December 15, 2017

"He said, 'What were you arrested for, kid?' And I said, 'Littering.'"

A line from an old song crosses my mind as I read this story in the Naperville Sun:
William V. Winnie, 67, of the 1100 block of Greensfield Drive, was charged Dec. 2 with obscenity, disorderly conduct and littering after he was arrested earlier this month in Pratt’s Wayne Woods near the village of Wayne, according to court and DuPage County Forest Preserve District police reports....

Police say they had received reports dating back to October from people who had noted seeing the underwear... near a bridge along the path in the preserve....

According to the report, Winnie said he would routinely find underwear hanging from the trees along the Prairie Path, which he would take home, place in the plastic bags and then leave them at the bridge. Winnie reported leaving 15 to 20 pairs over the previous year.

“He described his actions as an experiment and said he wanted to see where it would go,” the report said....
Sounds like an art project. He keeps finding underpants. Somebody else is hanging up underpants on various trees. He seems to be reframing the situation in a more orderly way, bagging the evidence and putting it all in the same place. I'm as concerned about littering as the next person, but does this old man really deserve to have his photo, name, and (approximate) address printed in the paper?

We're told that some of panties were "accompanied by salacious photos," but that Winnie said he didn't know how that got in the bag.

You may be thinking his explanation makes no sense: What "experiment"? Where could it "go"?

I don't get it. 

Like the Underpants Gnomes, he did Phase 1, Collect underpants. Unlike the gnomes — whose Phase 2 was just "?" — Winnie's Phase 2 was: Package and redistribute underpants. But that doesn't get you to Phase 3: Profit. Winnie had "?" as Phase 3, and the police answered the question. Get arrested for littering.

30 comments:

rehajm said...

...and creating a nuisance.

David said...

Were these women's underpants? That would explain the arrest. In some way or other, it had to be harassment.

traditionalguy said...

This must be some kind of test. Do the underpants look like the Star Spangled Banner and if so what waist size?

rhhardin said...

It's a good thing they weren't banana peels.

David Begley said...

“but does this old man ....”

He has got only one year on you Althouse and you ain’t old. The children of the Summer of Love will never age. Forever Young.

Dopey cops don’t understand artists.

gadfly said...

Phase Three - A lonely old man attracts the attention of the gendarmes and gets his 5 x 7 glossy pasted on the front page of the local rag. Naperville authorities need to send him for a complete mental and physical exam. It sounds to me that he has the Donald Trump Syndrome.

Bad Lieutenant said...

Why the hell are people finding under pants in trees in Wisconsin? I've heard of finding underwear hanging in trees on the route for illegal immigrants to Mexico, apparently because the coyotes rape the young ladies.

David Begley said...

Don’t the Chicagoland cops have some unsolved murders to work on?

Some Seppo said...

Sentenced to sit on the bench with Group W.

Wilbur said...

David Begley said...
Don’t the Chicagoland cops have some unsolved murders to work on?

Not many homicides in Naperville, a tony western suburb.

David Begley said...

Wilbur

And the fact that Chicagoland has all of these little towns is part of the problem. The cops can’t be moved to where they are needed. Too much government spending by each little town. And people think they are safe in their suburb. Weak annexation laws. Nebraska doesn’t have that problem.

The Nebraska way is the best way.

AllenS said...

New underpants or used underpants. Very important question.

Jeff Brokaw said...

Sounds like some folks been gettin' busy in the forest preserve and leaving the underwear behind.

Jeff Brokaw said...

Just for clarity on the facts here: the Village of Wayne, adjacent to the forest preserve, is tiny, semi-rural, unincorporated but _very_ wealthy. Naperville, where the guy lives, is a typical big, fairly wealthy suburb and about 10 miles from Wayne. I live near both.

Wilbur said...

Jeff Brokaw, my brother-in-law, who lived in Winfield for many years, used to take me to Old Wayne to play golf. Very nice area.

David Begley said...

But for Nebraska’s annexation laws Omaha today would be surrounded by Benson, Dundee, Millard and South Omaha. Warren Buffett would be the Oracle of Dundee.

The Nebraska way is the best way,

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

I'm as concerned about littering as the next person, but does this old man really deserve to have his photo, name, and (approximate) address printed in the paper?

But it's the Midwest! And hanging underpants from trees, well......THAT'S NOT NORMAL!!!

Darrell said...

Were these women's underpants? That would explain the arrest. In some way or other, it had to be harassment.

Or general perversion--stealing them off clothes lines or laundrymat bags/dryers. Then next step is a home break-in to get "fresh" hamper quarry, and the next step-- as per FBI profiling-- is rape.

TerriW said...

What a small world. Just last night, I was at Resurrection church, next door to Pratt's Wayne Woods, while my kids' band was practicing.

I suppose it was better that I sat and read while waiting, rather than wandering off and investigating.

Ann Althouse said...

"Were these women's underpants?"

Did anyone read that story and picture men's underpants hanging on trees?

walter said...

Blogger David said...Were these women's underpants?
-
Without gender information, any reaction is risky.
Roof-topping is more honorable.

walter said...

I eagerly await ihavemisplacedmypants' comment..

Roy Lofquist said...

Here's that old song -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57gzA2JCcM

Jay Vogt said...

I have that song on my phone and (as Arlo would say) it "comes around" on random play once or twice a year when I'm out on a long ride on my bike. It always puts a smile on my face (especially if I'm on a boring stretch of my ride) because he's such a good storyteller and I know that i'll be amused and get a few smiles for the next twenty minutes or so.

What's really stunning though is how politically incorrect the song is. I wonder how/if Arlo can perform it today.

Jay Vogt said...

There is a long history too of bra/panty trees at ski areas. I think the original was on the old Bell Mountain lift at Aspen. Vail has a great Bra/Panty tree now too. And I've seen them in Utah as well. They bring a smile to everyone. Ski lifts are magical places anyway.

PJ said...

What, no Kinks?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5xZghyIdrho

ngtrains said...

I saw the written lead [ Litterin" and thought -"Alice's restaurant".
Had not heard that for 40+ years. great old song. it was fun to hear again.

I have it on vinyl somewhere. (I've been meaning to convert the vinyl to CDs sometime.
Played it a lot until we went modern and now there is no turntable.

We were in Stockbridge a couple of year ago, and the old restaurant is still there -
now closed, but the sign says this was the place. Interesting town to visit. Norman
Rockwell's museum is there.

bozonomous said...

Alices Restaurant, They were arrested for littering

Anonymous said...

I don't have access to the relevant statute (or municipal ordinance), but I doubt very much that it applies to picking up litter that has already been littered and moving it to another place.

And if it does, then that's a very stupid statute (or municipal ordinance).

Though it would hardly be the first.

Darrell said...

I think it's safe to assume that the police don't believe his story of just finding the panties discarded. They will check for reports of local break-in where nothing apparently was taken--then ask those women to come in and see if they can identify any of the panties. Or check for thefts at health clubs, swimming pools. Things like that. In any event, he is now on police radar.