Dan Cherry: Thieves abound during 1926 in Lenawee County
Thefts from homes, businesses and summer cottages happen regularly in Lenawee County just like anywhere else, and the crimes are not a new happening.
Recently, a man was arrested stealing trailers from various places around the region, at one point running from police during a traffic stop. Thanks to a screenshot from a police officer's body-worn camera, the man was identified and caught.
The year 1926 saw a number of thefts reported across the county, with police having success in some cases but not in others. Cars, food and clothing appeared to be the top items sought by thieves.
On New Year's Eve, Perry Satterthwaite's car was stolen from in front of Witherell Hall in Tecumseh. It was found the next day by Frank Bushroe, parked along the road three miles west of Dundee.
On Jan. 5, Toledo police found four suits in the possession of a man shot and killed during an altercation. The suits had been taken from the Butler and Son store in Morenci Dec. 26. Three suspects were arrested a few days later. Claude Colvin, Maude Mack and Eva Evans, all of Toledo, were booked on charges of stealing $7,000 in merchandise from the Morenci store.
On Thursday, Feb. 11, 1926, Benjamin Strong of Maumee Street notified police his car had been stolen from out in front of the Croswell that night. Police canvassed the city and, two hours after they set out, found the vehicle parked on Winter Street.
In mid-April, "marauders" broke into Lincoln Elementary School in Adrian and stole all of 54 cents from a desk. The Central school had been broken into a few nights before, and a meal had been taken. Police were able to determine William Jones, a transient from Buffalo, New York, was responsible for the Lincoln burglary, although no money was found on him.
The same week, police were working to solve the theft of wool from three different farms across the county. Franklin Township Supervisor William Spalding reported more than 50 fleeces were taken from his farm April 15. The wool was valued at $300 and was the third theft of wool reported countywide that week.
On April 24, Robert Moore of Tecumseh went to his Sand Lake cottage to prepare it for the summer season and found a record player, a boat motor, a refrigerator and clothing were taken sometime over the winter. A lock to the cottage on the lake's eastern shore had been broken, giving burglars access. As is the case with many of today's lake home break-ins, the theft had taken place anywhere between the fall and early spring, the thieves likely long gone.
On May 14, a "prowler" entered the home of Lamont Simmons northeast of Tipton and took Simmons' business suit, a gold watch and a pair of trousers.
During the night of May 29, a hungry burglar took all the groceries from a car owned by William Craft on College Avenue in Adrian.
On June 25, a boat motor belonging to E.T. Rosencrans of Tecumseh was taken from the boat tied to a dock at Sand Lake. The only clue at the scene was the motor appeared to have been loaded into a car and driven away.
Floyd Leonard reported to police July 26 that his car was spirited away by thieves from his Palmyra Township home. There was no word whether Leonard's vehicle was ever found.
On Oct. 3, a more serious crime of theft was reported when Lorenzo Beal, south of Manitou Beach, reported someone stole his car from the church he was attending at the time. Inside the car was a gold watch, two suitcases and a gun. It is also unknown if Beal's belongings were ever recovered. Other thefts that were solved typically were committed by people who lived well outside the area.
Just before Christmas, Judge J.N. Sampson and his wife returned home from being away for a couple days and found their home at 523 S. Main St. in Adrian had been entered and ransacked. After taking inventory, it was found the theft took just one business suit belonging to the judge.
Without social media and other means to vastly spread information beyond newspaper accounts at the time, it appears in part that 1926 was a year where a burglar could do his or her handiwork and head out for the horizon with their plunder, never to be seen or heard from again.
Dan Cherry is a Lenawee County historian.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Dan Cherry: Thieves abound in 1926 in Lenawee County
