The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-29
FORTY THIEVES"
CLUB WAS FOUND
Suicide or Murder was the
Penalty Imposed Upon
the Members.
UNCOVER STRANGE NEST
UTE SO MUCH EACH WEEK Or
DIE-sTo7Y READS LIKE 4
DEADWOOD DICK.

Washington, Jan. 2o.-The unearth-
ing Of the Forty Thieves club
composed of men and boys, the avowed
purposes OF which are TO collect by
hook and crook a certain sum OF mon
ey each week, the failure 10 do so be-
ing death. either self-inflicted or by
some member of the secret clan. has
been partially accomplished by cen
trail office detectives.
According to statements made by at
least one member of the band. who
is now in Jail, the rules of the club
have been carried out in every respect.
Last Sunday night one of the members
William Sorerll, of Southwest Wash
ington, who had failed TO contribute
his pro rata to the stolen funds, and
who either feared punishment from
the hands of his competitions or feared
detection by the police, ended his life
by inhaling gas.
Like Deadwood Dick.
The story told by an aged grand
mother Of one of the members. after
she had pleaded with him to change
his mode of living reads like a Dead
wood Dick novel. Charley Hurley. son
of John T. Hurley, stage mechanic at
the Belasco theater, closeted in a
room with his grandmother. broke
down and confessed to her that he was
affiliated with an organization with
which it was impossible to sever his
connection.
The yOungSter. who is is years old,
confessed he had assisted in robbing
his uncle. Lewis Boyd, last Saturday
night The grandmother was able to
get from the boy the details Of not only
that crime, but numerous others,
which the police have endeacored to
unearth for weeks.
One young man has committed sui
eide as a result Of the principles OF
the club, according to Hurley. while
others have been beaten into insensi-
bilty and in at least one instance a
stubborn member has been thrown in
to the Potomac river and drowned,
ed
The Meeting Place.
The mysterious rendezvous of the
Forty Thieves" is in Southwest
Washington. but the detectives have
been unable to learn its exact loca-
ton A dingy poolroom on Lower
Seventh street. where nightly congre-
gate men and boys of all ages and
descriptions is believed to be the
ante room of the real rendezvous.
Here it is the members meet at night,
and one by one they drift from the
smoky room to the street and retreat
to their secret quarters.
1t is known that at least twenty
man and boys are affiliated with the
organization, and if statements made
by young Hurley are to be believed,
a gang of professional crooks and
pickpOckets, who make it their bus!-
ness to become friends with young
sters, take them in view and teach
them the art of thievng.
The story told by young Hurley has
been substantiated to a certain extent
by Detectives Vermillion and Barbe,
Last Saturday night Louis Boyd had
stolen from his room watch, a dia-
mond ring and several small pieces of
jewelry. He reported to the police
and the detectives Immediately sus-
rected young Hurley. Hurley's con-
fession followed. The detectives have
placed under arrest four men after
they had succeeded in pawning the
jewelry and spending the money. Ad-
ditional arrests will be made tomor-
row.