Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-23
POLICE RECOVER CAR
STOLEN SATURDAY AND
ARREST 3 FOR THEFT

The efficient work of local police
officers Sunday brought about the re-
covery of an automobile belonging to
the Buxton-Smith company, which had
been stolen Saturday night and the
arrest of three young men who will
stand trial for theft of the car.
Richard w. Robertson 49,, and an
other lad, said to be 16 years of age,
were arrested Sunday morning and
both signed confessions in which they
implicated J. D. Rice, 21, who was arr
rested by local Officers Sunday after
moon. Robertson and Rice were ar
raigned in justice court Monday after
noon and bound over to the superior
court for trial, and the younger lad
will. be held for triad In the Juvenile
court.
Officers Gordon Newman and O. E.
Patterson, who had been assigned to
Investigate the theft ease, found the
car abandoned about two miles east of
Douglas The only clues which the
officers found upon which to start
their investigation was a fingerprint
on the rear sight mirror and few bits
ings of the radiator.
The officers, by a process of elimi-
nation, struck upon the Slaughter
ranch district :ts the most likely place
where the saccatone grass could have
been picked up. The theory that the
car had been in the vicinity Of Cotton
wood canyon, 35 miles distant from
Douglas, was borne out when an Off
cial of the Buxton Smith company
checked the speedometer readings Of
the car and said tnat it had been
driven 72 miles.
Further investigation revealed that
a dance had taken place in Cottonwood
canyon Saturday night The Officers
found a man who had been in attend
ance at the dance, and from himtlearn-
ed the names of those who. had visited
the dance from Douglas. From the
list thus obtained the officers sus-
pected Robertson and his minor COM
panion, and within few minutes To-
Gated the boys andetook them to the
police station.
The boys admitted that they attend
ed the Cottonwood dance, but declared
they had driven to the canyon in a
car belonging to the younger boys
father. In questioning the boys Ser
geant A. B. Murchison, in charge Of
the Identification bureau was told that
Robertson drove the car and that his
younger companion rode in the front
Iseat beside him.
Murchison exhibited the rear sight
mirror which he had removed from the
stolen car, and upon which he devel-
oped the finger impressions. He asked
the younger boy at what point along
their trip he had adjusted the mirror,
and the boy, apparently not stopping to
realize that the officers had not taken
a specimen of his fingerprints, admit
ted adjusting the mirror. Realizing
that they had been trapped, both boys
signed confessions in which they i'm
plicated j. d. Rice as one of their
party.
Rice was located Sunday afternoon,
but protested his innocence, admitting
that he had been with the arrested
lads, but maintaining that another
young man had owned he car in which
they rode.
Robertson and Rice were both
bound over to the superior court when
they appeared before Judge Sam Var
nell Monday afternoon. Rice entered
a plea of not guilty. The minor COM
panion of the boys will be held for the
juvenile court Rice and Robertson
were take1f to the county Jail in Tomb
stone Monday evening to await trial.