Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-09-12
YOUTH ADMITS He
STOLE TWO AUTOS;
SOLD ONE FOR $500
JOSEPH BERG, 18 YEARS OLD,
CONFESSES CARRYING ON EH-
TENSlVE OPERATIONS IN AND
NEAR OTTAWA-GOT PAIR OF
FORDS IN TWO DAYS.

Joseph Berg. lS-yearold scion Of a
wealthy Shabbona. III, family, this
morning, after coniesSng to second
automobile theft in La Sale County,
was bound over to the grand jury on .
newly issued state warrant charging !
him with grand larceny at a prelimi- /
nary hearing before Judge George
koenig.
Berg is the youth who made away
with Ford owned by Richard Ehly
from In front of the Wheeler 4 Malo |
pharmacy on Sept ). He was appr"'
hended by the Aurora police, ANA
Berg. together with the stolen Ford,
was turned over to the Ottawa an
thorities and brought here TO face
punishment. Under close eXamina-
ton BY Chief of Police Grove, Captain
Hart and Sheriff Ayres he confessed
to stealing the f,hly car.
Steals Car at State Park.
Last night Sheriff Ayres brought to
successful termination several at
I tempts to connect young Berg with
/ the disappearance of brand new
/ Ford at Starved Rock on sunday
morning. July 81. The machine, the
property of Oscar Boltz OF Earlville
disappeared from It's parking place at
the state park while he was on visit
TO the canyons No trace Of the ma
chine was had since that time until
Sheriff Ayres. following up his hunc1
that Berg was the thief, traced th2
car to Shabbona. where he found il
had been sold TO a farmer named
Elmer Lane. who paid $500 for the
auto af er being approached by youn-
Berg with proposition to buy,
Before buckling the defendant down
to an out and out confession, in when
he finally admitted the theft, the sher-
iii learned all the Facts through secret
channels and had what they term il.
police vernacular the goods on him.
In spite of the sherift's knowledge OF
the case young Berg persistently re-
fused to admit the truth, eNadlus
) where he thought evasion would gam
: him a point and again deliberately tai
sifying to save his neck as lonl as nc
could.
Berg Finally Weakens.
, When the county official hnally pu
:, the facts up to him Berg weakened
and fessed up. But before succeed
a ing in wringing a confession from hi'
man. Sheriff AyreS learned that or
SUNDAY, Aug 81. young Berg went t'
Shabbona. where he disposed of
new Ford to Mr. Lane obtaining tn
=, latter's check for $500 in eXchane'
# for the carr Berg went to the banl
in ShabhOna. cashed the check, AM
immediately started for Ottawa arr.
a ing here Monday to carry on his opel
ationS of auto stealing. That nlgn
he got away with Mr.. Ehly's car. an
it was only by the merest chance tina
he was apprehended in Aurora alte
n he had left the car for few hours
during which the Aurora police place
Il spoilers over lne nldChllie' l H'F it'
III ornized il as stolen property, Whe
1t Berg returned for the car he wa
placed under arrest.
=, Under examination by the sheri
4, Berg gave a cock and bull story abol
:, having been employed at Berry's ga
age in Aurora to explain the pre-
ence in his pocket, of more than $3V
49, He said Berry paid him 500 wee
-, and $500 commission for selling
.y Ford,
N. When the sheriff inquired WI
,o. Berry had paid him such large COZ
n mission for selling Ford young Be
n said il was a stolen machine a
,er Berry wanted to unload it. Later
he his story he changed his attitude
nd ward Berry and said his employ
ga loaned him the $500 and took his NJ
IN, in return. The youths tale was
,bs full of fahrcations he constan
built pitfalls to precipitate hims
n, into. and when he saw he had Ii
vii his own trap and had been cau-
in in it he broke down and confessed
nq. truth
an Issue state Warrants.
This morning the city warrant un'
which he was arrested last SUNDAY
Aurora was dismissed and new st