Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-03
BOYS IN CUSTODY
PLAN JAIL BREAK
Four Young Offenders Held at the
Detention Home Detected
in a Desperate Plot
OFFICERS FIND POCKET KNIFE
Judge Wilbur Commits Two to
Whittier, and Others Now
Await Sentence
OFFICERS FIND POCKET KNIFE

That a "jail break" was planned by
Juveniles in the detention homo was
disclosed yesterday when a quartet of
boys charged with burglary appeared
before Judge Wilbur.
The boys, who are Frank Hoge, Guy
Vaughan, John Cullington and Oral
Mahoney, each Is years old, are sus-
pected of hoy bandit" careers which
would incite to great Jealousy the nero
of any dime novel CT nickel weekly tale
If he could be brought to life.
They are alleged to have been oper-
ating in the district bounded by Fifth,
Twelfth and Figueroa streets and
Grand avenue, using vacant barns IN
that section as meeting places ana
having such a good system of look
outs" that when any uniformed po-
licemen or probation officer appeared
there was an immediate scamperlng
to another part of town.
Various petty buIglaries are charged
to them, including one at the cigar
stand of the Hotel Vidamar at Sixth
and Hope streets, where one of the
boys stood guard outside while another
climbed over the steel screen and rtfied
the place. When a guest of the hotel,
suspecting something was wrong, be-
gan to investigate he was knocked in
sensible by pair of pliers carried by
the LOOKOUT.
STOLEN WHEELS MADE OVER
Probation officers say the boys were
active in approprlating bicycles, SO
much so, in fact, that there is not now
in that district one machine in the
condition 1t was when it left the fac
tory. The bicycles were taken apart
and reconstructed in an entirely diff
ferent plan, wheels and other parts
being exchanged so that it would have
been q wise owner who could have
identified what was his in any re-
constructed machine. A bicycle cost
ing $25 or $50 originally was frequently
sold for 81.
Finally the boys longed for a larger
career in crime, it is alleged, and
Vaughan appropriated an electric run
about which he found on the street,
the owner being absent for few min
utes. Followed by the other three boys
on bicycles he motored to Eighth and
Hope streets. There the trio awheel
cached their bicycles and Joined
Vaughan in the automobile. They
rode to the residence Of w. e. john
son, at 1862 Hobart boulevard, hoping
to avoid suspicion by the style of their
approach.
They entered the house and had
gathered a large collection of jewelry
when a motorcycle officer from the
police station, sent there after a neigh
bor had grown suspicious, arrived and
took the boys in custody.
PLOT TO ATTACK GUARDS
On their arrival at the detention
home they were searched and pock
etknife with blade two inches long,
and a So bill which Hoge carried in his
shoe were overlooked.
Then the Jail break was planned,
Hoge and Vaughan being the leaders.
The police say the boys intended to
attack the guard with the knife and
in the resultant confusion take his
keys and escape after liberating all
other inmates who cared to join them.
They invited a young negro who has
been a ward of the court for five years
and who because OF a slight indiscre-
tion recently committed is being con-
fined again for a few days. He not
only declined to join them, but told
the plan to the officials, who took the
knife and the money away from Hoge.
When the quartet was taken before
Judge Wilbur yesterday he listened
until the guilt of Hoge and Vaughan
- was made apparent and then commit
ted them to Whittier. Cullington and
Mahoney will be before the Judge
again Monday.