The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-27
BURGLARS OF TENDER AGE.
FOUR BOY ROBBERs CAUGHT Pill
Laying A STORE.

The Youngest of the Thieves Ten
Years and the Oldest Fourteen.
Believed to Have Been systemat-
fcaIIy RObbinE Houses All over
the CIty-Gave the Police a Lively
Chase to Get Them-TO be Tried in
Police Court To-day.
-Four boys climbed through the transom
over the door of the Oglethorpe Pharmacy
at Bun street and York street lane about
8 O'Clock yesterday afternoon, while scores
| of people were passing, and were pnaglng
the interior when they were discovered.
They are Jake and Albert Hurt, aged 70
| and 10 years respectively. who live at
Houston street and Congress street lane.
and John and Otis Stokes, aged Ii and Il
| respectively, who live at No. II York street,
east
From Information given at the police
barracks these boys have been systemati-
cally robbing homes all over the city.
Gardeners notion store on Broughton street
was entered recently by going through the
skyhght, and descending by means of a
gas pipe. Some one has been taking boxes
of candy from Conidas confectionery on
Bun street for several Sundays, but even
on remaining inside to catch up with the
marauders, all efforts failed. There are
other places, it is claimed, were being rob
bed in some way, which caused Chief Nc
Dermott to lay plans to catch the thieves.
4nasmueh as Conida's store seemed to be
prey for Sunday work Chief McDer-
pFy1a 10 AZ,
inside during the forenoon and Policeman
Woods during the afternoon. These Off
efS stayed quietly al their places, but the
boys seemed to have caught the game,
as no attempt to get in over the back
transom, where it was known they en-
tered, was made. The detectives made it
a point to pass the stores several times
during the day 70 catch sight of anything
suspicious. Nothing was noticed, however,
ana 1t began to look as though the pro
Sramme was changed, at least for ,Ae day.
About O'Clock, though, the boys gath
cred in front of the Oglethorpe, looking in
the windows and apparently recOnnoit-
erlng. They were seen by Detective Bar
rett, who notified Detectives Shea and
| Scully, after which the three scattered in
order to get the lads when they were at
work. The awning was lowered and by
that means they were screened from pas
sersby after once climbing to the tran
SOM one by one they scaled the sides
of the entrance, until all were inside,
wandering around through the
store for valuables, Shortly after
they entered, however, the man
ager of the Oglethorpe appeared and
as soon as he unlocked the door, the four
boys became frightened, unlocked the rear
door and all rushed out. Three of them
ran down York street lane, while one of
the Stokes boys started north on Bull
street but was quickly run down by De-
tective Barrett. The second Stokes was
captured by Detective Shea near Barnard
street The two Hurt boys, however, by
tan hustling, managed to make their escape
by continuing through the lane, but on
going home they learned the officers had
already been there for them, and decided
to give themselves up at the barracks,
which they did about o'clock last night.
The four are docketed, and win be ar
raisned before Recorder Ravenel this
morning, charged with burglary.
Savannah seems to be developing an un-
usual number Of juvenile burglars It has
been but a few weeks ago when Police
man j. ]. Murphy arrested a 10-year-old
boy going through Broughton street stores
by means of a false key, carrying off
basket loads of shoes and other things
The police have been vigllant in looking
out for offenders CT this type, but did not
until recently suspect that bare-foOted
chaps IN knee pants were doing the work