in the case of Wm. M. Hoey and the other revenue officers stationed in Arizona, charged with smurrlinf? China- - OC3 J men into the United States, have taken on a new phase. It is directlv charged bv the hio-h v j - y I officials of the treasurv department, who have charge of the case, that among those smuggled into this countrv were a number of Chinese cirls. who were consigned to dens of vice in San Francisco to be held as slaves. Theagents of these places are constantly at work trvimr to smuggle girls across the Mexican ana vjanaaian . ooraers. rne 1 1 i 1 my I 1 government is always on the watch for them. Tt is olaimpd here that direct connection has been discovered betwAen thoco afrents and the Arizona corrunt officials. Hoey has been arrested and his hearing is set for xnursaay.

SAVAGE CRIME

GUTS WIFE'S THROAT AND HIS OWN IN PRESENCE OF CHILD Nicholas Rieblinger, Chicago Laborer, Severs His Jugular Vein With a Razor Tresh rrom His Wife's Neck, a Uttlc Granddaughter Screaming in Terror at the SceneChicago, Aug. 27. After cutting his wife's throat from ear to ear with a razor, Nicholas Rieblinger stood in front of a mirror and drew the blade across his jugular vein, falling by the side of his victim. The deed was committed yesterday afternoon at 4:3C o'clock, at the home of the woman s son, Jobn Maier Wo- öü6b JL.owe ave nue- Mrs. Rieblinger died on the to a hospital, and her husband expired shortly after arriving tnere. Tne mumer ana suicide were the result of an un successiui attempt oy meonn er to induce his wife to return to him. The little granddaughter of the murdered woman, Josephine Maeir, aged G years, stood in the ilnnTirn xt o n rl crro!imorl in 1 ovrni 4.4.1. . ji t t. Rieblinger had grabbed his wife by the throat and pinned her againsst the wall, while he drew a rusty table knife from his I 4L. V V 4UkXA I V V m V V4 'PVia Vlnr1o failorl to niorro tVio j u skin, and, drawing a razor, he shook open the blade and threw the woman to the floor. Planting his knee upon her breast, he struck right and left with the blade across her throat, until her face and his hands were covered with the blood that spurted over TTio ci-pnms nf tVi iitti o-jr-l brought her mother from a back room of the house. Overcome with horror at the sixrht that met her aze sne tried, to pull Riebi:nffer from the bodv of his vie I " tim and then ran screaminsr from the house, leaving her daughter a littie iri saw Rieblinger rise I -fwim -fVio I-vz-aJ t n-f Viic vt-i f n vt-lin then staggered to her feet and tried to open a door nearby, while blood spurted from her heck. She fell heavily to the llloor and lav motionless. Rieblinger then walked to a mirror, placed the razor caref ully against his throat, and. with several short, quick jerks, drove it home. Then he staggered across the room, leaving a crimson trail behind him, and fell by the side of his wife, their blood mingling and forming a pool on the floor. Both were gasping In the throes of death when policemen from the Twenty-Second street station arrived. The bodies were taken to Perrigo's morgue, No. 2970 State street. Rieblinger was 46 and his wife are survived by five children. During the last five years the husband had worked but little and the wife had been obliged to take in washing to support herself. They resided on Parnell avenue, near Thirty-First street, until about six weeks ago, when Airs. Rieblinger left her husband because of his continued id leness and went to live with the family of her son at his home on Lowe avenue. Thereafter her husband called f req uently to see her, and each tune begged her to return to him, but she steadfastly refused. lesterday aiternoon ne caueu asain, and, entering the house by me Kien aoor, iouna ms lfe preparing supper. G He at once began to plead for her return, and, getting ingntenea, sno ueii mm anu wout me punui P i 1 J . l- -w wo l j-vi. of the house. Rieblinger follow ed and she tried to escape by a door leading to the street, but it tras locked, and her husband, a man ot powerful build, over powered her and forced her against Ithe iwaii. me muraer ana tne suiciae loiiueu.

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