Joked Himself Into Jail

William Sams accused of stealing from Cook Hotel

NOVEL EXPLANATION when arrested was that he merely joked when he told friends that he had taken property

William Sams, a former employee of the Cook house, was arrested by Deputy Sheriffs Gillen and Kelsey, charged with having stolen $86 worth of property from the hotel about two years ago. The property consisted of $40 in money, a lady's cape valued at $40, and a pair of gentleman's trousers worth $6.

After the property disappeared, Sams was suspected, but as there was not sufficient proof to have him arrested he was simply discharged from the service of the house.

Tuesday, it appears, Sams was downtown with some friends. During his conversation with them the robbery of two years ago was brought up by Sams and it is said that he treated the affair as a joke, telling of how he disposed of the cape by throwing it down the elevator shaft. A person who heard the conversation communicated it to Proprietor Lepper and Sams was sent for. Before this, however, the cape had been found in a water tank in the house, where it had been thrown instead of down the elevator shaft, as Sams supposed.

The young fellow stoutly maintained his innocence, explaining that the information he gave his companions was merely in the nature of a joke. He was taken to the county jail, but up until this afternoon he still insisted that he had nothing whatever to do with the robbery.

The $40 which was taken was the property of one of the hotel waitresses, which she had been saving for some time and which she could ill afford to lose.