The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-25
AN INFANTILE BURGLAR,
A Milwaukee Boy With Remarkable
Record of house-Breaking.
From the MiIicamltee Sentinel.

From the 4Nillc1ltkee Sentinel
If there ever was an incorrigible boy it is
little Johnnie Mclaughlin, whose con-
science didn't disturb his slumbers any
more than did the hardness of the plank on
which he slept in a cell of the Central Police
station last night Detectives Hannifin and
Baldwick placed him there, and it was
about the tenth time that tie little shaver
had peered out through a grating of that
kind. Little Johnnie is II years old. but his
size and general appearance make him APP
pear about s. Be is rs keen as the edge of a
razor, aud has the mischievous spirit Of
half hundred ordinary boys compressed
into his little body. Last night he had COM
panion three years older than himself
Thomas Cody-who is accused Of having
aided him to rob.
On Tuesday little Johnnie Mclaughlin
heard that splnster named Miss Catharine
Farrell, who lives at 2S2 Broadway. had
fallen heir to $500 or had obtained that sum
of money from some other source. He at
once plannsd to get the cash and have a
good time with it, and prevailed upon
young Cody to help min out. So they re-
pared to Miss Farrel1s house. Johnnie
opened a window ana, according TO his own
choice vernacular, boosted his compan-
ion through it. The youthful crook ran
sacked the house and succeeded in finding a
pocketbook CT ntsinlng s37. lie took The
money and replaced the pocketbook where
he had found 1t. Then the boys proceeded
to have glorious time, regardless of ex-
penses. They hired livery rigs, drove about
ia them aud otherwise spent the cash until
the detective took them in. They had less
than IS Of the money left.
Young johnnie has had an interesting
career. When years old a burglary on the
west side was traced TO him, as he tried to
= 81 ,l.p, do ~
On account of his youthful appearance the
pawnbroker refused to receive the goods,
whereupon the little genius went out and
returned with an order from his father
subsequently ascertained to have been
written by himself. THUS resulted i'll the
arrest of both, but after nights imprison-
menu the boy confessed
Next day 1t was proposed to have the bow
committed TO the industrial school, but
Judge Mallory was out of town, and so he
WAS transferred to the county jail TO await
the judges arrival While the iailer was
showing visitors through the jail Johnnie
watched his opportunity, quietly passed
through the door and made good his escape
For three months the officers were unable
to get trace OF him. Then. one day, they
ascertained chat he had returned 70 his
home, in the rear of St Calls church, and
surprised the diminutiye fugitive from JUS
tice. When the officers walked into the
room little 9-year- Old johnnie sat on chair
with his feet cooked up ON a table, and
industriously smoking a cigarette. The
next day Judge Mallory sent him out to
the industrial school for boys at Wauke-
sha. 1t was about week after this that
Detective Hannifin was walking up Grand
avenue.
"Shine, sir?" said a piping voice in the
doorway.
The officer was staggered. There was
the identical little chap who but q few
days before had been sent out to the reform
school.
Why" said he, in surprise, show did you
manage to get away"
Easy enough; no trick at all )" was the
reply. in a tone of lofty indifference, as
though breaking Jail and escaping from the
guards of the industrial schooi were an
everyday sort of affair.
The officer allowed Johnnie to take adj
vantage OF his runaway proponSities, but
it was only snort time thereafter that he
got into trouble again, this time for stealing
II watch, and since then he has been get
ing into trouble similarly at regular inter
walls.