The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-08-25
BAREFOOT BURGLOR
FINALLY CAUGHT
Chief of Seaside City Baffle6
and Offered Private Reward
for His Capture-Caught
in an Upstairs
Room.

X i I IA NJ " y ~, As G c L.
Operating with the identical meth
DDS of those used by the famous
barefoot burglar of Newport News
Clarence Sales, a negro answering the
description given by those who have
seen the Newport News celebrity at
work, was captured on Saturday night
in the home of Max Rubin at 1928
u Street.
When captured the negro was in an
upstairs room OF the house; he had
removed his shoes. leaving them on
the porch downstairs and the rooms
had been thoroughly ransacked. The
nrSt words spoken by the negro after
capture were addressed 10 Officer Il.
ii. Werner, who figured IN the cap
ture. and were request for ciga-
rette.
~ When Mr.. Rubin. whose residence
is above the store that he conducts at
the above number, was ready TO go
upstairs 10 retire at about 1890
O'Clock Saturday night, he thought he
heard noise above and 'phoned to
First Police Station. officer Werner
was dispatched to the scene, and
meeting with Inspector Charles Cline
", Of the Virginia Passenger and
Power Company, got him TO take him
IN his buggy to the place. On the way
Officers Jones and loot were picked
Hp.
When they arrived at the scene
search Of the place was made and
Sales was found in an upstairs room,
hiding behind the bed. He had sew
eral small articles in his pockets, but
had failed to find anything of real
value.
If Sales should turn out to be the
Newport News burglar the police have
made capture that will clear up
a mystery that has baf1ed not only
the police and detective force of New
port News, but those of Norfolk
Portsmouth and other cities of the
State, and who is supposed to be the
same one who has recently operated
in Jacksonville, Fla. He has with the
utmost daring and recklessness en-
tered houses at liberty, gone about his
work calmly and deliberately, regal
ing himself the while by smoking Gig
arettes. leaving the stumps scattered
about in the rooms he visited and al
ways works in his bare feet. leaving
tracks at various points on the prem
Uses.
He seems absolutely oblivious of
fear of discovery and does not hest
tate to show himself to the occupants
OF the house which he is burglarizing.
He has been seen by a number of
people, all Of whose descriptions are
that he is a light complexioned ne
gro, about feet 10 inches in height,
and that he is we'll built, weighing
about ICE pounds. On one occasion
he was shot at while esca ping from
a residence on the Boulevard, between
Newport News and Hampton, but the
shots evidently failed TO take effect.
Chief of Detectives John w. Rey-
noids, of Newport News, who is re-
garded as one of the best city detec-
tiVes in the South, has acknowledged
himself completely baffled by the
work Of the barefoot" and has Of
fered personal reward Of $3.50 for
his capture. alive or dead. The abso-
lutte mystery surrounding the opera
tions OF the negro has almost made
him national figure. and the case has
attracted the attention of a number OF
departments in the larger cities
The Newport News police will be
notified Of the capture here, and il is
possible that a more serious charge
can be fixed upon the prisoner. Sat
urday night he entered the residence
without breaking. the rear door up
stairs being open. In most OF the
cases in Newport News and vicinity
entrance was perfected by breaking
wkfch, under the laws of this State. is
a capital offense. Justice Crutchfield
In Police Court this morning. sent
the case to the grand jury.