New-York tribune., 1910-07-25
YOUNG JEKYlL AND HYDE
Leader of Gang of Yonkers Boys
Surprises Police.
MADE CRIMINAL BY A FALL
Lad of Thirteen Surrenders, Fol
lowing Arrest of His Com
panions Saturday Night.

Aleck kellogg, son Of William c. Kellogg
Of No. Is Lawrence street, Yonkers, leader
of the gang of fourteen-year-old boys who
have been conducting wholesale robberieS
in South Yonkers, walked into the Yonkers
police station yesterday and surrendered
himself
Two of his band, De Leon Hall, jr., OF
Lowerre, and Van Everie Fitzpatrick, of
No 80 Rumsey Road, who were arrested
on Saturday night, had told Captain
Cooley, of the Yonkers police, the details
OF their burglaries, and named kellogg
as the leader.
After his. pedigree was taken the lad,
who is only thirteen years old, told Captain
Cooley a remarkable story He said, and
in this he was cerroborated by his father,
that he met with an injury to his head
several years ago by falling on the side
walk, and ever since then he had been
possessed by an inordinate desire to steal
The lads father said that specialists who
have examined him have declared he viii
never be rid of this desire until an oper-
alton has been performed on him.
The boy is remarkably developed from
a physical standpoint. being as large as
a normal boy of eighteen and weighing
140 pounds. In addition to this he his
wonderfully strong, his body being COW
cred with abnormally developed muscles.
He is unable to read, but has an intense
liking for moving pictures and spends
every cent he can get to see them, espe-
cially enjoying pictures of bank burg
laries and Of other crime II is through
the influence of such pictures, according
to his father, that the boy was led to
commit his most recent crime
Under close questioning by Captain
Cooley, the boy said he had entered other
houses before for the purpose of burglary,
each time al ? o'clock in the morning.
On every occasion, he said, he had been
armed with a revolver and would not
have hesitated to use it if to shoot meant
his liberty.
Young Kellogg then told the captain
that he had twice tried to kill his mother,
both times being led to the deed by the
murderous strain induced by his fall in
early youth
Captain Cooley, who has been g policeman
for twenty years and has had a wide ac-
Quaintance with criminals OF every descrip-
ton, said that he was surprised at the cool
ness and skill as a crook of this thirteen
year-old boy. Kellogg appears to be veri-
table Jekyll and Hyde, for he has moments
when he is as gentle and aw-abiding as
possible but at other times his features are
distorted into a grinness and look Of reck-
less daring that completely disguise him.
and he appears to age perceptibly, even
while the transformation takes place
AS an evidence of his cunning and disre-
gard of consequences, young Kellogg told
how he had already planned TO descend on
the paymaster's Office a the Shady Lane
shaft of The Bronx Valley sewer in the
dead of night, with the intention of blowing
up the safe. Besides this, he said, he in
tended entering the home Of Alexander
Stolz, Of the Valley Farms Company, and
hold I'D all who blocked his path with a
loaded revolver
When AIeck heard of the arrest of his
companions on Saturday night, he lay in
hiding near the treasure cave in Van Cort-
landt Park, where the silverware and jew
eIry which he had stolen were placed, and,
under cover Of night, made his way 70 New
York He went to the home OF an uncle,
Frederick Kellogg, in The Bronx. and told
him what had happened His uncle advised
him TO surrender TO the police
It has not yet been decided just what ac-
ton will be taken against the boy, but it
is thought that efforts will be made to cure
him OF his present criminal leanings.