The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-04
GANG OF YOUNG THIEVES
They Looted Warehouse and
Hardware Stores.
ALL OF THEM CAPTURED
They Used the Sneak Thief Ruse and
Succeeded in Getting Away
With a Lot of
Plumber.

Great Falls. Sept. 3.-Down in the
city Jail tonight is a double quartette
of youngsters, ranging from II to 10
years old. They are all upstairs in the
women's part of the bastile, and dur
ing the afternoon they had a great time
talking with one another through the
bars, standing at the doors and argu-
ing. but as darkness comes on they are
not feeling quite so gay, and it is prob
able hat when the matter is settled and
they get home and in eight separate
homes there are shor but warm ses-
sions in the woodshed. where the old
gentleman is the speaker and the boy
as tame and humble as the average
representative in front of Gar Reed,
they will have less gayety in their
makeup than ever.
The boys belong To the gang of young
thieves, or at any rate the police be-
lieve they are members, who have been
footing every store they could get into.
The matter apparently began with the
robbing of the warehouse OF the South
Side in which George r.. Newell & Co.
store their merchandise. This was
robbed of pickles, sardines and other
eatabies in cans. and for that Harry
Lee Taylor is now under arrest, with
a good chance of going over to the pen
before the case is finished. He was the
Oldest member of the gang and direct
ed the others. Albert Kosetlak. ID
ward HASTE and George O'DonneI were
to-day arrested for this offense, al
though they are likely to be charged
with nothing more than petit larceny,
as they are under age and the least
Culpable.
y short time after this burglary be-
came known there was complaint from
Thn 40 Ia,I....- -. f. n H.
that some articles We're being continu-
ally missed. Officer Sheehy was detail
cd to look after this complaint and to-
night he has secured six boys and
enough hardware to start i'm business.
The stock consists Of fishing poles, lines,
hooks, revolvers, cartridges and shot
gun shells, reels, kniyes-aHythinE that
was movable and a boy could carry
away. 1t seems that they were up to
h common ruse of the sneak thief.
Two or three of them would go into a
store, and while one of them would en-
gage the attention of the clerks the
others would load their pockets. After
they had gotten to a place of safety they
would divide or swap jobs 50 that all
might have an opportunity To exercise
their cunning. While some Of the prop
erty has been recovered, according to
the stories the boys told at the station
this morning, there must be a lot more
of it. They were all taken into the
office of the chief, where they were
questioned closely and what one boy
would fail to confess the others would
confess for him, so that Chief Guerin
got pretty nearly the whole story. Those
who have suffered by their depreda-
lions are Strain Bros, Murphy-Mack-
lay Hardware company and the Great
Falls Hardware company.
The boys arrested for robbing Strain
Bros. were Frank Mohs. Thomas Fay,
Earnest Beckman, Oscar Swanson and
Frank MarciuX. OF the whole number
arrested one, Albert KOstelak, has been
arraigned and has pleaded not guilty.
Judge Burleigh set his trial for Tues
day afternoon at 2 o'clock. The Off
GERS have not yet fully decided what to
do with the others. The stuff was dis
covered by the mother of one of the
boys, who saw them trying TO hide it.
She informed the officers and Sheehy.
by questioning one of the gang. found
out the names Of the others and where
more of the plumber was stored. Sew
eral of the number have been carriers
for the local newspapers and ave al
ways been thought honest boys. With
out doubt it is another case of falling
into bad associations.