The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-13
BOLD H|GHWAPMEN
ARE MERE YOUTHS
ROBBERS OF DRUG STORE RANGE
IN AGE From THIRTEEN
TO TWENTY-FIVE
FIVE UNDER ARREST
CONFESSION nv OLDEST TO DE-
TEcTsvE KRENGLE IS FoL-
LOWED ny ARREST OF
OTHERS
FIVE UNDER ARREST

A metal door key was the mute Wit
ness that revealed the identity OF the
two highwaymen, who entered ana
robbed smiths drug store. at Sprhis
and Pine streets, shortly after ~
O'Clock Saturday night, and not only
caused their arrest, but the arrest aiso
OF their three accessories, who acted
az lookoutS.
They are Charles Fox, % years old,
who has been living at 3oo5 W iliiams-
burg avenue, and who held the re-
voivcr on Druggist Smith: Norman
johnson, % years old. OF eof SpTlhs
street " no riiied the cash register ana
safe William Batter, l. years old,
former empioye of smiths: after
butler, il years Old, his brother, oil
sos Spring street, and Clarence rec
man, 10 years old, VINO HVcs In the
100 block in nina street.
Fox and johnson have made fun con-
LESSONS 10 Detectives VI hey, krenSei
and keliam, who arrested all bGl FOX,
Who was taken into custody YESTERDAY
afternoon at Eia hth and broad streets
by Justice of the Peace j. b. Peters,
and turned over to Policeman Duke.
Key Gives Hjr~ Away.
The door key which Indirectly LED
to The arrest Of the young robbers,
and which they used to lock the door
.
ference. hung in an ineonspieuous
place behind the door. Its location
known to but TWO men. Druggist Smith
and William Butler, who until recent.
ly worked In the store, The familiar
ity which one OF the robbers displayed
In the store and the manner in winch
he reached te'Ffnd the door. and taking
down the key threw the lock, caused
the druggist ~ wonder. and when he
- ,,,f,t tY.t1t 10 f.sr ~
and they found out that only Butler
beside MIR. Smith knew OF the Key,
sus picion at once fell upon him ana
his companions.
Fox was one of thosa under sus-
njcion, and the detect YES were on
the lookout for him. Justice OF the
, / eace Peters, who was witness TO
part of the hold-up, but thought 1t
was Joke. was walking down Broad
street yesterday afternoon about
O'Clock when he saw Fox, whom he
knew by sight. Walking up to him,
ne placed him under arrest and turn
ed him over to Policeman Duke. who
took the young man to police head
quarters
There he was sweated by Captain
of Detectives Mcmahon. but nothing
could be gotten from him. he was
then taken to the Second Police Sta
ton and Mr.. Smith summoned. Both
high waymen had worn masks when
u. entered the drug store, and the
&. ;l said the only way he could
ldt " the robbers was by their as
Stunning the positions they occupied
when he faced the revolver and by
| their clothes. Fox, however. had.
but when he was made TO assume
crouching position, Mr. Smith said
that, while he was not positive, he
thought he might be one OF tho rob
bers.
Confesses to RrengIe4
! After he was taken 10 MS cell De-
| tectiye krengle, who has known Fox
! ever since he was a boy. went back
| and talked to him. Fox broke down,
gave the names of his companions,
and told In detail how the job was
| planned and put Off from day to day
! because the opportunity for their car
/ wing II out uninterrupted was doubt
full.
He said he was the man who held
! Smith up Mt the point OF a revolver
while Johnson rifed the cash regis
| ter and safe and also added that the
| checks. amounting to s24. he had
torn up and thrown into a sewer TO
/ avoid discovery by having them Ia
! his possession.
/ Warrants were then sworn out for
| the Butler brothers, Freeman and
johnson. and inside OF two hours the
detectives had them in custody. John
son also broke down and confessed,
and told how William Butler, who
| volunteered the information that
there was 5000 in the safe and told
johnson where the door key hung
| had aided in planning the Job.