The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-04-20
| PIcKpocKEr,s KINDERGARTEN.
A Remarka BILE Story Told by n Little Boy
OF His First Lesson in Theft. -
New York SUM-

1
of His First Lesson in Theft. -
New York SUM-
Policeman Herman Lefferts, of Inspector
Byrne's command, srraigned before Justices
Smith, Kilbreth and Power, yesterday, Ed
ward Logenstein, OF los Essex street. a
bright. intelligent lad of fourteen, for try
ing 10 pick pockets at Broadway and Union
Square on Monday afternoon. The thorough
fare il thronged every afternoon by ladies
on their shopping rounds. and there are FREE
quent complaints made to the police of
robberies. Lefferts saw several well-known
young thieves, but the boy Logenstein
evidently novice, went SO boldly to work
he said, as to particularly attract attention.
He put his hands right into ladies' pockets
and ran away when they turned TO look al
him. He got nothing however, but Lefferts
followed him and arrested him at Tenth
street and Broadway.
when / first saw him." said Lefferts,
II noticed him IN company with two
other boys whom We have under suspicion.
asked him if he knew them. He
said that he did; that they lived in his
neighborhood. | asked him what they were
doing. He replied that the boys belonged to
a thiefs school, that they were trained to
steal by man who lived in Ludlow street,
near Grand These boys he said, were sent
out by this man every afternoon to different
parts of the city. They were accompanied
by bigger boys, who watched them work,
and so soon as one of them stole purse or a
bit of lace, or silk handkerchief bigger
boy would come up and take the things He
said that when the little fellows were sent
out they carried books with them, as if they
came home from school. to throw of sus
picion.
& Il Il l. ~
Lefferts, who these boys were He gave
me the names of several of them, and also
told me that any Friday afternoon / could
see them coming out of the mans house in
Ludlow street. He said that the boys were
first taught by bigger boys, who worked
Grand street then asked him what he was
doing there, and he replied he was looking
on to see how it was done. Then | arrested
him"
Edward Logenstein had listened attentive
ly to what Policeman Lefferts had said He
denied emphatically having taken any part
in picking pockets. He said he knew there
was school for thieves, kept by a man in
Ludlow street, near Grand, and that several
| of his schoolmates belonged to il. He had
worked eight months for Oppenheimer g.
Mora, photographers OF No. "a North Will
lam street for So a week. The firm, how
ever, had moved TO Jersey City, and he had
been to Macy's that afternoon to apply for
work. On his return from Macys he met
three of the boys with school-boOks under
their arms. They were working Fourteenth
street. and pointed out to HIM two bigger
boys who were watching them from across
the street. They told him they had good
deal OF fun, and were well paid. Then they
told him to watch and see them work. He
saw them pick several ladies' pockets. But
he did not try to pick one.
"Where are YOUR DarentSG asked Justice
Smith.
My mother is sick, sir, and is now in
PoughkeepSie. and my father has gone to
take care of her"
What does your father do?"
HE interprets in the Police Courts for the
Bohemians. and sells cigars and anything he
can get. He met with an accident three
years ago, and can not work much. have
two younger brothers"
But you told the officer that you were
watching the boys steal so that you might see
how it was DONE" said Justice Kilbreth.
Now. what do you nlean?
IL did not intend TO steal, Judge, but /
heard so many boys talk about how they
picked pockets that | wanted to see how
they did it. Yes, Judge, l did give the po-
liceman the names of some of the boys
because heard them say they were made to
steal"
The lad was remanded to give time for
further investigation of his case.
Miss Fisher, who has charge of the Boys
Prison, said that Miss Elder, Logenstein s
| teacher in the Stanton Street School, had
called upon her and said the boy was re-
markedly intelligent and bright; that he
was an apt student, and she could hardly
believe he was guilty. Miss Elder said she
would try and find some person who knew
| the boy.
| While Miss Gertrude NJ. Hawthorne, OF
No. los East Twenty-third street, was walk
ing on Fourth avenue near Twenty-seventh
| street, on Thursday evening. David Melcer
eighteen years old, of No. 104 Bayard street
snatched her pocketbook, which he passed
to Morris Schoenberg, thirteen years old, oil
No. % Ludlow street. The two lads then
ran away. They were caught by Police
Captain Ryan Yesterday, in the Yorkvillt
Police Court, they were held in $1,000 bal
each. Melcer said he wanted to attend the
walking match at Madison Square Garden
and having no money to purchase a ticket
he concluded to steal some. There wa:
Sl.25 in the pocketbook.