Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-31
LIKE FAGIN'S Willy BOYS
Police Reveal Parallel for Chapter Of
Dickens Story.
WHOLESALE THEFT OF ODDS AND ENDS
Lads Arrested for stealing Assert
that Tbey Are Inderstudics
OF Man-Police Urge
stringent Law.

Fagin and oliver Twist up TO data
chapter OF Dickens story repeated in
Omaha.
The police uncovered a nest OF Illicit junk
traders yesterday and in consequence they
are urging the enactment of an ordinance
which was proposed two weeks ago forbid
ding the purchase OF junk from boys under
age At that time two boys we're arrested
for filing a lock from a switch stand and
imperlling the lives OF possibly hundreds OF
passengers. This time there was not this
element OF risk, but a bothersome. and in
the long run a costly, habit which boys are
forming and which one man is charged with
encouraging.
James Kubat, boy OF about Is years,
was arrested Tuesday afternoon on a charge
OF stealing encased copper wire. Later in
the afternoon o. A. Morris. whose parents
reside at the corner OF Fourth and Jones
streets, was also arrested as having been
concerned in the same transaction. The
boys had sold about twenty pounds Of
the wire. receiving II cents a pound for It,
while II is worth % cents I'm the general
trade.
Into the sweatbox.
The lads were placed in the sweatbox
several times during the afternoon and
evening but refused to tell to whom they
had sold the wire. This information was
drawn from them yesterday and in conse-
quence II. Holander was arrested on the
charge OF buying and receiving stolen prop
erty. When Hollander and Morris were
brought together the latter said that at sew
eral times he had sold wire TO Hollander
and that he had encouraged them to bring
II TO him. saying that he did not care
where they got It, that he would buy II any
II q aafd that HOlla ndor ha M nj "a
OF business, but goes about over town buy
ing brass, copper and other Junk and re-
selling 1t to regular junk dealers.
|: is said that during last year the Thorn
son Houston Electric Light company lost
more than 1000 pounds of special lead en-
cpsed copper wire which is used for under
ground work. The thefts for which these
two boys are arrested we're committed Sun
day and Monday nights. The wire is in
small pieces George Keebber appeared as
the complaining witness in these cases
against the boys.
Sergeant Whalen. speaking OF these ar
rests yesterday morning, referred to the or
dinance which had been proposed and urged
that something should be done to advance
its interests. There" he said, us this
man who has been going about encouraging
these boys to steal this wire and telling
them that he did not care where they got
It, for he would buy II anyway. Some sort
OF an ordinance should be passed which will
put stop to that kind of work II should
forbid the purchase OF such material from
boys who are under age. That would ac-
conplish two things. II 1t was enforced. 1t
would prevent much OF the petty thieving
by which the companies are losing small
bits, which count up in the course of year,
and at the same time 1t would keep lots OF
boys out OF trouble. Such an ordinance
would do away with lots OF the complaints
OF petit larceny which we have against
young boys"