The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-16
.HITE GlNFESSEs
I TO.BOLDROBBERY
Former Inmate Of Pen Tells.
Officers How He and Nc
Cracker Did Job.

dno Guy otticeFb mas cleared up
one OF the most daring robberies
that has been committed In this
section In many years. Harry
Paul McCracken and Paul Hlte are
now prisoners in the county jail
awaiting preliminary hearing on a
charge Of holding up KenSeth Alb.
bott and rohbing the cash register
in the Mountain State gas station
in Fairmont avenue. The robbery
was committed at the point of
guns at 9:05 Saturday night aud
$50 was taken from the register.
Before leaving the station Nc
Cracker tore the telephone wires
loose and Abbott was delayed a
little bit In calling the officers.
However both city and county Of
flcers were working on the case in
less than ten minutes after the
robbery had been committed.
With a good description OF Nc.
Cracker, who was unmasked when
the robbetry was conn tied, Pro-
scouting Attorney Afnoa and Chief
lof Police Snider started after the
robbers. Prosecutor Amos picket
up the first clew when he learned
THAT a man answering McCracken's
description had hired a taxi cab
TO take him to Farm ngton abopt
a hat hour after the robbery
County officers went to Farming
ton and found that the man had
heen there ard had p!ayeE pool In
pool room for about a half hour.
ileav!ng on the first possible car
for Mann!.gton.
The officers went To Warrington
(, ard agar picked Up tho trail Of
the man wanted 1T the Wells IIo-
ttel. where he tried to sneak M
stairs to D. room W thout register
iuY. WhGG he Tag thrcwu out Of
the Wells Hotel he went to tho
Bartlett Holel aud reglsA.red uD-
;ipr the name of Earl JsfEsaN
When the county officers went 20
THE Bartlett Hotel the CIcrli in
charge said that none of E;e guests
answered the description OF tho
man the officers were searching
for the chase endel for the tine
being.
hotel, however. and McCracken
checked ont Tuesday and came to
this city. Shortly after his arrival
here he was arrested in pool
room by Deputy Sheriff Charles
Bartholow and ConStable William
Toothman. When he was arrested
Harry Hlte was in his company.
When searched at tie county Jail
a note book was found in his pcs.
session with I'!te's rgme, address
and telephone number in it. This
led the officers to believe that
Htte was connected with the case.
(, Officers went out after him but
he could not be located. Tho city
/ police force was asked to capture
him when he went to his home
Tuesday night. IEite was arrested
carly Wednesday morning by mem.
berS OF the city police force md
was detained In the city Jail while
the county officers made a Turth.
er investigation OF the case.
Last night Hite was remove from
the city to the county jail, and
Prosecutor Amos had talk with
him. During the talk Hite made
confession. telling OF the whole at.
fair including story OF how II had
been planned and carried out hy
him and McCracken. Hite denied,
however, that lie took any part IN
the robbery other than standing
guard at the door with gun whila
McCracken covered Abbott With ni3
gun and robbed the cash register.
(. The men separated after the rob
berry, McCracken going to Farming.
ton and Glite to hts home, where
he hid the guns used by them and
q raincoat owned by McCracken.
which he had used as part Of
his disguise. The guns and rain.
coat we're found by officers at the
McCrackeu home later last night.
Hitc was recently released from
the state penitentiary where he
served three years. seven months
and twenty days of a five year sen.
tenCe imposed upon him in the Ma
.rion County Criminal Court for
rebbing William Hallpeuny In this
city.
McCracken, It is said, was also
an inmate OF the state prison, hav.
Ing only recently been discharged.
He was sent up from MononSalia
County on a robbery charge. When
convicted in Monongalia County,
McCracken used his second name,
the commitment being made out as
Paul McCracken. Charles Baker,
assistant prosecuting attorney OF
1 Monongalia County, said today that
q number Of robbers had been con-.
mitted in Morgantown recently
and that a deputy sheriff from that
city would come here today to
look McCracken and Hite over to
see II he could identify them us
persons connected with the recent
robberies there.
( Officers believe that the men
planned the robberies while in pris.
on and when released came back
to this section and started to pull
the jobs. 1t is highly probable that
they visited Morgantowu first and
then moved to this city.
Kenneth Abbott, the man In
charge OF the gas station, positively
identified McCracken as tho man
who held him IN and robbed the
cash register but Is unable to iden.
tify Hite as he was masked.
mines RECEIVE