Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-01
CAUGHT AT ACT.
Youthful Robbers Found
Out at Dexter.
Earl Bickford, Aged II, Caught
in Geo. Dustin's Store.
Arms Full Of Goods-Other Stores
Have Been Missing Things.

Dexter. Me, Nov. 3O.-For a few
months gang Of youthful robbers.
numbering seven or eight. have been
operating about town and have been
Keeping proprictors of several of the
stores guessing as to the manner in
Which their stocks disa rpeared Money
drawers We're also relieved of "A part
of their contents. The work of this
gang of boys came to a sudden stop.
Tuesday morning. when Harry f.. DeX-
Ter, clerk in the hardware store of
Geo. \. Dustin. on Main street, caught
Earl Bickford. an n-year-old boy, in
the store carrying lighted lantern
and with his arms full of articles
which he had gathered up from the
stock in the store.
Mr.. Dexter had entered the store
rather early for the purpose Of doing
some extra work. II was about 40 A.
NJ. Upon entering he heard steps in
the room overhead. He hid himself and
waited for the person to come into the
main store. When the steps sounded on
the lover stair he jumped up and con-
fronted the voungstcr who dropped
the lantern and tried in d dozen differ
ent ways to give AN account Of his
presence IN the store.
After some questioning on the part
Of Mr.. Dexter. he broke down and adj
mitted his guilt, also stating that his
brother. Eastman Rickford. had been
in the store on several occasions and
had helped himself to the goods and
no i,ll
was one That had been stolen from the
store some months past and the boy
said that ne guessed some of the 9TH
er boys about town had been doing
something in the line. saying that they
had borrowed his lantern several
times during the past month.
Mr.. Dexter stated To the Journal cor
respondent that during the past month
that they money drawer at the store
had been short SIS which the boys had
taken. For the past month they have
been selling. sleds costing $50 and s.
to other boys for the mark-down prize
of II cents each. In the BiCkord
hous" WAS enough hardware to stock
Il small sized hardware store. All Of it
had been taken from the Dustin store.
IT is probable that the boys nave
been operating in other stores. as many
of them have been missing money ana
goods during the past few months. The
way in which they gained entrance to
the Dustin store was on ingenious one.
The store is three stories in height and
in the roar of the building is high
bank which is on "A level with the third
story In the rear is window when
has rot been used for years and it was
hv means Of this window that they
| gained admittancc. a well-beaten path
| led 10 the window.
Mr.. Dexter happened to be in the
! store one evening, not long ago Whch
an incident happened when PLAINLY
| showed the nerve of the boys VINO go 10
| make no this gang. He was DONG some
writing after the store had been closed
| for the night, the doors beng rocked
| on the inside All the lights were OUT
| with the exception of small mana
| I,pn which was used to light the desk
| While engaged at his writing ne
| Thought that he heard Il door squeak
Getting I'D he went to the front OF the
store ard discovered boy lookihS
through the cellar door which evidently
he had lust opened The boy saiu'
ooh it's YOU. is it," I saw light mere
md thought maybe it was IRE. MI
Dexter not thinking anything ii.o'
about it. went back to work. tiie ivy
going down cellar.
Pretty soon Mr.. Dexter began |"
wonder how the boy got III. kho" III =
that all of the doors were locked. nc
then thought it funny that ne ca',''
ont through the cellar door when the
entrance to the cellar had no pec''
opened recently. He went 10 '',e WI
lar ard searched. but was unap'e 10
find the boy or any manner III Mhith
he could enter The youngster eNi"e
" hid in the store until Dexter hao re-
and then helped himself.
The names of all the boys in the Sa,s
are known and some action VIII -
taken in the matter and without oouo'
several of the older will be taken ~
the state School for Boys AT cape h"
ahcth.