The Portland daily press., 1897-09-21
YOUNG BURGLARS CAUGHT
Two Youthful Thieves Landed by
Police.
BOOTY FOUND IN ROOM ON CON
GRESS STREET.

Omcers Put on the Watch Arrested the
Crooks at An Early Hour This Morning
Stolen Property Belonging to Huff's
Chestnut st. Store Recovered.
A couple Of boy burglars were brought
into the police station at little after 2
O'Clock this morning as a result of some
pretty clever detective work on the part
of the department..
The boys are Frank g. Bailey of Bos-
ton and Willie Coffin of Lynn, and they
were arrested for breaking ana entering a
notion store kept by man by the name
of Huff, at the corner of Chestnut and
Cumberland streets.
q The Huff store was entered last Friday
night between and 2 o'clock. Entrance
was effected by forcing up the window,
and a quantity of tobacco. cigars and
small articles were taken.
Yesterday Deputy Sterling learned that
some of this stolen property was stored
in q room at 526 1-2 Congress street. Ac-
cordingly he searched the room and
found q package of articles which an
swered the description of what was miss
ing from the Chestnut street store. They
included shoe strings, ink. mucilage, bat
tie axe plug tobacco, cigars, boxes of cut
plug, etc. These articles were taken to
the station and Officers Fickett and Bon
ner were left to receive the occupants
when they should return home. The
deputy was determined that at no time
the place should be unguarded, and at
supper time these officers were relieved
by James Craig and John Henderson,
with instructions to remain until morn
ing, if the young men did not return be-
fore that time.
In the meantime Mr.. Huff had been
called in and fully identified the articles
as having come from his store.
4 The night went very slowly with Off
GERS Craig and Henderson and they had
about concluded that their watch was
to be fruitless one, when they heard a
couple of pair of feet ascending the stairs
and soon the door opened and the young
men walked into their expectant arms.
| It was but the work of a moment to
inform the surprised youths that they
were under arrest and escort them tc
the police station. They were landed at
about O'Clock.
The young men gave their names as
Frank G. Bailey of Boston and Willie
Coffin Of Lynn, as stated above.
| of mi o1n yoI
number Of articles which showed that
they were in the business for keeps and
didn't intend that the booty obtained al
Huffs should end their career as burglars
Among the articles found were two sper.
meceti candles, some shoe strings, a screw
driver, quite quantity of pennies and q
number of keys. Coffin had letter in
his pocket addressed to him at 81 Lincoln
street, from girl in Biddeford.
| Bailey had key to room 81 at the
Preble house, and he told the officers that
he formerly worked at that hotel.
1.-THE boys when they found that they were
caught admitted to the break and said
that they had pawned the other missing
articles at the shop of Jew by name OF
Taylor on Fore street.
| Officers will go to Tayler's shop this
morning where it is thought that the rest
of Mr.. Huff s property will be found.
Bailey and Coffin were both perfectly
dry when they entered the house on Con
gress street and as the hour was late,
Deputy Sterling would not be surprised
| If another burglary was committed last
night. The young crooks said that they
| walked out from Westbrook. They have
been in the house ON Congress street,
which is a lodging house, kept by Miss
West since Saturday.
1t has been learned that the goods taken
| from Huff s store were carried away in a
bag and hidden in the lumber yard.
Afterwards they were taken to the boys
room.
Coffin was arrested several weeks ago
on suspicion of having stolen a bicycle
which was pawned on Fore street. The
Lynn police were informed of the fact and
they sent back word that the boys father
said the wheel belonged to him. He was
then released Coffin knew the boys who
ssro ShAu w AaA Arolh Ay LII anu olo HoW
under Indictment for breaking into the
store of George G. Shaw AMI spoke of
them this morning.
The fact that Bailey had key to a
room in the Preble house may possibly
connect him with the robbery which oc-
Cured at that house during fair time
when a man lost valuable gold watch
from his room.
The boys will be arraigned in the police
court this morning. Their capture was as
clever bit of work Deputy Sterling and
his officers are to be congratulated on the
goo d job they did.
The boys were each about eighteen years
old.
Hebron Boy Burglars.
Auburn Santember 2O-EdWin Conant