Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-05
JAMES G. FLEENoR, THE BARE
FOOT BURGLAR

be no appeal. Attorney thompson,
who represents tn giant negro,
knows a good thing when he sees it,
and with fifty-eight other indictments
against his client he was more than
willing that Fleenor receive sentence
on the one charge, which would pre-
clude any chance of his being held on
the others.
Only two charges were filed against
Fleenor, one for the theft of watches
and +ewelry from Harry Cook, the other
for burglary at the home of former
Chief of the Fire Department Thomas
Strohm. In the burglary at Strohm's s
house Strohm awoke to find the negro
in his room, and promptly gave chase,
graphing the giant as he dashed down
the steps. The negro broke away and
ran and managed to escape.
Negro Confesses
The other charges against the negro
cover a period of the last three years,
during which time there was never q
suspicion that the barefoot burglar was
negro. 1t was the fight at Strohm's
residence during which the two men
were in close contact for a moment
that gave the police the first clew that
the man they sought was a negro.
From that time on reports of burg
laries became more persistent, and
DelGCIlNtS ello DOy0
traced some of the plunder to one of
Fleenor's real estate offices. There they
found the negro with several white
men to help him doing big business
| in the real estate line. They also
| learned that Fleenor spent most of his
time at night at some other place than
his home.
| The giant negro gave up without a
struggle, and after telling some re-
IL 10
the commission of about fifty-eight
robberies. That was before he hired an
attorney. When it was thought he
would plead guilty he suddenly changed
Ihis mind and startedi in to contest the
proceedings.
Breaks from His Cell
| When he was taken to the county
! Jail he notified Sheriff Hammel that
he was going to outwit him If possible,
and he promptly began operations.
Sheriff Hammel first learned that a
band of white crooks were working
day and night to secure the release of
the negro. He next learned that on u
| certain night an attempt at rescue
would be made. AT the hour for the
rescue the sheriff had four men armed
with riot shotguns hiding about the
county Jail. Suspicious characters
| made an appearance, but getting wind
of the presence of the officers they
made a hasty retreat.
A short time later the sheriff pre-
vented supplies being sent in to Flee
nor, revolvers, saws and chisels being
held up. Fleenor becoming desperate,
then attempted to liberate himself
With his powerful hands he wrenched
off a piece of pipe from the
plumbing in his cell and stopped
up the pipe with soap. Then he
took his lead weapon and managed TO
reach through the bars of his cell and
tear off a heavy paddock. He liberated
himself and a comrade and then freed
Stackpole, a life-sentence man who
was in the next cell. The three had
torn out the window casing when the
night guard at the Jail caught them
at work and fired on them. The bullet
struck Fleenor in the forehead, stun
ming him, and glanced off and struck
the accomplice in the hand. The next
day one of the men pleaded guilty to
burglary and was sentenced to eight
years. imprisonment, Stackpole was sent
to San Quentin to await the result of
his appeal and Fleenor was kept under
guard awaiting his trial.
Since the negro has been on trial the
most careful watch has been kept in
taking him to and from the county
Jail. He will be allowed a stay of two
or three days in Los Angeles before
being sent to the state penitentiary in
order to give him chance to dispose
of a quantity of real estate and two
or three rooming houses owned by him.