Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1924-06-05
Boys Charged With
Stealing Two Autos

Two boys giving their names as
Robert Jones and Harold Mckee,
from Parkersburg, were arrested
Monday night in GAINESVILLE charged
with theft of a Dodge touring car,
property of Mr.. Riley Price of the
Vanfossen & Price garage of this
place. The car was taken here be-
tween and o'clock D. m. from in
front of the Vanfossen & Price
garage. Earlier in the evening au-
thorities here noted a couple of sus-
picious looking characters, and for
time kept an eye on them. How
ever later they We're lost. sight of,
and then very shortly Mr.. Price re-
ported to the mayor and marshal
the theft of his car.
Thinking that they had started
for GAINESVILLE, and feeling that they
would get stuck in the road up the
river, Mayor McKibben, Mr. Price,
the owner of the stolen car, and his
son started up the river. However
they did not find them in the mud at
Stone station as they thought they
would, and going on to GAINESVILLE
they spent some time before the
suspects were finally located which
was done through the help of the
police department In the police
department was Mr.. Stotts, who at
one time was proprietor of the Nal
ia garage. He gave his services and
the three were soon securing the
city in search of the auto thieves.
They got a clue that a couple of
suspicious characters had been seen
in Putnam. At the depot they had
also learned that couple of boys
had been in and made inquiry as to
when the next train left. The rail-
road agent in reply to their inquiry
asked them where they wanted to
go, and they replied ''Oh just any
place" Feeling that they would be
back at the depot to take the train
which was soon due. Policeman
Stotts and the Prices went to the
Rogge restaurant to get something
to eat, intending to keep an eye on
those who boarded the train.
Upon leaving the restaurant they
saw a Dodge touring car going up
Market street, which looked like the
stolen Price car. In their machine
they gave them chase, aud in getting
close saw by the license numbers
that 1t was the machine they were
after. Stotts got on the running
board of the machine he was in, and
as it drew up along side the Dodge
he pulled his gun and told them in
no uncertain language. to throw up
their hands, which they did, and
soon the car was in the custody of
the owner. The bandits were
brought here in the auto the same
night and placed in the lookup
They were the same parties that
had aroused suspicion here early in
the evening.
Tuesday morning while in the
lookup here, the boys confessed hav-
ing taken a Jewett auto from Par
kersburg At Marietta they switch
ed license plates which they took
from a Chevrolet car at ; Marietta,
and were driving it in the direction
OF this place, when they ran out of
gasoline near the Fletcher church,
beyond Millgrove They abandoned
the car and came on here, having
been picked up by party in a ma
chine. Mckee gave his age as past
Ia and Jones is between Is and 16.
Both boys are said to have good
homes. The parents of the Jones
boy were here Wednesday and did
not know when they came that the
lads had taken any car, other than
the one at Parkersburg. Mr.. Jones
is railroad conductor and he and
his wife appear to be fine people,
and were badly worked up over their
sons actions. The owners of the
auto from Parkersburg came up
Wednesday and returned with the
machine. The boys being under age
were put under the Juvenile court
here, and the date for preliminary
hearing is fixed for Friday. They
were taken from the lookup and
placed in the county Jail.