Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-02
Boy Thief's Mother
Is Through With Hin,
Continued from Pace Ons

Continued from Pace Ons
always worked. His father has been
out Of work for tho last four months
We arc trying to pay for our little home
in Colingswood.
To others the news of Charlie Hon
mans disappearance with S4l00 in
checks and S433 in cash from the F.
II. White Leather Co. after his forgery
of $1,000 eight months ago from the
Corn Exchange National Bank may be
simply another episode in the annals
of city criminals, but to the mother in
the shirt factory it is plain to see that
tate has dealt blow almos: too stag
gcring. Mrs. Hoffman is small. at
tractivc. with dark hair aud dark eyes.
She Is young, but youth seemed strange
ly absent this morning. II was evident
that Charlie Hoffman Camc from par.
cnts cmincntly respectable and honest
ind that they were utterly broken,
81 feel II is n mistake for concerns
to trust such young. inexperienced boys
With such largs sums" Mrs. Hoffman
said. ''Of course. Charlie can do little
with the checks he took.
Will Aid Authorities
Mrs. Hoffman has pledged her word
TO do all she can to help in tracing hcr
son. She visited the home of Walter
:. Heed. "Oi5 Diamond street. chief
probation officer for the Juvenile Divi-
sion of the Municipal Court. who has
| hadhad young Hoffman ip charge. and
volunteered to cooperate with the au-
thoriticS. II Is believed BY Detective
in Il spending jamborcc. such as he in
dulgcd in last fall In New York and
he can be traced when his money Is
gone.
Th" boy had been living at Hced's
home since last February. when tho
probation officer persuaded Judge
Brown. Of tho Municipal Court. TO al
low him supervision rather than send
Hoffman to the Glen Mills reform
school. Hoffman was arrested in New
York In SumptuOuS apartment. which
he had furnished with the funds OBJ
taincd from the bank.
You sec. Mr.. Heed said last night
as hc sat in his apartment. Mrs. Heed
N" just as though he were a member of
the family. He had his own room and
did as he pleased. Lots of times Mrs.
Heed and ] hnve gone out and left
him here alone. lie was tho fifth boy
I've had living here with mr-boyS
who had gotten into trouble and in
whom ] had faith. I've had Italians.
Polish and American boys.
II simply cant understand whv he
has taken this money. All his mental
examinations were perfect. We know
OF no injury he has ever had which
might have affected him. After his
first ofense. in connection with the
bank. | asked Charlie why he had done
Il. and nc simply answered he didn't
know. After that never mentioned
the subject.
lie never left here for tho first two
months except 10 go to work. Then 7
decided II would be best If he went
home 70 see his people once in n while.
ana ] felt by that time that he could
be trusted. After that I allowed him
I" go hom" every week end"
Boy Has Few Faults
Mr.. Heed described the boy as one
who had frw faults and many qualities
to be admired
i''VN lIlbtTTuplpl TO remark
Charlie was absolutely without vices
was quiet and would rather STAY in
th" hous" than go out and mix with
people.
'Irs, said Mr.. Heed. sometimes
i wns very hard to get him to 60 out.
lie didn't care to mix with others. lie
had no time for girls at all lie liked
to read and his reading never extended
to trashy books. His greatest love
seemed to be drawing. H. would sit
her" by the hour at night and draw
from the covers Of magazines.
He liked the Saturday Evening Post
better than anything else Lots Of times
he would reproduce the entire cover and
his lettering was beautiful. His pref.
erence, was for heads, but he did moth.
ing original,
'Nharlic loved beautiful things. Now
that time he got the money from the
bank and went to New York. he didn't
spend it wastefully. tho way YOU d think
young fellow would. He rented an
apartment and furnished it with won
derfu draperies, tcakwo0d tables and
things OF that sort. lie spent moro than
$1,000 for drapcries for one room alone.
And hc had decorators come in and do
tho uorlg -