Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-23
By Two Young Boys, Found
Living In a Barn.
Had Plenty Of Groceries Taken
From a Fairfield Store.
Lads Aged 10 and l4...have Been
Tramping For Several Weeks.

AS the result of the detention of
Nerrill and Ernest Oleson, aged II
ana 10 respectively, last Saturday
morning one of the boldest robberieS
ever committed in this section was I'M
earthed by the Waterville police. The
case vas a peculiar one and very SYM
pathetic as the two respondents, as
their ages show, were mere children,
who Lad deserted their alleged home
in Lewiston and had been Migrants for
the past four or five weeks. Their cap
turc WAS attained in peculiar man
nor.
Last Saturday morning the police OF
this city received word from Fairfield
dat the grocery store owned by Will
liam Fletcher on lower Main street
had been broken into and quantity
of goods taken. There was no suspicion
as to the burglars, as their work was
concealed in Il thorough manner. The
break had been effected through one
Of tho windows of the store. which
they rad unfastened by breaking out
a small piece Of the glass.
4 short time after this report was
received by City Marshal Harrington.
' y W.
Iege avenue. telephoned to the police
headquarters and stated that he had
seen that morning two boys enter q
barn belonging to him, situated near
the Catholic cemetery and believed
that the same boys had been in that
vicinity for several days past The
city marshal Immediately went to the
home of Mr.. Pillsbury and together
they went to the barn, in which is
stored hay. AS they neared the barn
the boys came out and were taken in
charge the city marshal to the City
building.
The boys gave their names and stat
ed that they belonged in Lewiston but
had been away from that city for
about five weeks roaming around this
section. The youthful Migrants stated
that they had made their home in this
barn for the past week. This aroused
the suspicion of the city marshal and
he in company with another officer,
paid another visit to the barn, where
they found on investigation a large
quantity OF food, on which the boys
had been living. There was almost
enough to start q small grocery.
All llcilllLSu liSl VI liic SooV' 49,
Three loaves of bread, 10 pounds of
frankforts, oranges, cans of sal
mon, 2 blocks Of paper. packages OF
high grade cigarettes, can of peanut
butter, l briar pipe, cans of pork and
beans. 6 packages of cheaper cigar
cites. boxes r.. &, l.. tobacco, > pounds
Of butter, jelly rolls. cakes, l pack
age Of Nabisco, pound of candy
The goods found were loaded into
team and taken to the home of Mr.
Piilsbury City Marshal Harrington
then telephoned to the store of Will
liam Fletcher in order to ascertain the
description of the goods he had lost
The first item Mr.. Fletcher reported
was 10 pounds of frankforts and sew
eral other things. Suspicion immedi-
atcly pointed to the boys at the sta
ton.
When the city marshal returned to
the police station he questional the
boys, but they denied everything in
connection with the robbery. As the
burglary was committed in Fairfield.
which is in Somerset county, Sheriff
w. w Nye of Fairfield was notified
that the boys would be turned over to
A peculiar thing in the case was
that for nearly II hours no complaint
was made by Mr.. Fletcher, who, it is
alleged, claimed that his business was
50 rushing he had no time. About the
latter part of the afternoon the neces-
sary papers were made out and the
boys taken from this city to Fair
field, where they will be given a hear
ing this morning.
When seen at the station the boys
showed no signs of discontentment
with the situation. They were shabbily
dressed and greatly fatigued. They
mentioned nothing of the whereabouts
Of th"ir parents and whether their story
III regard to living in Lewiston is
true or not, is uncertain.