Catching the Wool Thieves in Farmer Township

When wool and grain began disappearing in Farmer Township in 1898, Mr. Tomlinson decided to try to set a trap to catch the villains.  Did it work?

"IN FARMER TOWNSHIP

The Petty Thieves Take Wool From Mr. W. S. Tomlinson

When Marketed It Was Identified and a Family of Heretofore Good Standing Are Charged With the Crime. 

Farmer township farmers have been trouble for some years past with petty thieving, and now they have a case on hand which bids fair to prove serious for the alleged thieves.

On the 8th of May, during the night season, someone broke into the granary of W. S. Tomlinson and stole a number of fleeces of wool.  On the 31st of May, Mrs. James Crary, of that neighborhood, and her daughter, Grace, drove to Defiance and marketed some wool at H. P. Miller's.  They sold that wool in the name of Brown and had the check given by Mr. Miller in payment drawn to Grace Brown.  On the same day, Mrs. Crary and daughter sold a small amount of wheat to the Maumee Valley Milling company and that transaction was conducted in the name of Mrs. Brown.

The Crarys were suspected of having stolen the wool, and accordingly, Mr. Tomlinson and his neighbor, Mr. Beattie, came to Defiance last Thursday to investigate.  They called upon the H. P. Miller company and related the circumstances and stated that they believed it was Mr. Tomlinson's wool which had been sold there by the Crarys.  They further explained that when Mr. Tomlinson sheared his sheep, he wrote his name upon slips of paper and placed one of the slips inside of each fleece.  They then looked over the stock of wool and picked out some fleeces which they believed had been stolen from Mr. T. and opened them, when, sure enough, they found the tell tale slips of paper bearing his name inside each one.

Mr. Tomlinson then went before Justice of the Peace, Edwin Phelps and made affidavit, upon which warrants were issued for Mrs. Crary, her daughter, Grace, and son, Hugh, on the charge of burglary and larceny.  Sheriff Elser was directed to serve the warrant for the arrest of the accused and he at once drove up to Farmer township and placed them under arrest.  

Today they came before Justice Phelps and plead not guilty and were held in the sum of $300 to appear before the next grand jury.  Mr. Crary was sent for to come down and sign their bond.

It is not thought that Mr. Crary is in any way connected with the crime.  He was up in Indiana at a little lake fishing on the day the wool was brought here and sold.  

The Crary family are prominent and quite well-to-do farmers of Farmer township, having heretofore gone in good society and their accusation creates quite a sensation."

Defiance Democrat - June 9, 1898

The gossips carried the news and in the same paper, the Farmer Center reporter sent in this account of the uproar.  Why would the Crarys risk their good reputation?

"Williams Center is all torn up over the arrest of Mrs. James Crary, daughter and son, Hugh.  W. S. Tomlinson had some wool stolen the night of the eighth of May.  Mr. Tomlinson had before suffered from wool thieves and prepared for them this time by marking his wool,and the marked fleeces were found to be the ones sold to H. P. Miller, of Defiance, the 31st of May by Mrs. Crary and daughter Grace.  Mr. Crary owns a good farm and is in good circumstances.  Why will people jeopardize their characters for such paltry sums as a few fleeces of wool would bring?  Or why at all?" 

It appeared that Fred Crary (who may or may not be the same as Hugh Crary) was the one responsible for the thefts, but his mother and sister then marketed the goods.

"CRARY COMES IN.

The Young Man Who Stole the Wool Is In Jail.

Fred Crary, the young man who was indicted by the recent grand jury on the charge of burglary, in taking wool from the granary of W. S. Tomlinson, of Farmer township, a few weeks ago, came into the city Tuesday morning (and) delivered himself up to Sheriff Elser, who placed him in jail to await trial.

The Sheriff has been pretty warm on the track of young Crary for several days past, which undoubtedly caused the latter to decide upon his course.  He saw that his capture was inevitable and a matter of but a little time, and therefore concluded to end the chase.

His case, and that of his mother and sister, who were indicted for receiving and selling the stolen wool, will probably be disposed of at this term of court."

So far, the fates of Mrs. Crary and Grace have not been discovered, but Fred paid a dear price.

"CRARY SENTENCED.

"Fred Crary, the young man who stole the wool from W. S. Tomlinson a few weeks ago, pleaded guilty of burglary in Common Pleas Court this morning and was sentenced to 18 months in the penitentiary."