The sun., 1892-09-22
TWO EXPERT LITTLE THIEVES
They Stole es.eA frop, Mrs. Hedssou anA
Then stole lt Again fron the Police.

Then Stole IL Again fro~ the Police.
Mrs. Annie Hodgson. who has q little fancy
goods store at 250 Manhattan avenue Green
point. was sowing In o room back OF the store
on Tuesday evening when abe heard q noise
behind the counter. She went into the store.
and saw Tony Valentino. an Italian bootblack.
Syears old. whose parents live at 20 Henry
| street. Astoria. robtine the money drawer.
The boy jumped over the counter when he saw
Mrs. Hodgson. and tried to leave the place.
Mrs. Hodgson caught him and shouted for the
police. The young thiof struck her with his
blacking box. and threatened to kill her un-
less she let him 60. A scuffie ensued. during
which the boys brother. Louis. who is 10
years old and also bootblack. and who had
been on guard outside the store. entered the
place. and also struck Mrs. Hodgson with his
backing box.
A ne!ghbor who had heard Mrs. Hodgson's 8
cries called a policeman. and tho young 1tal-
ians were taken to the Grecnpoint avenue
police station. In Tony's pockets we're found
SAGA. which he had stolen from tho money
drawer In Mrs. Hodgsons store. Tho desk
Sergeant put the money in an envelope with
the stamp Of the police department upon 1t
and left 1t lying on the desk. The hoys were
then locked up on charge of larceny. When
they were brought before the station house
desk again yesterday morning. preparatory to
being taken to the Lee Avenue Police Court.
the envelope containing tho money was still
on the ssrgeant's desk. Several policemen.
onsrs IN The station house. ineiudinr the the Il itai-
ian boys. had been taken away IN patrol
wagon the envelope was missed. An unsuc-
sesnt cess9deG Tas That TIE poceman @ Who ssr ar
rested the Valentines had taken the money to
court with him to use as evidence against the
The young thieves. while in the prisoners
pen. confessed having stolen the money from
people had educated them TO steal while ply
ing their vocation as bootblaoks. When they
latter had to stand UP In order to see the young
criminals. The, two boys laughed when the
guilty guilty was VAS % entered. Justice Connoliy " COM .
mitted them to jail: and instructed the agent
Of the Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty to
When the policeman who arrested them re-
turned to the station house he was questioned
fsssed ignorance as to what had become Of it.
The conclusion, ion, was reached that the envelope
Yesterday afternoon tho father OF the boys
vent to court 70 give bail for their appearance;
G Isse MuFPPhy and
him and Questioned,
Whhichh 2h b Of ,u you stole the mSney2" he asked.
What did you dc, with the money!"
Tony put his hand into his trousers pocket
and drew ont an envelope containing money.
Tho envelope had the police stamp upon it
and was tho identical package which had dis
appeared from tho station house desk. When
Justice Murphy asked the boy where he got
the envelope he smiled and shrugged his
shoulders. No amount OF questioning would
induce him to tell where or how he obtained
it. The Court took charge Of the envelope and
money.
1t is believed that while tho boys were in the
station house awaiting transfer to the court
Tony managed to put his hand behind the Ser
geunt's desk and secure the envelope. Charges
NAV he preferred against the Sergeant as the
envelope and money should not have gone out
Of his possession until tho boys had been
tried.