The Detroit times., 1909-06-19
BOYS CONFESS TO
MANY bURGLAR|ES
Fred Smith, Son of Wealthy Dairy
man, "Collaborated" With Negro
Lad in Looting Houses.

Taken to the Candeld-aye. police
station for investigation in connec-
ton with q report that his father had
been robbed OF 81, Fred Smith, the
15-year>old son OF a wealthy dairyman
living at 2421 Russell-st., confessed
that he and a l2-year-old Negro lad,
named Clarence Jackson, had commit
ted all of the ten recent burgiarie5
In the north Woodward residence sec
ton, where small sums of money and
lewelry were stolen. Clarence was
later arrested, and confessed 10 his
part in the burglaries. He Is held in
the Juvenile detention room. while
young Smith is locked UP in the Cen.
trail station.
- The beys were regular midnight
prowlerss doing all OF their plundering
after IL o'clock. They gained On
Trance in each case by prying open
basement windows with "jimmies.
Since June l the two lads burglarized
the following pluces: No. I30 TrOW
-bridge-ave., No. 1872 Trowbrilge-aVe.
NO. 132 ~HaFmOn-aVe., Nos. 100, Ill
All LAT and Isl Delaware-ave. IL
WAS these lads who entered Patrolman
Gilbert Hardy's residence and stole
The officers billy"
. Hundreds OF dollars worth OF Jew
.elry, In the aggregate, were taken
from the different houses, but the
boys told Special Officers Dibble and
Mcdonnell, who handled the case
that they had thrown away all OF the
-jewelry. and had spent what cash
they obtained. Not a cents worth OF
1.-The iewelry has so far been recov
sered.
- Young Smiths parents are almost
..heartbroken over the revelations
(which followed the police inyestiga
ton OF Mr.. Smiths recent small loss
They have refused TO have anything
further 10 do with the lad, who had
O handsome home, and everything
that young boy usually Graves.
The father of Clarence Jackson. the
.little Negro lad, blames his sons bur
,glary career on the church-going haD
its of his wife. She is a constant It
tendant at the Seventh Day Adventist
church, the father told the officers
and he Is forced to do the cooking
and the housework, make the beds
watch the children, and earn tha
livelihood besides.
'sWhen childrens mothers don't
pay any more attention 10 them than
my boys mother does, it's no wonder
that the boy turns out bad" says
Jackson, bitterly.
So Neither or the boys had aroused
7 the least suspicion In the minds Of
their parents, apparently. IL is said
that young Smith used 10 sneak out
of the house, unknown 10 his par.
ents, and return in the same way,
after committing his burglaries.
He has been at the burglary bust.
ness for some time
He has admitted that. unassistod by
his little colored pal he burglarizcd
the residence at No o093 Russel-st
April 8, last, and that in August be
,burglarized n residence at Highland
. Park.
Last August. Fred's father reported
that he had been robbed of 500. hut
no trace OF the money was found
Now Fred admits stealing the mon.
ey, but he insists that there was only
$40.
The little Jackson lad lives ON Oak
land ave, Highland Park. just hoy1u
the city limits.
Both boy burglars were taken bc
fore Judge Rohnert, Friday noon
where the little colorcd bad "siges
back on hts confession, -s4ii.-ss !---
mother. who posed as @ medium
had a trance, and rolled around on tha
court room floor for several minutes
smith admitted his guilt, however
He was sent to the D'Afclmbal farm
for a week, pending further invest.ga
zion OF his case. while his fittle coiort-
..uaf"- was sent to the county jail -
the same length OF time.
.u.-.., WIN Are Envied