The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-02-27
BOY BANDIT HAS
BEEN CAPTURED
Bank Clerk With SatcheI of
Stolen Liberty Bonds Rec
ognized in Pool Room
HAD NO OBJECT IN THEFT
Dalton Said He Felt That Judge
Landis' Statement Fitted
His Case.
tsy The Associated Press,.


BLOOMINGTON, ILL.,, Feb. 26.-Wil-
liam Dalton, 16 year old bank clerk,
who stole s772,0 worth of Liberty
bonds in Chicago Thursday, an amount
which the police say is the largest
bond theft on record, was caught in
a pool room at Heyworth, Ill., near
here, today. All the bonds, except
one for $500 that ne used for expenses,
were recovered I'm a small leather bag
that he had tossed into corner while
he played, as nonchaIantly as if it con-
tanned old clothing.
The boy said that taking the record
ter, but that escape was not SO easy.
He was taken for a ride by an auto
mobilist, James Dennis, while trudg-
ing along the road to Heyworth, head
ing in the general direction of "the
south" bat with no definite plans for
escape.
Dalton was held tonight awaiting
arrival of bank officials from the
Northern Trust company of Chicago,
whom he robbed. These officials intf-
AiioISO pSIOIS lHSy Iell chicago JndL
on account of the boys extreme youth
they would be inclined to forgive him
and to give him another chance.
The lad tonight told how he tried
to evade the officers of the law by
travelling in automobiles, on foot, on
electric and steam trains and busses,
but was captured largely through wide
publication of his picture in Chicago
He was recognized by the son of Con-
stable Jack Draper, who made the ar
rest and who probably will receive the
$4,000 reward offered for the boys
arrest and recovery of the bonds.
Dalton was first suspected of being
the bond thief by Dennis, with whom
he rode into Heyworth. Dennis re-
ported his suspicion to Paul Draper,
the constable.
The boy carried the bonds in a
satchel which he secreted when he
walked out of the bank Thursday for
luncheon and throughout hiss flight
until he reached Heyworth. There his
fondness for shooting pool and bill
lizards caused him to seek a game with
a stranger and while the two knocked
the balls around, the satchel, with it's
fortune, was leIL IN a corner Wnefe
any one might have picked it up and
walked away had he known of it's con-
tents.
When Constable Draper appeared
and called the youth by name he ad-
mitted his identity.
The lad said he took the bonds on
the spur of the moment and was sore
at the bank because they had not
promoted him as rapidly as he desired.
Il read how Judge Lands had said
the bankers were partly TO blame in
the case of the ottawa, ILL.,, boy named
Cary. who stole nearly 100000" said
Dalton. ''The judge said they should
have paid Cary more, and his case
seemed to fit me. I saw the chance
to take the bonds and decided on the
spur of the moment to try to get away
with them. 1t doesn't pay, however,
and I'm sorry. I'm sorry especially
for my mother and sisters. / don't
know what 1 can do, now"
Dalton broke down and cried when
speaking of his mother. who is a
widow.
Il don't know what l wanted to do
with the money" he said. Il just
took a notion to go off and I had an
easy chance to get some money and
took it. / did not have any particu-
lar notion of where / was going but
wanted to get to the south to Louis
lana or Georgia, where l thought there
would be less chance of my being
found"