The Washington times., 1922-03-11
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went along and did the most out
landish things-things for which I
now realize i was not responsible.
They were impulsive acts in most
instances, but again l had moments
OF pleasure In doing things out Of
the ordinary.
was only eleven years old when
I stole some tools. I hid them in
graveyard. was ARRESTED for the
theft and was sent to the reform
etory. They don't always make good
boys at ref0rmatOriee-in fact, they
did not change my disposition to do
wrong. They iii treated me and
ran away.
Looking back at my school days.
before / was sent to the reformatorv,
remember sticking pins In other
pupils in the class. / recall how !
would jump from my seat, rush from
the room, or leap out of the windows.
] just could not keep still as a boy.
had 70 be on the go. After going
to bed would find wanted to get
up and out Of the house. While other
members Of the family were asleep.
would dress and go out
On some of these night trips I
would steal horses from barns and
stables and ride about town. i used
to like to have the cops after me.
1 liked to give them trouble. don't
know why. On a number OF oc-
casions I went to a cemetery chapel
and rang the chimes. l. would do
this early in the morning. Then the
police and people of the town would
investigate. But I generally was
out Of their reach. hid 80 I could
see them rush to the place to find
who rang the chimes. 1t certainly
Ia - o.,
Then as q little boy--I think I was
only about ten years old took my
fathers revolver and went to the
home of a neighbor. / told the wom-
an to hold up her hands, that I
wanted some cake. She became
frightened and ran about the room,
then rushed to the street crying for
help. Gee, laughed when / found
I had frightened her. She told my
father what I had done and got
. good beating for 1t. / did the
same thing to other people.
Joyrides on Horses.
One OF my strange pranks, acts
that cannot account for today. was
stealing horses or mules and riding
about New London. Conn, my home
town, In. the early morning hours.
] would Jump on the horses, beat
them, and dash madly around the
town. When I ran across policemen.
would leave the horse and run
away.
Then, as a child, I would set fire
to barns and haystacks just to zee
them burn. / would start the fires
and stand off while the firemen caLie
along and put them out. I used to
have a lot of fun doing this. never
knew why / set the barns and stacks
of hay on fire. Even to this day 1
cannot explain why I did such
things.
Then Rad an uncomfortable de-
sire to break windows and street
lights. When I saw them. Just
had to pick UP stones and break
them, or IL had my fathers re-
volver. would shoot at them. They
thought I was a terror In my old
home town.
Even as a child I had a banker
ing for stealing. used to take
tops from the other kids. Then
when I would see the kids crying
j would stand back and laugh at
them / always seemed to get a
great deal of pleasure out. Of doing
these things.
Well, 1t all ended with my being
sent to the reformatory. But there
i could not do the things I wanted
TO. / just could not sit in classes
or do the other routine work.
Escaped From Reformatory.
found I was not like other boys.
They did not seem to be nervous
like I. was. just couldn't keep
stiIl. The routine of the reforma-
tory made me like a race horse held
at the barrier. I want to go-to
get away, to get over the walls
ana 10 freedom. So 1 escaped.
was afraid to go back to New
London, my home. I feared that II
I did, I would be returned to the
reformatory. knew my father was
sore on me for the many bad things
i did and that he would not hesitate
to send me back to the reformatory.
My father was a good man, but he
used to beat me-he was a prize
fighter and promoter of fights. He
often struck me. Dad did not know
just how hard he could hit. 1 GER
tainly knew.
So I dropped my surname and ran
away UP to Boston. I got In with
lot of bad boys. We stole to get
something to eat. Then L was ar
rested for getting mixed UP in q
hold-up. I served q short term in
prison. When / was released from
prison, I became engaged in running
whiskey from Canada into Maine.
i also stole number of automobiles,
was mixed up in a lot of stick.up
jobs, and finally got Job on a
lake boat at Erie.
True, while / was a booze runner
from Canada to Maine. l was not In
business for myself. worked for
bootleggers and made but little
money out of the work was doing.
] did hold one good job in Buf.
falo, where / worked In a broom
factory. / made good money. but
lost my Job when II was learned
that ] was handling booze.
Wharf Rat In Detroit.
Then I went to Erie, Pa, and |
got a Job on a lake boat. went to |
Detroit, held several Jobs there. and !
bought motorboat. I used the
motor boat to peddle whiskey. But !
the police got wise to me and I /,
signed up with an agency to go to !
work In the West Virginia mine |
field. From there ! went to Char