Evening star., 1924-08-10
MAINTAINED GANG
Of STEALERS
ARRESTED Garage Man Tells
> of Receiving 40 Stolen
= Machines in Few Months.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
5 MEMPHIS, Tenn, August 9.-Ar-
kansas farmers who have been buy
ing stolen automobiles from an al
legged organized gang of Memphis
Thieves, paying from SIS to 5000 the
car, dependent upon whether it was
f1ivver or limousine, are panic
Stricken following the alleged con-
fession of William B. Barnett, alias
Freddie" 2S which police say barred
the theft of 10 motor cars, covering
a period of seven months.
". The prisoner, who, police said, was
q master motor car pirate, employing
43 paid thieves and selling agents,
coolly admitted his guilt and revealed
the names of his gang. Five have
been arrested and warrants issued
for eight others.
Squads of detectives from Memphis,
accompanied by government agents
have been touring Arkansas towns
10 days, forcing the return of stolen
machines. So far they have recovered
so cars.
Farmers, and even business men,
learning of the situation, have written
and telegraphed the auth critics to
come and get their cars. Most OF the
cars recovered have been returned
voluntarily by men who feared prose-
cution on charges of buying and re-
ceiving stolen property.
Hijackers Cause Downfall.
f.. The downfall of Barnett's alleged
band of automobile thieves was
brought about by hijackers, who were
stealing back the machines as fast as
they were cached on Island 40 on the
Arkansas side of the Mississippi
River, a few miles above Memphis.
Barnett came to Memphis from
Huntington, w. Va, his home. He
operated garages in Popular boule-
ward and Adams avenue, where, the
police say. he maintained the most
approved equipment for counterfeit
ing motor numbers and otherwise dis
guising the stolen cars as fast as they
were delivered. to him.
On Commission Basis.
He paid his gang on a commission
basis, according to the police. The
price was $50 each, cash, for every
fiivver delivered at either of the two
manufacture, bonus was paid. But
Barnett dealt chiefly in flivverS, be-
cause that was the type the Arkansas
farmers wanted.
Five Cars Recovered.
Supplementary confessions have
peen ODIdlneO daily from Barnett
The deputy inspector says he took a
couple of bottles of cold soda pop TO
the prisoner one day and that Bar
nett said:
Just to show You how much l ap-
preciate the cold drinks, I'm going to
tell YOU where you can find more
stolen cars"
= Deputy Inspector Bishop recovered
five more cars three hours later from
this information.
with Barnett is George w. Rash, 25.
who, Barnett admitted. had been
trained by himself in the art of steal
ing automobiles.
The kid was without a job" Bar
nett told the police, so | made an
good one, and l thought more of
him than any man | employed. And
he was an honest thief"
Has Confirmed Story.
The youth, who was instructed by
Barnett to tell the whole works. has
confirmed Barnett's story.
The only mercy or consideration
these two prisoners ask is that they
be given sentences that will run con-
currently, or sentence upon one
charge and mol pros. the others.
Barnett told an incident wherein
the police found a stolen car in which
he had taken his girl home. He had
left the car parked in front of her
house while he was in the hallway.
= Two policemen walked up while I
was standing in the shadow" he said.
"They lifted the hood and examined
the car and then walked away. In a
few minutes they returned. l knew
they had telephoned headquarters
and ascertained that the machine was
stolen. Boarding the machine, they
drove away. l knew some fellow was
getting back his 1ivver.''
Stole to Aid Ill Girl.
His girl was compelled to undergo
a major operation al hospital. Bar
nett didn't have any available cash
at that moment.
But you go to the hospital, grille" ,"
the police say he said. III pay the
bill if I have to steal every automo-
bile in Memphis"
: Nonchalant in his attitude, this
dapper little man has admitted to the
police that his gang got away with
cars valued at a total of $4,000.
Funny thing" he said. I'm four
cases out of every five where we
stole a car on the street the owner
had left his key in the ignition. We
y n u n n u u Il u u n u I
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