South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-09-04
Boy of 10 Confesses to Series
OF Bold Daylight Robber les;
Clears Mystery Of Weeks
81 Never Took Anything
But Money" Youth
Tells His interviewer

Standing behind the bars in the
juvenile department of the county
Jail, his big brown eyes dimmed
slightly oy a film unshnd tears.
Arthur Raj, the 5-y tr-Old boy who
has been arrested for committing a
number of minor robberiess during
the past few weeks, told a News
Times reporter Friday afternoon how
he had become entangled in the
meshes of the law.
Il wanted money for ice cream
and candy and things to eat" he
explained quietly, as he stood with
his hands in his pockets with just
the glimmer Of a smile on his face.
The lad is large for his age, sparely
built, and with an appearance of in
nonsense scarcely in keeping with the
deeds which he has admitted COM
hitting
He is naturally intelligent as is
evidenced by his methods in robbing
the various homes about the city
His record in school has been no
worse than that of the ordinary
young American and he has ad-
vanced TO the seventh grade, having
attended the Laurel school since
coming here from Chicago with his
parents, several years ago.
How did you get the idea of
stealing money from the houses Ar
thur was asked.
Il don't know" he stammered in
reply and refused to divulge further
information regarding his start in
the burglary business.
He said that he barely escaped
being caught on several occasions
All of his work was done in broad
daylight. In telling of his system
which operated so well that the po-
lice department was puzzled for
weeks. the youngster said:
Il never picked out any special
house but whenever I happened to
see people out on the front porch,
would go down an alley and go in
the back door l never took anything
but money"
You probably saw other valuables
you might have had" he was asked.
why didn't you take those, too?"
Sure l saw lots of good stuff
but l was afraid that l could not sell
it. I didn't want to take any
chances. I looked around on the
tables and in the drawers and most
always found some money"
The boy speaks slowly, in a low
we'll modulated voice. He is very
reticent and would only tell his story
by continual questioning. He denied
that he ever told any other boys of
his operations or that he had anyone
else with him, preferring to work by
himself.
Arthur is the oldest of four chill
dren, his father being a groceryman
on Walnut St He is of German
Jewish decent. The boy rather
sheepishly told of almost being
caught robbing a house on Vistula
av He says he does not know who
the people were but while he was
in the kitchen they came in from
the front porch.
We'll, what did you do?" he was
asked by the reporter.
Il rum" he explained, simply, and
just the flicker Of a smile spread
over his face. 1t is needless to say
that he was not captured on that oc-
casion.
IT don't smoke" he replied in an
swer TO the query by the reporter.
"I hardly think you drink, do
you?" he was asked.
Water" he vouchsafed with a
pleasant smile.
Raj would not or could not tell
why he had started to steal. He said
that he had never done so until after
school adjourned last June. 1t has
been just during the past month, &C
cording to his story, that he has
been committing the burglaries.