Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-03-16
BAD BOYS KEEP POLICE
CHASING AFTER CLUES
Score Of Salem Youths Are
Rounded Up for Long
Series of Misdeeds

Whether it is the spring stir or the
spirit of the Old Nick that prompts
certain youths of this city to deeds Of
deviltry is unknown to Chief Walsh,
but the officers are right now in the
midst Of a campaign against series
of minor offenders who show wide
range Of activity. Since the first CT
tation no less than 20 boys, ranging
in age from IA to 20 years, have been
brought into police court. Many OF
them were from well known and re-
spectacle families and whose parents
were willing to pay all damages. Some
were fearful and penitent, Others were
defiant and careless, some were arrest
ed and are now wards of the justice
court and others have been sent to tne
reform school, and some of the boys
have left town to elude pursuit.
Their crimes consist of basement rob
berries of stores of wet gools, automo
bile thefts and petty thevery about
the town in numerous places. Thursday
might an auto was stolen from the Con
gregational church and taken for a Sc
we're drive evidently over country
roads, as one Cd the tires was cut anC
torn beyond repair. The car was re
turned to this city and left standing
on North Church street. In the cal
was slip Of paper bearing the names
of baseball lineup which had evi
IDENTIFY been dropped by one Of the joy
riders. The police began rounding ~
the boys on the team, and from thi,
clue found the boy who wrote the line
up lie said he gave it to another lad
who evidently dropped it.
A search for the owner Of the paper
showed that three boys had left town
hurriedly, or at least are not to be
found today, nor have they been seen
Ior several days past, The store Of
Jack Frost, which was entered last
week, showed tine loot to be mostly
cigarettes and tobacco, with some can
dy, which lead the police to believe
that only boys wolud do the Job. A
number Of Easements have been enter
ed and in this connection several boys
have been sharply questioned by the po
lice The police are inclined to think
that several ogani2ed gangs exist fol
the express purpose Of ooting base
ments for booze.
Last night it was reported to tn,
police that someone had entered tn,
ear belonging to the foreman Of tn,
extra gang now working on the South
crn Pacific from this city. The boNca
when was fixed up for residence wa
standing on the siding and the THE
entered by breaking in the door an,
took an overcoat and a new pair 0
shoes, leaving in exchange wel.wor
pair Of number ~ shoes which hal
been purchased at Bishops in this city
4 a screen bT fitted up as cooler out
side of the ear was cut open and
cut of beefsteak and some eggs wer
. taken. This would indicate that hobo
. did the trick except that the shoes wer,
: purchased in this city. The police in
yestigated several clues but withou
| success.
Chief Welsh said today that it wa
formerly the drunlis that kept the po
. lice busy but now a score Of mischey
Gus and lively boys were giving NOR
trouble than city full Of drunk an,
, disordcrly mmberiacks The officer
have several good lines on the mis-
creauts and are holding off until the,
= have more definite proof, and they be
. Ii We tnat they will soon have the back
bone Of the gang broken and the lad
rounded up and either sent to the re
form school or as wards of the court