Charlevoix county herald., 1914-05-09
BOY BANDITS RECEIVE
FIVE TO TWENTY YEARS
Review of Transgressions Which
Landed Youths Behind
Iron Bars.

ESCANABA, Mlch.-"JuSt two FOOL
fool boys" is the only diagnosis of the
case of Joe Parent and Clyde Smith, %
and % years of age respectively, who
terrorized this entire section of the
state for over a week. Impelled by a
desire for easy money, they, singly or
together, held up and robbed station
agents OF the 500 railroad stations here
and at Gladstone four times in five
weeks. Then, their identity as the
robbers discovered, they fled, and. for
ten days eluded pursuit in the woods
and swrmps of this and neighboring
counties, during that time shooting two
of their pursuers. Now they are in the
state prison at lonia for the best years
of their lives.
On Thursday evening, March 5, Joe
Parent alone entered store near Es-
canada shot hole in the ceiling of the
place, lined up the occupants against
the wall, rifled the cash register and
escaped. The sheriff was rushed to
the scene, but no sooner had he arriv-
ed there than another call came into
his office that the 500 Line station
agent in this city had been held up by
a lone bandit, who, after ordering him
to stand on the table with his hands
high in the air, had taken the money
from the cash drawer. On this robbery
Parent confessed, he secured s75 in
cash.
Just week later, near midnight,
while the agent was busy, he heard
someone at his window and looking up
he beheld the same masked face that
had appeared just week before. Com
plying with the orders of the holdup
man the agent handed over $55 in cash.
Again the officers were called Sheriff
T. j. Curran went quickly to the scene
and again there was an all-night search
in the surrounding woods-an unsuc-
cessful search.
On Thursday night, March 10, panic
stricken farmer rushed into the sheriffs
office with the tale that he had been
held up by a lone highwayman near
the 500 Line station and relieved OF $50
in cash. Before officers reached the
spot the bandit had shot out the
window of the 500 Line station and,
entering, had secured $50 in cash.
Two weeks later, while the 500 Line
station at Gladstone was filled with
people two bandits followed the agent
into his office after he had met the II
o'clock passenger and in whispered
words ordered him to open the safe
from which they secured 500 Of West
ern Express company money. Walking
out through the crowded station, the
bandits escaped.
Then followed an original search for
the robbers. Careful inquiries were
made in every direction. All suspicious
characters were carefully watched I'M
til one night Joe Parent and Clyde
Smith, local characters known to be out
of work, were noticed spending money
freely. They were Swallowed. On
Thursday, April 16, the lads secured
a rig at livery barn to 90 to Gladstone.
When they returned the police station
was notified and Chief Iverson went to
investigate. The boys were followed to
room in local hotel. The chef
knocked on the door and demanded
admittance. The door was opened.
"Where did you get the money that
you have been spending?" demanded
the chief.
"None of your business" said Par
ent. Noticing gun in Parents pocket
the chief grabbed for it and while he
was graphing with Parent for posses
sion of the weapon, Smith pulled re-
volver and ordered the chef to release
his hold on his partner, which Iverson
did. The two boys dashed from the
room while the chief fired shots after
them, none taking effect. Down the
hall they ran toward the railroad yards,
out glass paneled door and leaped to
the alley Is feet below, whence they
ran toward the railroad yards.
The chief returned to the office, or
gained posse and with them took up
the chase. For ten days and nights it
lasted, with officers and bloodhounds
always on the trail but always a little
behind their quarry. Then came cap
ture confession and quick punishment
in the form of sentences to prison for
terms of five to 20 years each-B c.
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