Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-07-03
YOUTHFUL Thieves.
A TRIO OF YOUNG TOUGHS CAPTURED LAST
EVENING,
After Series Of Raids on Cellars and Back Yards
in the Second Ward-Funny Scenes at
Headquarters When They Were
Brought IN.

DIVuSuL lA'
About quarter of ten o'clock last
evening Officer Herbert and several cit
liens brought to the City Hall three as
tough young boys as any city in the
country the size Of Wheeling can pro-
duce.
The lads were George Holtzclaw, aged
ID; William Mccormick, alias Carries,
aged II, and Charles Hafer, aged 10,
and they appear, by their own state
ment and the evidence of the police, to
belong to gang of urchins of about the
same age, who have been engaged in
largo number OF petty stealings in
and about the Second ward,
The boys were lined up on settee in
the private Office Of the Chief, and sim
I ultaneously set up a howl, tears flow
ing freely over their dirty faces-or
rather over the faces o. Hotzcaw and
Mccormick, for Hafer never shed q
tear, although he made desperate at
tempt to squeeze few out.
In reply to the questions Of the Chief,
Lieutenant Gaus and others present,
the boys all began talking at once, and
the way they accused each other OF ly-
ing and conjured each other to tell the
truth was laughable, although the
scene made up ptiable exhibition Of
youthful depravtY. The talk ran along
something like this.
Mr.. Emsheimer-What were you do
ing in our cellar?
Hafer-Now, I'll tell the truth; it's
no use lying, George; l won't lie, ont
I'll tell this We all went in there, and
| got two bottles of beer, and the fellers
got two bottles apiece, and we drank one
each, and
McCormick-Oh, tie Il the truth, l
didn't go in. L
Haier-Yes. you did, and you hid
some Of the beer, and
McCormick-Naw;I came along, and
Hafer and Holtzclaw said they bought
the beer, and l said I'd give nickle for
bottle, and
officer Herbert-Oh, shut up. Go on,
Hafer.
Hafer-We all went into the cellar
this afternoon. One Of US would throw
hat over the fence, and then we would
60 over it, and If anybody came one OF
us would hollow 'cookoo," and then
we'd run.
The Chief-You had regular pass
word?
Hafer-Yes; we'd say 'cookoo" if
anybody came along.
Holtzclaw-I wasn't there, was l?
Now tell the truth, Carries. Was l
there?
Hafer-Yes, you was.
Holtzclaw-Well, l didn't go In.
The Chief-Did you stay outside TO
hollow 'cookoo?" Holtzcaw (between
snifles)-No, l didn't
officer Herbert-What was you doing
in Gavin's? ,
Hafer-We got an old rusty bicycle
there, and they hid it, under porch
We went theA, after smearcase.
Officer Heroert-What were you
doing at Iiraus' celarP
McCormick-W got some beer there
Haier and Dave O'Neal, and whole
lot Of other fellers-some OF them from
over the creek-went there, aud got
beer.
The cross-examination OF the 6oys
was continued for a considerable time,
and between protestations OF innocence,
and demands for the truth from each
other, they told how they got the peer
Yesterday and each drank a bottle ana
then hid the rest, and good many facts
were brought to light about other petty
stealings. The officers said they had a
connle OF the boys at the City Hall only
n few days ago, for stealing, but that
tbav had been allowed TO
90 and added that Hafer,
who is but ten years old, was seen so
drunk he could hardly walk recently.
The kids must be used to beer, and
whisky also, from what they said, and
from the fact that each had drank lul
bottle of beer during the latter part
of the afternoon. When the Chief told
the officers TO lock them up, and that
thew would be taken before Justice
to-day and sent to Pruntytown, they
were ali broke up, and raised simulta-
neous howl which could be heard hall
SQUARE away. Holtzclaw said, as he
was being taken to a ceil:-
"If they don't send me TO the Reform
School they can pile up Bibles as high
as they can stack 'em, and I'll swear to
Quit stealing"
"Then all the boys wanted to &c TO
their mothers, but 1t didn't go, Holtz-
claw. who was especially DESTROYS OF 60
ling home, being told MS father was
down stairs in cell, and he could see
him there. Finally, however, the boys
were told their mothers would be in
formed where they were, but that they
must stay in the cells until this morn
ing and then go before Justice.
The Hafer boy is the smallest OF the
three. but is as sharp as new tack,
and seems to be sort OF leader. All
three boys are more than usually intel
lIgeut aud bright, and it is pity some
thing can't be done to permanently re-
form them.
THE King combination spectacles
HrN