An Amusing Case
Item
- Title
- An Amusing Case
- Source
- Montgomery County Sentinel (MD)
- Date
- 12/2/04
- page
- 3
- Identifier
- https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83016209/1904-12-02/ed-1/?sp=3&q=theft&r=0.117,0.066,0.401,0.309,0
- Crime
- Theft
- Subject
- Thefts
- Race of alleged offender
- Black
- Gender of alleged offender
- Male alleged offender
- Gender of alleged victim
- Male alleged victim
- Stage of the Legal System
- Sentenced to thee years in Maryland house of corrections
- Location
- In state MD
- Length of story
- 536
- Description
-
An Amusing Case.—The emotions of
an audience listening to the trials of a crim
Inal docket before a court suddenly changed.
That of dread from the oft repeated terms of
murder and seduction from the path of
virtue in an assault case just finished to the
excitement of the risibilities by the artful
i ness of a negro boy charged by the State
f with stealing a coat now on trial. The emo
tion of laughter was aroused in the case of
the State of Maryland vs. Eddie Waits,
charged with stealing a coat from Uol. Wm.
Kilgour, of this town, and tried in the Circuit
Court here on Tuesday last. The Colonel
was the only witness, and his evidence ran
thus:
i Last August he employed Eddie Waits, a
ragged and unclean boy, to do some outside
work around bis home, for which Waits was
given some clothing and a pair of shoes, be
sides his wages. Eddie was engaged to come
back the next day to do some whitewashing
for the Colonel.
“Come early,” said the Colonel.
“Yes, sir,” replied Eddie, “I’ll have to
come early, as 1 expect a telegram in the
course of the day.”
Eddie did not put iu his appearance at
the appointed time. A few days later the
Colonel was working in his garden with
his coat banging on the fence hidden from
bis sight by the Intervening dwelling. Along
came a negro boy, of whom the Colonel In
quired
“Do you know Eddie Watts?" the Colo
nel mistaking the name.
"No, sir,” answered the boy. “Whore
does he live
“'Round in Monkey Run,” said l.he
Colonel.
“Yon mean Eddie Walts,” said the boy.
“Yes, that's the boy,” said the Colonel.—
”1 engaged him lo do some whitewashing
for me.”
“He’s no account; you can’t rely on him,”
said Waits, for it was none other than he,
disguised in the Colonel's gift of clothing,
''playing" him up in his blind side. He
sauntered off, yet unknown to the Colonel.
The Colonel’s work finished, he Started to
get his coat. It was mlßSing. Search was
instituted with the aid of Town Sergeant
Green, who, with the Inßtinct of Sherlock
Holmes, repaired to the Woodlawn Hotel,
where Eddie Walts was employed as a
waiter. In short, the coal was found in his
possession. His capture started a recount
of his exploits in criminal life and Imprison
ment. One of his petty thefts was recalled,
that be stole a dozen chickens at night from
a gentleman, after working lor him a day,
dressed and sold them to the gentleman’s
mother in-law.
The scene changed. The Court seriously
inquired of Eddie Waits if he had any reason
to give why sentence should not be passed
upon him. His counsel asked considera-
tion for bis age.
“How old is he? " asked the Judge.
“Eighteen years,” replied the counsel.
“Just old enough to be sent to the House
of Correction," said the Judge, and he was
sentenced to that institution for three years,
and warned that if he came before the Court
again he would get ten years. Waits pranky
countenance wore another cast and with it
he was marched back to jail.
- Site pages
- In State Theft
