Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-23
To THE POLICE
he SAYS He STOLE
CONSCIENCE SMITTEN, Wakes
A CONFESSION
Six Years Ago He Committed Thefts
In Buffalo-No Longer Able to
Keep His Secret, He
Tells 1t
Special to The Herald.

Special to The Herald.
KANSAS CITY, Sept. 22.-"Is this
police headquarters? All right what I
want to say is that we have a young
man up here who appears to be con-
science stricken. He committed a
crime years ago and has just confessed
it to me. There may be something more
to his story, and as he is willing to
make confession you would better
send up FOR him."
This message was received early Sat
urday evening at police headquarters
from Assistant Secretary Spencer Of
the Y Nj. C.. A. at $40 Wyandotte street.
Patrolma n John Tarpey went there and
got the man, who gave the name of g.
ID. Wall, and turned him over to Capt.
William Weber at police headquarters.
He told this story:
Fell From Grace Six Years Ago
"Six years ago l lived in Buffalo, NJ
Y, and was a member in good standing
of the Y. NJ. C. A. there. but fell from
grace L don't know what made me
do it, but / fell from grace-I committed
theft The first thing | stole was a
gold watch. | went to house to get a
room. The woman took me up to one
already occupied by another man.
While there she was called down stairs
by a ring at the bell.
"On the foot Of the bed. right before
my eyes, hung vest, in the pocket of
which was this watch. The suggestion
to take it came over me and took such
possession of me that resist it I could
not | took both watch and chain and
left the house without the woman see
ing me. 1t was a good timepece and l
sold it for $31. The money l spent.
"Some time after that one day L was
standing i'm front of the Exchange
building there in Buffalo. A nice new
bicycle had just been left by the curb.
II used to ride wheel a great deal,
so again | was tempted and fell
Mounting the bicycle 1 rode it across
the river into Canada, where l sold it
for $17. l remained about Buffalo for
three years after that. doing first one
thing and another, and have been
three years in the west after leaving
there.
Conscience Hurt Him
Recently I have been down and out
and have beaten my way from San
Francisco here. All the time my con-
science has been hurting me- day and
night. L have visited the, Y. NJ. G. A.
here and told the whole story and asked
If there was not some way to serve time
here for what l have done. If 1 could
atone in some way, il it were only
short sentence in a county Jail, 1 know
that my sleepless nights would be over
and that | would feel a better man.
want to do what is right and have come
here for help and advice. If you think
that | ought to be sent back there l am
ready to 60"
The young man. pale and haggard
from worry and loss of sleep, ard weary
after his long ride from San Francisco,
clasped and reclasped his thin hands
over his knee as he looked at Captain
Weber from hollow eyes, waiting to
hear the verdict.
why, your purpose is a good one"
said the captain calmly, "but 1 am
afraid that l cannot help you much.
One thing Is certain, you could not
serve time here for a crime committed
in Buffalo
BY further questioning Captain
Weber learned that Wall knew only the
name of the street where he had taken
the watch. but could not give any more
definite location. Neither did he know
the name of the woman who ran the
boarding huose.
Thefts Have Been Forgotten
~ am afraid that both of your thefts
have been long forgotten back there"
the captain finally said kindly ut
would be useless to have me write back
there to locate the man from whom the
watch was stolen or to find the one who
lost the wheel. You have no numbers
to go by, and my inquiry l fear. would
bring small results.
Nov, you say that you are going
to work here to earn money to go back
there. Well, go ahead, and stop worry
ing. Come in and see me every week.
Keep in touch with your Y. NJ. c. A.
here and in a few months, or even
weeks, l think this great spell will have
worn off"
The young man said he would take
the captains advice, at least for the
time being.
"Good-by," he said, as he gra sped the
captain big hand. 81 have a job wait
ing for me in Sheffield. l Will try to
work this off, but / doubt it, doubt it.
A mans conscience, you know, is a
whole lot, a whole big part of himself.
I'll be in to see you in day or two"
II wish that some o. the people for
whom l am looking would get a few
hard raps from Old Man Conscience
and turn themselves in to me. That
kind don't do Ii. however They are
criminals. This man is no criminal, as
can be plainly seen from his face and
manner" mused Captain Weber.