Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-12
QUICK POLICE WORK.
Detective Glenn Receivers Booty
Within an Hour After Stolen.
A JOB PUT UPBY ALLEGHENY BOYS,
But Their Inexperiencs Leads to Their
Immediate Betrayal.
TIE GOODS RETURNED TO THE OWNER

Chief Of Detectives John Glenn, of ALLIE
gheny, did very clever piece of detective
work last night. He ran down two youth
full robbers, and recovered their plunder
within one hour after the robbery had been
reported to the Mayors Office.
About o'clock Mayor Pearson tele-
phoned Chief Glenn that theft had been
committed during the day at No. SO Irwin
avenue. Mr.. Glenn Immediately went to
the place and found the house occupied by
Thomas Jones. Sometime during the day
while the family were at the Carnegie
library opening, the house was broken into
and some articles stolen. The thieves had
broken open one of the back windows, and
going up stairs, they entered one Of the bed
rooms There they forced open trunk,
and from it took one gold watch, chain
and a diamond ring.
Chief Glenn made dilegent inquiry among
the neighbors as to whether they had
noticed any suspicious characters about the
vicinity.
SMALL BOY IN THE CASE.
Oneof the residents of the street stated that
a small boy about 10 years of age had been
seen peering into the house through a cellar
window. With the description of the boy,
Mr.. Glenn started out In search Of him. He
found youngster living on Taggart street
named Samuel Grover, who he thought was
the one seen around the house. The detective
called upon the father of the boy, but Mr..
Grover protested, saying his boy had been
home all day; and could not have been near the
place when the robbery was committed. The
boy also disclaimed any knowledge Of the rob-
berry, and told a pretty good story about where
he had been during the day. After considera-
BILE questioning the officer learned that the boy
had been around the house during the after
noon. He admitted that he had been on Irwin
avenue, but disclaimed any knowledge OF the
robbery He said he had been playing with
another boy named Charles Romel
The Chief was positive that the youngster
was implicated, on account of the way he
lodged direct answers to questions. He there
fore visited the Romel boy, who also lived on
the same street When he found the second
boy he put on bold front, and directly
charged him with the robbery. Mr.. Glenn said
to him:
THE CHARGE DIRECT.
Sam Grover says you took that watch, chain
and ring, and have notion to arrest you for
the theft"
The boy immediately hared up to deny the
charge and thereby gave the snap away. He
replied: mo. I didn't take it. He took 1t
himself and hid it across the street."
The two boys were confronted, and when
young Grover saw that the jig was up he broke
down and confessed to the theft. He said he
would return the goods to the owner. He took
the detective across the street. and from under
a pair Of stairs leading up to the house. he
pulled out box containing the watch, chain
and ring. 1t must have been dark when the
boys put the box there as it projected out far
enough from under the steps to enable persons
to see it in daylight. Chief Glenn says the
boys cannot be more than years Of age, and
their sudacity was remarkable. He took them
before Mr. Jones. but the latter refused to
prosecute the boys, He said he might make
an information against them this morning, and
the detective allowed them to go to their
homes. The parents Of the lads are respectable
people, and were astonished when they found
that the boys had really committed the theft.
At o'clock Mr.. Jones had his property in his
possession. The job is considered by the other
detectives to be about the sliekest piece OF
police work ever done in the two cities.