The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-22
Police Have in Custody Young
CoIored Boy Who Is Appar-
emily a Professional Crook,
Despite Age.
ATTEMPTS WHOLESALE
ROBBERY BUT FAILS
Charge of Entering House to
Commit Felony Has Been
Placed Against Him-Case
Is a Curious One.

Tendencies that stamp him as a
probably professional thief when years
of experience are added, were displayed
by Delmo Doty, a fourteen year old
colored boy, Saturday night and early
Sunday morning. The boy broke into
half a dozen grocery stores in differ
ent parts of the city and visited even
larger number of private residences,
but failed to gain entrance. He has
made a confession to the superintend-
ent of police and claimed he did not
know that he could be sent to prison
if he broke into a place, but did not
take anything. He admitted his mo-
tive was to steal whatever might suit
his fancy. 1t is probable the boy, who
has been in trouble before. will be sent
to the reform school.
Father Gives Warming.
The yOungster was arrested yester-
day noon, after his father had called at
police headquarters to see If he were
locked up and held on some charge.
The boy had not been home Saturday
night. and knowing his proclivities.
the father sought Information from the
son had been out all night. Roundsman
McNally. who was on duty as desk ser
geant Saturday night, and who had
been informed of the attempted rob-
berries, surmised the Doty boy might
have been implicated and notified the
patrolmen to bring him in. This aft
ernoon Doty was charged with entetr-
ing house to commit felony.
In his statement to the superintend-
ent. the boy said he went to Old man
Budd's" place on Bridge avenue and
crawled in a broken window. The
proprietor was heard coming into the
store with light and the boy left the
place Immediately and undiscovered.
Climbs Into Window.
! Gerry in Fairview. Here a board had
been placed before a broken window
pane and this was pushed aside by the
lad and he climbed in. He tried to
unlock the back door to get into the
next room, but was unsuccessful. AS
he could not reach the store room he
, left the place.
| Next he visited the Sudhoff grocery
on Fort Wayne avenue. He tried to
get in. but failed and when he heard
some one coming he ran. He went
back to Fairview and spent the re.
mainder of the night in a barn belong
| ing to a Mrs. Hudson He slept in a
box and awoke an hour before day
light.
| About o'clock Sunday morning the
boy visited the grocery Of Lennie
! Moore. 325 North Third street. He
went through a broken window on the
south side of the building and unlock
ed the door. He was in the store room
and about to make his thefts. but de.
cided to go outside and look again tc
see if everything was safe. He die
so and saw Mr.. Moore and his sor
| coming, SO ran again.
| Younaster Is FoiIed.
He left Moores and went down te
the south end Of town and visited /;
number of places, but could get IN
none. 1t was becoming too light an(
he was afraid to try further. so contin
ued to wander about the city.
The boy admitted, also, that las
summer he took so cents from thu
store of John Wehrley on Fort Wayne
avenue. Three or four weeks ago. h
again stole at this store. He saw thu
back door was open, so went through
the store and took the key out of th'
lock. When Wehrley was gone, h
returned and stole the cash box. H
Continued on Page Two)