The Daily Dispatch: February 15, 1861., [Electronic resource]

Joseph Wrenn, a lad, hailing from the Monumental City, was apprehended at an early hour yesterday morning in the lower part of the city by officer Seal, on the charge of appropriating to his own use and behoof, a two dollar and twenty-five cent umbrella, the property, goods, and effects of Mr. G. A. Farrar. The owner discovered the transaction, and handed over the trespasser to the officer's care. It did not appear that the ‘"early bird"’ who was accused had obtained possession of the property by the kind of ‘"confidence game"’ similar to that practiced by those ‘"fishers of men, "’ who are occasionally ‘"hooked"’ in out of the way places and brought before the Recorder for playing their tricks on two-legged gudgeons. The umbrella was standing alone, and Wrenn being a youth ‘"infinite in faculties"’ chose to adopt it. He did wrong, but there being no special felonious intent apparent, the Recorder chose to let Wrenn out of his cage with an admonition, and the ‘"early bird"’ evaporated with a salam of thanks of appropriate magnitude.