Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-19
CHASE ENDS IN
FOUTS' CAPTURE
ACCUSED OF ROBBERY OF
HOLLYWOOD HOMES
Clever Ruse on the Part Of a
Deputy Sheriff Lands Man
In Tolls Of the
Police

Nfter a desperate chase over back
fences, chicken houses and sheds,
Deputy Sheriff Len Cleveland yester-
day captured Clarence Fouts, who is
suspected Of having robbed several
homes i'm the Vicinity of Hollywood and
a number of homes in the extreme
western section Of Los Angeles.
Several weeks ago when key nip
per' entered homes near Hollywood
and departed with much booty after
having ransacked the places thorough
ly, Deputy Cleveland was detailed on
the case. There semed no clew to the
detection OF the robber until a report
was made at the sheriff's office that
similar burglary had been committed
at the home of Mrs. A. p. Morse at 2lOO
Sixth avenue.
The Morse home is in newly opened
tract at the extreme western edge of
the city. Mrs. Morse hired Fouts as
ward man to plant a lawn and keep the
grounds in repair.
Mrs. Morse is a real estate woman
and spends much OF her time away
from home. She has hired Fouts on
numerous occasions and each time she
left a lunch for him and locked up the
house and went away without fear.
Discovers Robbery
Returning from a long days work on
the evening Of May 5, Mrs Morse en-
tered the house. Everything was in
perfect condition just as she had left
it, but half pound of butter and So
were missing. The deputies who ex-
amined the place discovered that the
key to the house had been nipped and
an entrance obtained in such way as
to show skilled worker.
At that time Mrs. Morse did not sus-
pect Fouts, and she again asked him to
come to her home and put the lawn in
trim. For the second time after her
return to her home Mrs. Morse found
that a robber had been at work and
had taken jewelry valued at $1S4.
She then reported her suspicious of
the yard man to the sheriffs office and
Cleveland was sent out to follow the
suspect. He learned that Fouts roomed
in place near Alameda street and that
on the day of the first robbery a man
answering the description of Fouts had
traded a half pound of butter to a
restaurant man in that neighborhood
for a meal.
Sets a Trap
Fouts did not return to the Morse
home and Cleveland set a trap for him.
He learned that the yard man was
working on West Fortieth street and
he left word there that Fouts was to
call OH MIS-. NOISe lOI lIlOIG WOIh.
Fouts appeared yesterday at the
Morse Shome. He went to work as
usual and at the direction of Mrs.
Morse planned enough work for most
of the morning. Then Mrs. Morse
hitched up the horse preparatory to
leaving home for the day.
AS usual she locked the house and
placed the key under the seat of the
runabout. She then busted herself
&I,0x Co,
when she returned she found that the
key had been taken away.
She pretended that she had not dis
covered the loss and drove away. In
the meantime Deputy Cleveland had re-
Inained in hiding on the upper floor of
the house He had arranged articles
of value about the different rooms so
as to offer a most tempting bait to a
robber.
Makes Attempt to Escape
But Fouts mad made other arrange
ments about the little plan and he
worked we'll toward the back of the
yard. When the officer saw that Fouts
had prepared to leave and was about to
take quick dive over the back fence
he emerged from the house and ordered
the yard man to stop.
Fouts did not like the idea and the
officer started toward him on the run.
Half way to the man Cleveland at
tempted to run under a clothesline
stretched across the yard. The tall
officer failing to judge the distance
properly, the elusive line caught him
well under the neck and sent him
sprawling. In a flash he was on his
feet and after Fouts, whom he managed
to capture as he was preparing to take
quick leave by way of the chicken
houses.
Fouts will be held at the county Jail
under suspicion until further evidence