The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-03
Hitchcock Makes Sensa-
 tional Confession.
MOBILE OFFICERS WATCHED
 AS HE ROBBED STORE
Says He Paid Patrolman Murray
 For the Job,
Youthful Crook of Gulf City Admitted Breaking Into the sandoz Jeweiry
 Company and duplicates Oth- CTS in the Deed.
BY BARNEY SHERIDAN JR.

BY BARNEY SHERIDAN JR.
 Mobile, May 2-(SpeciaD- The sem sational diamond robbery of December % when the store of Sandoz Jeweiry Company was entered and ten thousand dollars worth of jewelry stolen was this afternoon cleared up if the confes- sion made and sworn to by Sharp Hitchcock, young white man De true.
 The boy made long written confes- sion in which he duplicates five prom inent people among whom are police men, one of whom has been positively identified at a conference held this af- ternoon for the purpose of identifying the policeman and hearing the con- fession of the boy.
 When Hitchcock was brought into Mcintosh and Richs office where the conference was held, to face the men whom he charged with protecting him and his confederates in the sensational robbery there were in the room Attorney W. M. Mcintosh, Attorney B. B. Cham berlan, Chief Edward Rondeau, MT. T. F. Sandoz Max Hamburger Jr., of the Herald; G. A. Waterman of the Regis ter; Barney Sheridan Jr.. and several other newspapermen, Deputy Charles Cherry, Sheriff Frank Cazalas, Deputy United States Marshal Gates.
 Luke Murray In Office.
 With Chief Rondeau arrived officer Luke Murray, big, handsome and with an air of confidence on his counten- ance, the man who Hitchcock claimed he bribed to keep quiet while Hitch cock and his confederate pulled off the steal.
 Attorney Mcintosh stated the pur- pose of the conference. that the state ment made by Hitchcock, duplicating several Mobilians, were to be heard {. He then asked Hitchcock if the state ments as made by him in his r~rs~-s- lon were true. and Hitchcock ros;iive- ly answered in the affirmative without the least hesitation. Attorney McIn- tosh then ased if he could identify the police officer to whom he paid the money to allow them to work without police interference, and Hitchcock i'm mediately answered Yes"
 When attorney Mcintosh asked 'Ts that police officer present?
 Yes sir" answered Hitchcock imme- diately and that is he sitting there pointing his finger at officer Luke Murray.
 Murray Turned Away.
 Officer Murray turned away as if in disgust or in disregard of the youths statements.
 Attorney Mcintosh then went over the confession with Hitchcock. who
  made and positively affirmed that he paid officer Luke Murray with his own hand. the money for which he and his confederate were allowed to carry out the robbery.
 The chief of police asked Hitchcock where he got all the money that he paid to these people in advance, and , the boy hesitated at first, stating that did not enter into the present is- sue. When persuaded he told of num- erous robberies in the city which he had committed and in which he secur- ed from $350 to $500.
 Deputy Sheriff Charles Cherry then told of how the confession was wrung from Hitchcock. He stated that he had preached the subject of a girl whom he knew Hitchcock thought much of and with whom he knew Hitchcock was corresponding. Hitchcock seem ed to take offense at this and while in the bull ring at the county jafl wrote a threatening letter about the officers at the jail who had mentioned the girls name to him.
 Officer Cherry then stated that he called him from the bull ring and bringing him in his private office, read the letter to him (for all prisoners, mail Is opened before 1t leaves the jail) and told Hitchcock that he could be prosecuted for such letter, but he, Cherry, did not care to as Hitch cock was In enough trouble now. Hitchcock then in conversation with Cherry stated that he was implicated in several robberies and when several more rather daring ones were related by Hitchcock, Cherry asked who was Hitchcock's confederate in all this work.
 Evidently o1 his guard and not thinking of what he was saying. Hitch cock said, 'in none but the Sandoz robbery" Tn this way stated Cherry. the confession was wrung from Hitch cock.
 Chief Calls Detectives.
 During the conference In the office of Attorney Mcintosh. there were Sew eral heated arguments between the chief of police and a man named Woods of Montgomery, who has been acting as a private detective. The discussion was brought about through the chiefs taking exception to Woods acting as a detective and when Woods attempted to tell this, the chief flashed up and heated words were passed.
 For several minutes 1t looked as If trouble would arise, but before the men could take any action other par ties had quieted them Then Woods asked to be allowed to make state ment and when the request was grant e0. mother of the boy making the confess sion, was deeply hurt about the way the officers had spoken to her when making inquiries about sharp, her boy. Woods states that Mrs. Hitch cock told him that the officers had told her that she was housing a thief ana made other remarks which were unbe- coming any officer. Here young Hitch- cock jumped to his feet and stated that he had written Detective Lacey let ter about the incident between his mother and Lacey and that he had threatened to get even and would yet
 The youngsters voice quivered as he spoke and big Jumps seemed to choke off his speech. as he sat down with the statement that if he were a crimin- al, he always looked out for his mother. and would until life was ended This occurrence deeply affected the body of men present, and all. including MT Mcintosh, then made very compliment Axx remarks about Mrs. Hitchcock At-