The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-26

Two boys suspected Of being guilty
of the recent sneak-thieving among
the residences of the well-to-do people
on the hill were in charge of the police
at the central station during yesterday
afternoon, but We're released early i'll
the evening under $500 bail each, to
appear for a hearing before Alderman
Millar at 10 o'clock this morning. one
is Joe Fitzpatrick, IL years old, of 43i
Phelps street, and the other is a IL
year-old boy, Thomas Costello, whose
home Is in the rear of some houses on
Washington avenue opposite the coun-
ty Jail.
While positive evidence has not bean
secured that the boys are the Identical
two who have committed the thefts
reported to the police from a score of
houses on the hill, they are pair
of lads who have been mixed in more
than one theving transaction
known to the police and one of them,
Fitzpatrick, has been identified as the
boy recently seen in the house Of DIR.
Murray While in the hands of the
police he admitted enough to warrant
the assumption that he is a thief.
That the police are not wholly cer-
fact that warrants were last night
issued for two other boys, who will be
arraigned with Fitzpatrick and Costello
before Alderman Milar this morning.
Meanwhile, Chief of Police Gurrel
hopes one or more of the quartette
will be identified by the occupants of
the houses visited by the thieves.
MANNER OF ARREST.
The arrest of Fitzpatrick and Costello
yesterday is due to the anxiety of the
formers mother to clear him of sus-
picion. She heard that the police su-
spected him and postponed a prospec-
tive trip to Wilkes-Barre long enough
to take him to headquarters and make
or seek an explanation. When Chief
Gurrell saw the boy and the overcoat
and hat he wore he was impressed with
the way the outfit tailed with the de-
scriptions given of the young thief who
is so badly wanted.
Under severe cross-examining young
Fitzpatrick admitted having been in
several houses on jefferson avenue.
His admissions may have been made
through fear, as he was not very pre-
else as to names, time and place. He
denied stealing anything, but mention
ed the names of Costello, a lad named
Eddie Allen and another as boys who
had been around good deal
Asked if he had been riding in a
wagon on the streets of the hill, he said
he had, in a delivery wagon. He said
| the wagon and horse belonged to the
Scranton Cash store and that the driV-
er of the outfit had allowed him to ex-
ercise the horse on several occasions.
He had not, he said, ridden in a bug
gy alone or with another boy.
During Kilpatrick's detention at po-
| lice headquarters, Mounted Policeman
Dyer procured from Alderman Millar
| warrants for the arrest of the youngs-
ter in hand and for Costello and search
warrants for their houses. Sergeant
| Dieter accompanied Dyer. Costello
was arrested and a search of the
| houses made.
TIE HOUSES SEARCHED.
The search of the Fitzpatrick house
| developed five pocketbOoks, an opera
glass and three umbrellas, one u glass
and metal handled (gilD one. The
pocketbooks We're, with one exception
small and cheap affairs and not of a
kind which might be expected to have
come from homes of we'll do peo-
pie. All We're empty except the one
good pocketbOok and one of the small
ones. The former contained receipts
belonging to Mrs. Fitzpatrick and the
latter useless nick-knacks which any
little boy or girl might carry.
fitzpatrick admitted stealing the ar
ticles, the opera glass from the Acad'
emy of Music and one of the umbrellas
from the Erie and Wyoming Valley de.
pot. After telling that much he was
encouraged to tell more and said he
had stolen a pocketbook containing 81
from the residence of q. b. Hand and
had thrown it out the window to 4
partner.
Harry Pethick, boy about ten years
of age. who resides with his parents al
the Hotel Rudolph, failed to identity
Fitzpatrick as the young highwaymar
who held up" the former near Jeffer.
son avenue and Mulberry street several
weeks ago. On that occasion a boy
about Kilpatricks age showed a pisto
fanCied or real. in Pethick's face and
made him hand over a pocketbook con.
tanning about Is cents. The PethicE
boy yesterday said he could not iden.