The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-11-24

Anything Legitimate.
The police gathered in few young
fellows last night, who have been going
from bad TO worse for long time past.
There used 10 be a considerable number
OF thern, but by iudicious handling they
have gradually diminished until only
few OF them are left They have been
guilty OF all the crimes of the minor cat
egory and still continue TO do them, nos
withstanding the fact that they have
been arrested time and again, and have
been released upon the payment OF small
fines or on promise of better behavior.
A great amount OF the shoplifting
which has been going on Is attributed
10 them In many instances il has been
so smoothly done that the merchants
themselves did not discover ii until ap-
prised OF the fact by the police IL seems
that these young fellows are Inherently
bad They wear good clothing, and put
w as fine an appearance as other people
yet they are never known to do any
work in legitimate lines whatever. One
scheme some OF them have been known
TO work, has been to get some person
who was slightly intoxicated already,
into aworse state by the addition of two
or three more drinks and then with the
aid OF some disreputable character OF
the opposite sex, intice the victim into
taking a hack ride. which ended in the
loss Of whatever of value he possessed.
An Eagle reporter went down stairs
last night 10 see what they had TO
say for themselves. They positively re-
fused 10 talk in the least. The question
vas asked when he first went TO the
door il Bert Little was not one of those
arrested? The reporter had not looked
up until some one replied that The one
mentioned had been there but had been
released; and looking UP the reporter
saw the young fellow himself who stout
~ declared that ne had been released.
Another young fellow who was SEEM
ingly a friend, after coming down and
exchanging a whisper, was asked by
Little If he had not seen the same per-
son out somewhere. To which he replied
that he had seen him short time before
down near the Crawford opera house,
while Little himself stood at the door
talking to the reporter. The others ar
rested were one called kid" Strick-
land and Logan Roberts.
They openly denied everything, declar-
ing they knew nothing about why they
had been arrested They did not claim
to be mistreated, but simply played the
old oyster game. They wore as good
clothes as any of the we'll dressed young
men of the city, and did not have the
appearance of being the kind of fellows
they are. They wore white shirts with
standing collars and silk neckties. and
one of them had chrysanthemum PIN
ned upon the lapel of his overcOat To
all appearances they were cultured
young gentlemen; but in that case ap-
pe2rances were deceiving.
The police state that they have been
in the habit of walking the streets all
night, seldom together and seldom. II
ever, far apart. During the day they
are very seldom seen, but as evening
approaches they appear and begin their
nightly rounds. Several other members
OF the gang have taken the advice of
Chief Burt and his men, and straight
ened up, but ii seems these will not do
SO. They have made the police unboun-
Ged trouble, and ii has been decided TO
quit endeavoring to get them to do as
;hey should and handle them little dir
ferently
These young fellows are well connect
ed. and there is no necessity for them
doing as they have been doing. Several
of their relatives and friends were at
police headquarters last night To sec
them and intercede in their behalf They
coTroborated the story as above told,
none of them who talked about IL all
denying anything. 1t is not intended 10
make any example of them, but simply
10 let the law take its course and not
allow any sentiment or leniency, as here
tofOre prac;iced. to interfere With the
opera ton of the law