The Evansville Journal

A HORSE STOLEN AT HENDERSON.

It was brought to this City.

On last Saturday, Thomas McNair hired a saddle horse at Bullen's livery stable, and proceeded to Henderson. On his arrival at that city he went to Robert Dixon, a livery stable keeper, and offered to sell the horse, saddle and bridle for one hundred dollars which Dixon at once knew was less than the horse was worth, Dixon told McNair that as he was a stranger to him, he would like for him to give him a reference. McNair said he would refer him to Captain Below, proprietor of the American House at Evansville. Mr. Dixon telegraphed to Captain Below, inquiring as to whether McNair was "all right" To this Below, telegraphed an answer that he did not know for certain; that he had heard some tales about McNair that were to his disadvantage, and advised him to be cautious about buying the horse. On the receipt of this telegram, Dixon declined purchasing.

The dispatch to Captain Below was received about eight o'clock on Saturday night. About nine o'clock Chief of Police Royston happened to drop into the American House, and was shown Dixon's telegram. Knowing that something was wrong, he went to the telegraph office to send a dispatch to Henderson; but as the office at Henderson was closed, he could not get the dispatch forwarded. He then went "the rounds" of the livery stables, to see if any of them had hired a horse to McNair, and found that Tom Bullen had furnished him with a saddle-horse. Royston and Bullen then took horses and started for Henderson. They went down on this side of the river and ferried across at Henderson, leaving their horses on this side. They got to Henderson at two o'clock on Sunday morning, and finding a saloon open, learned that McNair had sold the horse, for sixty five dollars, to a farmer named Lewis Fisher, who resides seven miles from Henderson, on the Madisonville road.

After a vigilant search, aided by the police of Henderson, McNair was discovered at the Broadway Hotel, and Fisher was also found. After talking to McNair for a while, Royston induced him to return sixty dollars of the money to Fisher. Five dollars, or the greater portion thereof he had already used. McNair seemed to think it was only a "breach of trust," and he willingly returned to this city on the Quickstep yesterday morning, and on his arrival was immediately lodged in jail, on the charge of grand larceny.

McNair is very well known in this city, although he only came here a few months ago. He first went into the shoe business as the successor of C. I. Cramer, of the firm of Cramer & Salat. When he concluded his trade with Cramer, as we are informed it was agreed that he should pay a certain amount in thirty days. When the thirty days had expired, Cramer called on McNair for his payment when it turned out that he had no money, and that he owed the store about $180, which he had taken from the drawer at different times, but which he was unable to pay. Of course, there was an immediate dissolution, and to use an expressive phrase, McNair was "kicked out."

Shortly after this, a venison ham was stolen from Parsons, Scoville & Moffett's grocery, and, upon investigation, it was found at McNair's house, who, although he denied taking it, said he would pay for it rather than have any trouble about it. Although the evidence against him was of the most positive character, the firm did not prosecute him.

Shortly afterward he left the city, leaving many persons in the "lurch" who had trusted him. His fine appearance and gentlemanly manner were well calculated to deceive. His family, we understand, are now at Indianapolis, and we do not know what brought him down here. He is in a bad fix, and the Grand Jury will probably take up his case to day. We have heard a great many other things about him, but only give enough to show the public the character of the man.