The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-03-26
Lads Mother Refuses to Heed
His Plea for Mercy When
She Sees Him at the City
Jail.
HIS LOVE OF CLOTHES
UNDOlNG OF POLO STAR.
Mrs. Barker States That She
Thinks a Term in the Peni-
tertiary Will Cure the Boy
Of WlldneSS.

"Oh mamma | don't know why
crazy. If you and papa won't prose
cute me | will work and pay back to
you every cent stole"
With tears streaming down his face
this was the way George Barker, 10.
star rush on the Richmond polo team
who was brought back last night from
Flint, Mich. where he had been arrest
ed on charge of stealing about 500
from his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William
Barker, greeted his mother when she
appeared this morning at the city Jail.
After a short talk with their son MIR.
and Mrs. Barker left the jail and en-
tered the private Office of Chief Bailey
DO you really intend TO prosecute
your SOM a reporter asked of Mrs.
Barker as her husband left the room.
Yes We will prosecute him. ] think
term in the penitentiary will do him
good. When he gets out perhaps he
will not be so wild ! think the lesson
will be a good one for him" answered
Mrs. Barker. Whether she made this
statement after having carefully con
sidered the fact that anyone who has
served time in the state prison is re-
garded<as an outcast from society is
not known.
That her son stole the savings OF
years of her husband and herself ap-
pears to be. in the opinion of Mrs, Bar
ker. a crime that is almost unforgiva-
Il 10 L.. F,t. 81. -
these hard earned savings at the pres
ent time outweighs her mother love
Mrs. Barker stated that George had
always been popular with his friends
and regarded as honest by those for
whom he had worked. She states that
George would never learn a trade be-
cause he could not make enough mon
ey while serving as an apprentice. The
boy has always been passionately fond
of good clothes and always recented
discipline The police regard the
young athlete as a spoiled boy.
Officer McNally, who brought young
| Barker back from Flint, states that the,
lad was anxious to return TO Rich
mond and stated that he would not in
sist on extradition proceedings. He was
confident all tho time that his parents
| would refuse TO prosecute him. He also
informed McNally that he ccould not
understand why he succumbed 10 the
temptation OF stealing his parents
| money. When arrested Barker had
only SEQ in his possession He said
that he had spent on the trip 800 for
ciothes. shoes and railroad fare.
Barker informed McNally that hs did
not take at one time all the $500 he
is charged with stealing. He said that,
I he had been taking 81 and $40 at a
time from the fruit jar where Mrs.
Barker had concealed the family saw
| ings When he left home last week, he
in the fruit jar,
Mrs. Barker states that she had no
/ idea that George had been taking mon
ey from the hiding place throughout
the winter. Last Thursday she had a
bill TO pay and she took the money bag
which was an old sock. from the fruit
jar. To her amazement only so was
found. At that time her son was miss
ing She Immediately suspected him
of the theft of, the money. This suspi-
cion was confirmed when she was told
by one of Georges friends that he had
seen him with large roll of money.
Mrs. Barker stated that when she
withdrew her money from a local
bank last fall she carried H. on her per-
son for some time but finally she de-
cided this was unsafe so she concealed
the money in a fruit jar. which she
kept in cupboard. OF the sum. 500
in bills was placed in cne roll and tied
with a string When any additional
money was placed in the jar il was
added TO the roll. Young George when
he would pilfer any of the money al
ways took il from the roll, as he
knew his mother never examined il.
The loose bills he never disturbed.
Barker will be given mis- preliminary
hearing tomorrow morning.