The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-18
TWO BOYS CAUGHT
Youths Admit Thirty HoId-Ups
in Last Few Weeks.
Are Caught in ''PIant'' by Po-
lice and County Officers.

After committing from one to four
hold-ups almost nightly for the last
seventeen nights, Clyde Williams, 10,
and Theodore C. Hughes, 20, were in
the county Jail today, facing a charge
of highway robbery that will prob
ably send them to the state reform
atory.
The youths were arrested about II
o'clock Sunday night by Detective
Charles Holman and Vic P1antz at the
southeast corner of Gage park, in the
vicinity of which they had engine
probably thirty robberies, accumulat-
ing at least twenty watches, several
valuable rings and q large amount of
money, according to the police Both
youths were armed when arrested.
and had a considerable amount of
money on them. They had just held
cumseh, of his watch, SO or 81 in
money and an automobile tire.
Kreipe's watch was not found with
the loot. the youths claiming they
dropped it near the scene of the rob-
berry, by accident. and could not find
IT again.
Warned Local Officers.
The depredations of the youths, who
had been committing the holdups al
most nightly. had worried the Off
Gals for more than two weeks. Pre-
vious efforts to catch them were I'M
jobs and then get away to the east of
Gage park.
Sunday afternoon Capt. Jesse Hill.
of the police department, and the
sheriffs office arranged to plant"
five couples around the park as de-
coys. Two cars from the sheriffs Of
flee and three from the police station
were used. In each car a man AMI
woman was placed with instructions
to drive to some likely looking spot
I'll wit Oh ~ J1T1e-
were stationed nearby with instruc-
lions to shoot to kill if the occasion
arose,
About 9 o'clock in the evening
Sheriff Robert Miller, coming in the
West Sixth avenue road from the west,
observed a. Ford touring car parked by
the side of the road. He took the Ii
cense number and stopped at police
headquarters to CHECK up" While
he was there Kreipe arrived, with the
report that he had just been robbed.
The police officers and deputy sheriffs
who were Laying" for the robbers
were notified of the number and OBJ
served carefully every car that passed
them. Captain Hill and som, officers
searched the vicinity for the car inn
mediately after the robbery of Kreipe
but failed to find it. Plants and Hol-
man were driving south along the
road west of Gage park when the Ford
passed them, going north. The Off
followed it. When Hughes and VIII
liams obseFXZA this. they stopped by
the side OILS road to let the other
car pass, having in mind as they
afterward confessed, the hold-up of q
ear parked a short distance north
This car happened to be a plant
containing James Carter, police of.
ficer. and his wife.
Had Stolen Revolver.
When Plants and Holman drew
alongside the Ford they stepped ontC
the running board and pointed theil
guns in the faces of the two youths
Hughes held in his hand a .3S Colt:
revolver which he had taken a few
nights before from c. C. Chamber,
lain, 1712 Lincoln street. He let Il
drop onto the seat beside him wher
Plants and Hill got the drop on him
Williams, who was driving, also had e
revolver laying beside him in the seat
The two youths were taken to police
headquarters, booked for highway rob
berry and were then taken to thu
county Jail for safe keeping. The.
freely admitted having committed ap
proximately thirty holdups in TIL
vicinity of the park in the last sew
enteen days. They said they worked
every night except two, when the.
were prevented by rain, and that the.
never quit with less than one holdup
A large number of robberies wer
never reported to the authorities,
was said.
Hughes lived on a farm six mile
west of Topeka on the Tenth avenu
road. He claimed to have bought tn
Ford touring car from a man on tn
East Side, but the license number wa
taken out in the name of his father
G. o. Hughes.
Served In Hutchinson Reformatory
Williams lived at the America
Rooming house, sos Kansas avenue
His mother is a widow.
Hughes was sentenced to tn
Hutchinson reformatory last summe
for robbing the Farmers Creamery i
North Topeka, but was paroled .Janu
airy l to allow him to finish higl
school, from which he graduated il
June,
At Hughes home was found thre
mems watches, three ladies' wris
watches and chain. Bank books car
ried by the youths showed tina
Hughes had a bank balance of S2S3. 5
last Monday, while Williams had So
to his account.
Chamberlain this morning identifie
and claimed his watch. Mrs J. F
Oliver, 1918 Chickasaw identified on
OF the wrist watches as belonging t
her daughter. who, with her male es
cort, were also victims of the youn
robbers.
Among the other victims of TIL
young men were Carl Bennett, 113
Harrison street, and Roy Candy, c
Kansas City, Kan, who were held u
last Friday night. Candy lost hi
Elgin watch and $40, while from Ben
nett was taken a 500 diamond rim
and $40 in money.
J. J. Schoenfeld, All Clay stree
and his companion were held up SEP
TENDER -. From Schoenfeld the
took $25 in money and from the lad
a. $500 diamond ring.
Three or four other robberies ais
were reported.
Get your Burglary insurance fror
r,TTE.T9 T1I98 TIT NV 17l-.-