Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-11
TWO YOUNG MEN
CONFESS Is THEFTS;;
HAVECLEAN RECORDS
Employees Of Harlan Plant, Old
Residents Of Wilmington, Reveal
Astonishing Career of Crime.
NEITHER is HIGH ROLLER

Making full confession to fifteen bur
| giaries and frankly admitting that they
were responsible for several others, which
| they could not remember, two young
| Wilmington mon, not only without Grim
| inal records. but neither of whom has
ever been arrested before, are being held
at the City Hall police station under
81 500 bail each, which they have been
unable 10 obtain. They are Jesse Reed, a
| clerk in the Hull Department Of the
Harlan shipbullding plant, and William
t. Hoffman, said to bc a pipe covcrer at
the same works Both are married, Reed
having three young children, and Hoh-
man a baby.
Members of the City Detective Bureau
are nonplussed over the arrests which
have furnished one of the most astonlsh-
ing incidents in the police annals OF the
city. SO far as Is noW known. the Crlm-
inal career of the two young mon, which
began here as early at least as September
|. is inexplicabIc Both arr happily
married neither Is high roller or
sport, neither Is known to he addicted
to drink or drugs The police declare they
arc both absolutely non-crlminal types
IN the class al least where their house
bWaklngs place them
ff1ih EbANft Affs~A INN tafft
Both men fought desperately when ar
rested, which came about through the sale
az ring by Hoffman. which a Market
street pawn broker recognized as one
sought by the police rs having been stolen
from tho home Of Arthur II Chambers.
at 1919 Franklin street Hoffman fought
SO ficrcclv with Detective James G, Riley
in the hallway Of his home, 1909 Market
street, that Riley was obliged 70 knock
him out with blackjack ON being
taken before Detective Sergeant Greene
at police headquarters he confessed to
taking part in fifteen buFglarles 10 this
city, the sergeant said The total vaiuc
of goods known 10 have been stolen by
Reed and Hoffman is something over 81
00O, and Sergeant Greene expressed the
belief that another 81 900 in stolen articles
could later be charged TO the pair
SURPRISES HARLAN OFFICIALS.
Officials Of the Harlan plant under
whom Reed was employed were astonished
al his arrest and subsequent confession.
Reed was one Of the best clerks In
my department" said II G. Thompson,
foreman of the Hull Laborers. He had
a very responsible position, having charge
Of ail orders and supplies He was an
efficient and steady worker, and GER
tainlv one Of the last men in the world
whom | should have suspected Of being
involved in an affair ike this. He was
quiet fellow, and was believed 20 bo
without bad habits other than smoking
] had never heard word to the effect
that he was anything Of . ''spart lie
came 10 us on September 20 and was
receiving "a cents an hour.
Reed lives at Ashley, near Richardson
Il IL y,
children, one of whom IS now in the
Homeopathic Hospital where she has
undergone an operation recently He is
not known to have had any domestic
trouble Of any sort an the poll &c have
been unable 10 find any evidence there Is
another woman IN the case.
Another odd feature Of the case is that
neither Reed nor Hoffman had made the
slightest preparation TO leave town. nor
is there anv reason 20 believe that they
have been responsible for any robberIes
outside this city, the detectives say.
While quantity of loot was found IN
the homes of both OF the men, nothing
in the way Of burglar tools, other than
common hammer. was unearthcd, ac-
cordIng TO the police.
Little can be learned about Hoffman
as vet Officials at the Harlan plant
were unable 70 identify him among their
workers up 10 II early this afternoon. He
implicated Reed IN the series OF robberles
after his own arrest Each one blaIpes
the other for influencing him a criminal
career Hoffman has sister who visited
him at the police station this morning.
According 10 Detective Sergeant Green,
the men committed most Of the rotbcrles
during the evening, though several houses
were broken into by the pair ~ late hours
Of the night. One Of their methods Was
for one to watch = house until the occu-
pants had left, then going boldly up, ring
tho bell and effect entrance l'y IfalSe KEY
Following are the houses which the pair
confessed to burgiar,zine, according 10 the
Detective Bureau
Frank Il Massey 1902 Delaware avenue.
Leo Lynch, 1872 West Eighth street.
Chas L. Pctze, 23G2 West Seventeenth
trthur D. Chambers, 1919 Franklin.
Mr.. Ruckalew, 904 Broome street
: ID. Davis, 1915 Gilpin avenue
Chas d. Ten Brock ,l3ll Gilpin avcnue
Mary K Trump, 1908 Grcenhil avenue.
J FI,nk Rail, l0la Park Place
Geo. Owens. 1851 West Eighteenth
" II. Wyatt, 1913 van Buren street
James Van Trump, 1901 Boulevard
James Giuns 1908 Boulevard
John II DANNY 1913 Delaware avenue.
Harry z. Dunbar. 5d3 West ] Thirteenth
The eases III the two Young men were
continued IN Ciy Court lbs uorning
untl Friday