Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-01-13
ROBBERY CASES
ARE CLEARED Up
Only Two Lads Said To BE Con-
cerned In Breaking and
Entering.
THEY HAVE BEEN ARRESTED
Robbery Charge To BE Reduced On
Third-Another Faces Pro-
bate Judge.

Alma's numerous small robbery
mysteries have been cleared up with
the arrest of three local lads, Wayne
Leonard, Verl Olmstead and Leland
Shinabarker on charges Of robbery,
and the confession of the first two
lads the first of this week to the
authorities here that Russell John
son, whom they had earlier implicat-
ed in breaking and entering, had not
been guilty of the cases that they
had attempted to implicate him in,
these being during the night of De
cember 26.
When the two lads, Leonard and
Olmstead, were first grilled by of
ficers last week they did not bring
Johnson into the affairs with them,
and then began to couple the name
of the fifteen year old Johnson boy
with cases of breaking and entering.
In telling of the dozen different
cases of small robberies, the lads
seemed to be telling the truth, but
D. L. Johnson, father of Russell
Johnson, insisted that his son was
home on one night during which the
lads claimed Johnson was with them
in three robberies. Grillings by the
officers failed to shake the stories
told by the lads, and these grilling
came almost constantly.
Oscar Vibber, chief of police, never
fully reconciled himself TO the stories
that were told by the lads in view
Of D. L. Johnson's insistence that his
boy was home and especially after a
high school girl stated Monday that
she was at the Johnson home on the
night of December 26, and that Rus
sci was there al. 1890 when she left
or about the time that the other two
lads had said that he was with them,
entering three different places.
Monday night Mr.. Olmstead, faith
er of Verl, who had done everything
possible to assist the officers, as had
Leonard's father, took the lad again
to Vibber, and after another long
grilling the lad admitted that young
Johnson had not been with them.
Tuesday morning Wayne Leonard
made the same admissions, and the
big point at issue in the entire in
vestigation after the initial confes-
sions had been cleared up.
1t is admitted that Russell john
son has done some small pilfering
and being only Is years Of age, he
will undoubtedly be taken before
Probate Judge James G. Kress in the
juvenile court.
The other lads, who were arrested
the latter part of last week were ar
raigned and bound over TO circuit
court for trial under bonds, of
$4,000, which were furnished It is
understood that the charge against
the Shinabarker Lad will be reduced
to petty larceny, because of the fact
that the lad was not engaged in
breaking and entering, and that
evidently his misdeeds consisted in
pilfering a small sum Of money from
lodge room.
Numerous people here, in view OF
the admissions made by the Leonard
and Olmstead lads, and the desire
shown by their fathers to aid the
authorities in any way possible
seemed TO think that Mr.. johnson
was endeavoring to shield his son
but the admissions Of the two older
boys the first Of the week clearly
indicated that Johnson was thorough.
ly justified in defending his son
Russell, from charges of breaking
and entering on the night in question
when Johnson said that the boy was
home. Johnson admits that his sor
has been doing some pifering anC
at no time has attempted to shielc
him from such claims.
The case also caused a misunder
standing between the parents OF
Leonard, and Olmstead, and Johnson
which brought some reports that re-
Elected against the father Of Russell
Johnson, bat which the final acknow
Judgements Of the lads, that Russell
was not guilty Of breaking and en-
tering, clears up entirely
Johnson insisted that his son wal
telling The truth in this respect bu
through q misunderstanding of somt
kind that came in q discussion be-
tween the parents Of these thre,
lads, Olmstead and Leonard gainc0
the impression that Johnson wante,
them 90 aid I'M shielding his son. Tn.
evidence Of the high school girl civ
en- Monday and the final con rossion
of the Oimstead and leonard boy
shows clearly that lohuson had moth
ing TO cover up n this respect
The entire case has been am un
fortunate one, in the view Of prac
tically all Alma people and deep an
the impressions of sympathy tha
have been given to the parents o
the lads. all of whom are well know
Alma people
On Friday evening Of last wee
ROLAND Marsh Of this city, wa
united in marriage to Miss Alet
Dunn, a well known VT. Pleasan
girl. The ceremony took place a
the Presbyterian Manse in Ithaca