Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-07-20
.P0ST0FF|CE ROBBED
James Bondurant, Aged 8,
Steals Stamps and Cash.
ENTERS BY A WINDOW
foungster Loots the Money Drawer ana
SELLS His Booty. His Father
-Disowns Him and He il
Lodged In Jail.

-Disowns Him and He il
| Lodged In Jail.
Probably the youngest postotice rob-
Der in the United States is James
Bondurant, aged s years, VINO
entered the local office last night
between and 10 O'Clock and looted the
stamp drawer, taking nearly 81 in cash
| and quantity Of postage stamps
But for Dougless White, the colored
| barber. the youngster would probably
have escaped detection. but he saw the
| little fellow crawl through the stamp
| window and reported the fact to Pa
trolman T. A. Mitchell
| When Officer Mitchell found the boy
he was sitting in a Greek candy shop
next door to the Daily Press office eat
ing plate of ice cream. The little fell
| low was Saving wood and seemed to
be unconcerned when the policeman
walked in. When questioned about the
robbery he denied all knowledge Of it.
| The money with which he purchased
the plate OF cream. he said. he made
by selling newspapers. but when the Of
ncer put his hand in the little fellows
pocket he found s3.1l in small change
Still the boy lied but he was too
young to tell a straight story and en-
| tangled himself so completely that he
| finally told the truth. contrasting that
he had stolen the money. James had
| Il bag of candy which he said a sailor
| gave him for ten two-cent postage
,atamps.
| Officer Mitchell took the boy to police
| headquarters, but Sergeant ]. w. Rey-
holds thought he was too young to be
| placed in Jail and directed the patrol
| man to take. the kid" to his father,
with the understanding that he should
keep him till this morning and bring
| him to the Police Court. 5'
| Charles Bondurant is the boys faith
err. and he lives in the Eastman build
| Ing on Washington avenue. Officer
Mitchell took James to his home and
| related the circumstances to his father.
MIR. Bondurant refused to take the boy
| under his roof. saying he was a thief
| and he could do nothing with him. He
| stripped his son and showed the police
| man marks of cowhiding he had in
hicted on the child for stealing. He
| said he had demonstrated With his boy,
told hin, that II he did not quit his
meanness he would dfe on .hangman's
| gallows. but it had no effect. IT can't
! do anything with James, said Mr..
| Bonduranf. Take him to jail. don't
care what.you do with him. for dis
/ own him. VA # s..:
The little fellow listened to his father
| without uttering a word Tears came
| to his eyes; that was all. He chung to
| the hand of Policeman Mitchell as if
| he We're the last friend he had on earth.
Officer Mitchell took the boy to Jail.
and on the way to prison James mada
full confession He said that he went
into the postoffice. opened the stamp
window and crawled in. After taking
| all the money and a lot of stamps he
came out. Outside of the postof1ice he
met a. sailor and sold the stamps to
him for u bag Of candy Then he spent
five f.on tc FL hnn
|; penny's worth of peanuts and was eat
ing the Ice cream when he was arrest
| ed. According. to the boys story he
has been pilfering for some time with
accomplices of his age. He said thai
some time ago he. together with
| other boys. Went into the BraSton
building and stole diamond pin and
articles belonging to Captain p. Thorn
! ton Marye and other dodgers there.
| James Bondurant is youthful thies
1t seems he learned the art of stealinS
before he was taught his catechisIn.
and he charges it TO the neglect OF his
parents. The boy has been Il street
urchin. Frequently he said, he never
went home till midnight and was al
! lowed to run In the street day and
night. The child was pitiful picture
to behold. Before he has reached the
| age of accountability his little hands
| are blackened With crime.
This morning he will be given hear
ing before Justice F.. S. Robinson and
1t is likely that he will be sent to tbs
State refornlatory.
Assistant Tailor Spiers did not wish
to put the boy in prison, but he had no
alternative. However. Attorney l.. NJ.
Stursts has cell to himself that is
comfortably furnished and the youth.
fuf-obber was put in his charge. NOT
until he found that he had to go inside
the prison did James break down. Then
he wept bitterly. and the scene brought
tears to the eyes of those who heard
the iron doors clang and saw the child.
Tor he is but child walk into the dark
prison to be surrounded by earths
vilest scum, to be in the midst of vice
of the most malignant type. 1t was q
silent sermon prea ched with more force
than all the sermons that ever came
from the pulpit when homie missions
was the theme.
When the boy planned the sobbery
Is not known, but it is evident that he
had been scheming the theft for sever
al days. He was acquainted with the
routine work of a delivery clerk. and
while he was footing the money draw
a naval officer who saw the window
was open went there and asked for has
mail. James picked up a package of
,.ttels. ran over them hastily and then
told the officer there was nothing for
him. The man then asked for some
stamps. 1.-The postmaster is not here"
| said the boy, "and the stamps are lock-
vi Mp"
Had II Narrow Escape.
A paper published in British Colum !
| bia tells of a narrow escape Mr..
~ ot.;1 nf o.