The Stove Thief, the Opium Smoker, and the Crooked Colony

The colony of crooks which the police have been bringing up to the rack within the past two or three days was increased yesterday by the arrest of F. McGee, 18 years, on conclusive proof that he stole ten or eleven stoves from Alfred Tersult's storehouse at the corner of King and Sixth streets some time last week. It appears that McGee, previous to sacking the store, went to Cohn & Cahn, second-hand dealers at the foot of Yesler avenue, and made arrangements to sell the goods. The storekeepers were not acquainted with McGee and supposed that the transaction was all right. When they discovered the true state of affairs, they told Officer Mefford the story of how they came to purchase the stoves and revealed the name of the seller. Officer Mefford says that the second-hand men told him that young McGee came to the store, and after making arrangements for the sale, asked for their team to go to the warehouse after the goods. As it happened, their team was busy, so the boy had to get an expressman. The stoves were taken out of the warehouse on King and Sixth streets done up in sacks.

Officer Mefford said that when he went down to see McGee's father about the case, Mr. McGee said he saw the stoves taken away, but that it was done by a middle-aged German with black hair. When Mefford found Expressman Conklin, who did the hauling, and asked him who it was that hired him to get the goods, he said that it was a young fellow with red hair and light eyes. The young fellow brought the stoves out unassisted and handed them up to him in the wagon.

When young McGee was captured yesterday morning on King street, near the scene of the robbery, he said innocently: "What have I done that you should arrest me?"

"Well, there have been charges filed against you," replied Mefford. The boy walked along a short distance and then suddenly remarked:

"Well, you don't mean to say that I stole those stoves."

"I didn't say anything about stoves," replied the officer, and the march to the station went on from this point in silence.

McGee is practically a boy, and gives his occupation as a plumber. He is 5 feet [blank] inches tall, weighs 160 pounds, has gray eyes and hair that is nearer red than any other color. So far as is known, he has no criminal record.

It is the intention of the police to arraign McGee in the municipal court this morning. An investigation will have to be made to ascertain whether the facts in the case will warrant a charge of burglary. If not, the complaint will be petty larceny, notwithstanding an afternoon paper said the stoves were valued at $60. Officer Mefford said if any one was anxious to buy the stoves he thought they could be bought for about $5.

H. H. Ford, the "dope" fiend who was caught in the act of burglarizing the Famous Clothing House, at the corner of Front and Cherry streets, Sunday morning, has lost all the nerve he possessed. Yesterday he told Chief Rogers that he had concealed fully $100 worth of trousers, coats, shirts and silk handkerchiefs and led the officers to a shack near the corner of Jackson and Fifth streets, owned by G. D. Butterfield, where the goods were found.

For some time Officer Williams was trying to locate Ford's sleeping place, but the wily morphine fiend managed to keep it a secret. The goods belonged to the Famous Clothing House, which is conclusive proof that Ford has been robbing the store at different times for the past few weeks.

It was learned yesterday that Ford traveled in Montana under the name of "Kid" Manning or Maynard. At one place in Montana, thought to be Butte, he was arrested for attempting to hold up a faro game. On the first trial he was convicted, but after lying in jail eleven months he got a new trial and won his case. Sometimes he is called the "Smokehouse Kid," but as far as can be learned in this city the only reason for such a title is that he smokes opium, though he perhaps may have robbed smokehouses.

The criminal complaint charging him with burglary was filed yesterday in the municipal court, where he will be arraigned this morning at 10 o'clock.

Harry England, who has confessed robbing the room of Miss A. C. Leonard, at 231 Columbia street, of a gold watch and $4 in cash, will be arraigned in court this morning. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Morris will make the charge burglary if the facts warrant, otherwise grand larceny. The watch was the one mentioned in the Post-Intelligencer yesterday morning as having been recovered by Detective Philbrick after a long chase.