The Savannah morning news., 1902-10-30
A BAND OF THIEVES
POLICE HAVE TWO OF THEM IN
STATION HOUSE.
WERE CAUGHT IN THE ACT.
JUVENILE "HEELs" HAVE BEEN
OPERATING RATHER EXTEN-
SIVELY.

Boys Under Arrest Are Thought 20
De Part of a Gang and Are Being
Held for Investigation - One
Caught Coming out of Residence
OF james HendersOn-He Carried
PistOI-Other Boy Found in Home
of Mrs. &. c. Clark at No. 1919 ABB
ercOrn Street-AIthOugh Caught in
the Act the Youthful CuIprits
Have Nerve Enough to Deny Their
Guilt.
Caught in the act of leaving the
residence Of Mr.. James Z. Henderson,
at Drayton and Hull streets, yester-
day morning, Arthur Jones, a negro
boy 10 years of age, was held until
the arrival of Patrolman Allen Broom.
The boy had two umbrellas that ne
had taken from the house. and the po~
lice believe that he is a member of
a band of juvenile sneak thieves which
has recently been operating in broad
daylight.
For some time the police have re-
ceived complaints that juvenile
heels" as sneak thieves are called IN
police circles, have been operating
throughout the city. The detectives
were informed that there was a band
of the youthful crooks and that all the
work was not done by one boy. Several
days ago Eugene Berry, aged 10 years,
was picked up by Detective Stark and
it was shown that he had entered the
residence of Mr.. Joseph Ferst on Gas
ton street. While the detectives be-
lieve that he did other work, he was
only remanded for the theft of arti-
cIes from the Ferst residence.
One OF a Thieving Band.
The detectives think that Jones is
another member of the band and he
will not be arraigned in Police Court
this morning. He will be held by the
detectives for investigation. and the Of
ficers hope to capture the entire gang.
The boy who was caught leaving Mr..
Henderson's home is a shrewd young
ster and denied that he has been guilty
of any crime. He says he was not in
the house and that he has never stolen
anything This denial is made in the
face of the fact that he was caught
leaving the house with the articles
that he had taken. He was seen to
leave the residence by several young
men at the Savannah Theater and was
run down and held for the arrival of
Patrolman Broom.
About O'Clock in the afternoon Char
lie Hunter, a 16-year-old negro, was
caught in the home of Mrs. G.. C.
Clark at No. 1919 Abercorn street. He
is also said to be a member of the
band and has served time for similar
crime. Although caught in the house
this boy, too, denies that he is guilty
of any offense. He will not be arraign-
ed this morning, but will be held for
investigation. Hunter had turned
things upside down in Mrs. Clark's
home and the contents of bureau draw
ers were scattered over the floors. A
telephone message was sent to police
headquarters and Detective Nose Davis
hurried on his bicycle to the address
given. Detective Stark followed in the
patrol wagon. The boy was taken in
charge by Detective Davis, who ex-
poets to work UP other cases against
him.
Had Gun.
When Jones was searched by those
who arrested him a pistol of small call
fber was found concealed. and even If
no other cases are made out he will
have these two to answer for. Although
the detectives talked at great length
with him he continued to insist that
he has never committed any crime and
that he was not caught coming out of
the Henderson residence.
Detective Davis is confident that he
will be able to place several robberies
at the door of Hunter who is known to
the police as a heel of no mean abil-
lty. This Juvenile was positively iden-
titled last night as the youngster who
the day before entered a residence in
the southern section of the city. An eff
fort viii be made to-day to connect
one Of the boys with the Tison robbery
on Thirty-eighth street. Both prisoners
deny that they have ever been in that
section of the city