Imperial Valley press., 1924-05-06
NAB DESERTERS
AFTER STEALING
5 AUTOMOBILES
Thefts String Along from
Oakland to Border at
San Diego


of stolen automobiles which they
said they had discarded at points
along the coast, Paul West, "a, of
the The Dalles, Oregon, and Jack
Chapman, 81, of Phoenix, Arizona,
met up with Officer Jimmie Apple
gate of the local police force last
night and as result are waiting
in the county Jail here today for
the arrival of San Diego officials,
who will take them to San Diego
to face trial on a charge of car
theft.
The story which the two men,
both wearing L. S. Marine uniforms,
told police last night, starts with
their desertion at San Francisco
last week, and includes the theft of
five different automobiles and the
hold-up of a tourist on the high
way between Bakersfield and Los
Angeles, and the contemplated burg
the two said they expected to ex-
change their uniforms for civilian
clothes.
Officer Applegate made the ar
rest Of the two marines when they
approached him last night after 10
0 clock and asked for a match. lie
told them he Hnew where they could
get lots of matches and promptly
escorted them to the Jail.
The poi,ce mere had been looking
for West and Chapman for several
hours following information that
thev had left ear at Dixieland, be-
cause they feared that two Ven
tura officers, who had been looking
at them when they drove to the
fumigation station in the afternoon,
suspicioned something wrong.
Orgy of Thefts
An Indian whom they had pick
ed up in the mountains is said to
have told others that the two men
had stated they didn t care to be
questioned by the Ventura officials
and the story found its way to po-
lice headquarters so that Officers
Johnston and Applegate and A. b.
Robbins of the Merchants j Patrol
were on the lookout for the two
men.
Stealing a touring car at Oak
land on May ,, Chapman and West
said they drove to Los Angeles and
on May 3, they stole IA roadster,
leaving the first car parked along
IA street. The two then drove to
Tijuana, they said, but when they
were delayed in bringing the ear
back to San Diego they left it and
on May 4, they picked up another
one in San Diego, which they drove
to Oceanside.
At Oceanside they exchanged the
car for anothey one thew stated with
which they returned to San Diego
and Palm City on Sunday, where
they left it. The adventures set
out for Imperial Valley, in an
other stolen ear, the fifth one i'll
three days, reaching Dixieland yes
terday afternoon after having driv-
en- for 80 miles ON the rim.
Chapman and West told officers
here that they had held up q man
on the highway between Bakersfield
and Los Angeles and had taken $l5
froql him, returning $l.75 so that he
wouldn t be entirely ''brokc. y
Chief of Police Barker has been
checking up on the story of the
two men today\>and has found out
that one of the ears they claimed
to have taken at San Diego, has
been found at Oceanside.
Must Cope With Law
West is said to have deserted once
before, having been sent to Fort
Mcdowell as ii result.
1t is thought that the reason the
two prisoners were so free in their
confessions was that they believed
they would face only return to the
marines ut San Francisco and trial
for desertion. The chief of police
said this morning, however, that
when felony has been committed
by soldiers or sailors or marines,
they are subject to the jurisdiction
of the regular law courts. He said
the two would be tried in San Die
go on a charge of ear theft and if
the man whom they held up is To-
Gated, they will probably face that
charge also.