Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-10
CLAIMS He WAS CRAZY
FRANCIS DRAM ACCUSED OF
ATTEMPTED ROBBERY.
Opened Poor Box in Anacostia Church,
Which Sounded Burglar Alarm
Arrest Follows

Franis Dram. one of the smallest men
who has ever been IN the custody Of the
LEGAL police department, was photographed
at police headquarters this morning. He had
been caught in the act of breaking open
the poor box in st. Teresa's Church In
Arscostia yesterday and the police express
the belief that he is the individual who
caused so much annoyance here several
weeks ago when poor boxes in a number
of churches were robbed. Dram denies this
| accusation, however, saying his ofIense yes
terCay was the first OF the kind he had
ever committed.
II was half crazy when / didit." said the
little man this morning you see,' he add
ed. II had taken about n dozen glasses of
beer and 1 didn't know what | was doing.
Where did you get this iron bar from!
Detective Hartigan asked him.
I'm a hardware store, was his prompt
response.
Then" added the detective. you did
know what you were doing.
The prisoner is native of Austria, ne
stated and is ffty-two years Of age. He said
he had been living in Baltimore and that
he came here about six or seven weeks ago.
He has occupied bunk in the Central
Union Mission since he reached here. At the
time of his arrest the prisoner had TWO bot
ties of fluid in his possession such as IS
USED in leaning furniture and brass he
told the detectives that he had worked Tor
the pastors of a number of churches and
said that several of them had given him
finanial assistance.
Janitor's Precaution.
His arrest was the result of precautions
that have been taken by the sexton of st.
Teresa Church since the time the poor
box in the church was robbed about
a veal ago. At that time there was
just an ordinary cheap lock upon the box.
and the person who robbed It had no diff
Guilty in getting it off. Bryan Connors, the
sexton. later put on the box sucStaltial
brass lock and also made an electrical con-
nection between the box and his home
When the opening of the box completed the
circuit and caused the sounding of the cleo
trical bell yesterday afternoon the Jahltor
called upon the police and went next to the
church to make investigation.
II didn't do anything said the intruder
and he started TO leave the church. Inc
janitor detained him until the arrival or
Policeman Mccormick, and the latter
placed him under arrest Dram objected TO
being searched but his objection was over
ruled, and the lock that had been broken
from the poor box was taken from his
pocket. He also had In his possession a
short piece Of bar iron that he had used
for the purpose of breaking off the lock. A
small screwdriver taken from his pocket
had been bent when he tried to open the
box with it.
Failing to accomplish his purpose with
the screwdriver, he went to a hardware
store IN AnacoStla ana pufcHdSed tls piece
of iron. The prisoner had - cents IN his
pocket when he was arrested. and the cor
box contained 30 cents. He denied that ne
had touched the money IN the box.
The prisoner seemed rather sensitive this
morning about his size, and Indignantly
said: IT am four feet seven inches tall
when one of the detectives jokingly- re-
marked that he was looking for man who
is about three feet six inches tall.
Are you related TO Tom Thumb?' Re
was asked.
"People have asked me that BEFORE he
answered 81 am not related to him, and
he is smaller than l am
After being measured and photographed
for the gallery he was taken TO the Police
Court.
charge of larceny was fled against
Francis Dram in the Police Court today,
bit the trial was continued until next Tues
day. Assistant District Attorney Ralph
| Given will look into the case In the mean
time. He was committed to jail TO await
trial.