Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-11-02
BOYS ADMIT
RODB|NG SECOND
HAND STORE
French and Lloyd
CLARK, Nine and Ten Years
Old Respectively Confess to
Daring Job,

BY the admission yesterday after
noon of Johnnie French, nine years
old, and Lloyd Clark. ten years old,
that they had robbed the Kendis sec
ond hand store Of seven guns sunday
night, the mystery surrounding the
robbery. which has puzzled the police
for two days. was cleared away.
Johnnie French. maintaining a sto-
lid c%ountenance and his usual tone Of
voice, M Lloyd Clark, with tears
streaming down his face, and in
trembling tones, yesterday afternoon
confessed to chief Of Police McMil-
lin hat they had pulled OIL the job.
Chief McMillin arrested the lads sew
eral hours earlier on suspicion. AZ
ter putting the boys through "A severe
cross examination, they 'came
through" with all they knew about
the robbery and told where tie stolen
revolvers were hidden. The guns were
found in the place indicated by the
juvenile law breakers.
With the rather extensive array of
artillery in front of them on Chief
McMillin's desk, the lads yesterday
told everything they knew about the
robbery. Nine year old Johnnie
French told the details like a veteran
who had been promised Immunity If
he would cough up" Clark inter-
rupted Johnnie from time to time TO
set him right on certain parts Of the
story. In general. however. both lads
told the same tale. A desire 10 have
guns was et the bottom Of the whole
trouble. johnnie wanted a rifle and
Lloyd wanted Il revolver. Some other
boy had told them that guns were to
be obtained at the Kendis store sim
ply by pushing in q certain side door.
The more the two youngsters thought
about the plan, the better they liked
it. Sunday night while all was quiet
along the Potomac. the lads gained
entrance to the Kendis place hN
climbing e telephone pole In the alley
and removing q prop held against q
side doc once Inside II was an easy
matter to gather up a bunch Of guns.
Seven revolvers in an were taEen.
Clark took four and French three
Just as they were in the act of going
TO one Of the front windows 10 ret
GONE cartridges, a policeman walked
along in front of the store. stopped
tried the lock Of the front door, flash
ed his search light into the in%terio.
and hen passed IN.
Johnnie and Lloyd decided then
that It was time Tor them to hike.
They forgot about the cartridges. but
gathered up the guns. when the foot
OF the policeman died away, the
boys crept out az the Side door down
the alley and to the house OF q third
lad, who had been afraid to make the
trip with them. They secretcd the
In a barn behind his house.
BY o little clever detective
work. chief McMillin obtained f. clcw
led 10 the arrest OF the boys.
and their subsequent confession.
What to do with French and clark
Is a puz2ler for the police chief. Clark
has been in jail many times. \
bright lod and with good home sur
r%oundings. he hes a mania for steal
ing things. and has promised time and
again that he would never get into
again. French is a newcom-
ar to Albuquerque.
My names Johnnie French. Ny
mothers in Kansas, my father lives
In the Estancia valley, but he works
pa the sewer in Albuquerque OK
Johnnie. Ms fathers name
q AIR. French. don't know what his
first name is. And don't know the
OF the woman who has the :
house where ! live. Shc takes care
,f me while my father IS at work" !