The herald., 1897-11-22
Four Tender Youths as
Highwaymen Nj
THEY DOWN A DRUNKEN MAN
AND DEVOTE THE PROCEEDS 70
CANDY AND PEANUTS
Ono Of the Boys Tells the Story Of
"How We Did It'-All Are
Locked in Jail

Four boys, ranging from 3 to Is years
Of age. were locked in the city prison
last night charged with highway rob-
berry. The prisoners are Francis Carter.
aged Q years, living on Maple avenue,
between Eighth and Ninth streets;
Johnnie Burns, aged IL years, OF Ill East
Thirty-seventh street; Eddie Mcdonald.
aged 13 years. of 1101 West Eighteenth
street, and Willie Moore. aged 13 years.
living at the corner of Seventh and Wall
streets. The youngsters are all news
boys and are about as tough lot for
their ages as could be found anywhere.
About 10 o'clock last night the quartet
were hanging around the entrance to The
Burbank theater munching peanuts ana
popcorn John Anderson, a Swede. who
lives at the Santa Rosa house, corner
of Fourth and San Pedro streets, came
staggering along the sidewalk. much the
worse for liquor. The boys, led on by
Johnnie Burns, started after Anderson
with the intention OF rObbing him.
Johnnie Burns and Francis Carter. the
latter a kinky- haired young negro. each
seized the intoxicated man by un arm.
and while they talked volubly to him
stealthily went through his pockets.
Removing his valuables. they handed
them to their two confederates, who
walked a little way behind. When they
had finished with their victim and Sc.
cured between two and three dollars In
money, the youthful highwaymen re-
turned to the Burbank theater and. after
laying in supply OF peanuts and candy,
purchased tickets to the show with the
money they had stolen. Watchman Hem
derson of the Burbank theater happened
to have watched their operations. and at
the conclusion of the theatrical perform-
ance placed all the youngsters under ar
rest as they came out.
The patrol wagon was summoned ana
brought this aggregation of young high
waymen to the police station. On the
way each one protested his own inno-
cence and declared that 1t was the other
three who had gone through Anderson's
pockets. By this time the Swede had
sobered up somewhat and was sent along
with the others to the station in order
that he might make statement.
Johnnie Burns was recognised by Po-
lice Clerk Hensley. The youngster has
a criminal instinct. and has already
been in jail several times. At the sta
ton the lad no longer attempted to deny
his part in the robbery, but told the story
in his own dialect how Anderson had
been relieved OF his valuables.
1T was just this way" said the younS
rascal, '.me and Francis was eating pop
corn when Willie Moore come up and
said: There goes a drunk, and he's got
lots Of dough- l saw a. feller come stag
gering down Main ctreet The rest OF
the kids started out to where he wass
and 1 thought I'd go, too. gave my
popcorn to kid to hold-but he didn't
know anything about the drunk. though
and chased after them. When I got
there 1 got hold Of one Of his arms and
Francis took the other, and we went
through his pockets. Willie and Eddie
were right behind us, and we handed the
things back to them. Francis he found
the purse, and then he looked around
and winked at me. He took out two
dollars and handed 1t to me. and then
gave the pocketbook to the other kids.
When we got all through we went back
to the Burbank. and bought tickets for
all Of us to the show. I bought two
sandwiches at tamale stand. ana got
five cents worth Of candy and paid the
peanut man ten cents owed him..
None Of the boys appeared frightened
at their arrest, but walked into Jail with
the greatest bravado. Shortly after
they were locked up Willie Moore's
father called at the police station to IN
ouire about his son. He seemed to be q
very respectable old man. and was deep
ly affected by tho lads disgraceful pre-
dican,ant