Evening star., 1930-12-17
SERIES OF HOLD-UPS
LAID TO BOY, IS,
TRAPPED BY VICTIM
QuiCk-Thinking Taxi Driver
Causes Arrest by Proposing
Crime Partnership.
CONFESSION CLAIMED
AFTER POLICE QUERIES
Said to Admit Communicating Tel
ephone Car for Annapolis Rob
berries Two Weeks Ago.

Nearly 20 recent hold-ups Of filling
station attendants, taxi drivers and
motorists have been confessed, police
say, by an 1S-year-old youth who was
arrested early today because, police said
he talked too much to an intended VIC
tim, another taxi driver.
The youth, John Thomas Higgins, is
being held at No. precinct for in
vestigation while police call in persons
Higgins is supposed to have robbed for
a general lineup at detective head
quarters at Z o'clock tonight.
Annapolis Case Involved.
Police say Higgins has admitted that
among other things, he forced a driver
for the local telephone company, James
Allen, to be his chauffeur while he held
up two stores near Annapolis Decem-
ber 2. On that occasion he escaped in
hail of bullets.
Headquarters detectives trapped Hig-
gins on information given them by a
taxi driver, Bernard Ayers, of 636
Fourth street northeast. Higgins
Ayers said, attempted to hold him up
but became interested when the in
tended victim proposed partnership
Ayers told police the two arranged a
meeting and detectives arrested Hig-
hour.
Ayers said Higgins engaged him at
Fourteenth and N streets at 10 O'Clock
last night and gave instructions to
drive TO the 1400 block Of Decatur
street.
Tried to Attract Help.
There, Ayers said, Higgins covered
him with a revolver and demanded
money. Ayers demonstrated with the
robber and the upshot was he re-
ceived orders to drive down Fourteenth
street.
At the intersection of U street, Ayers
said, he noticed a patroiman and
brought his car to a halt at the curb,
hoping he might attract the officer
attention. Ayers said he fumbled
through his pockets for cigarette to
gain time, but that Higgins said:
I'm Just crazy enough to shoot you;
what the hell's the matter--dr1ve on!'
Ayers complied and few minutes
later was ordered to turn toward the
business section Ayers said he then
assured Higgins he was a hold-up man
himself and would like to help turn a
few good jobs.
At the intersection Of Sixth street and
Pennsylvania avenue Higgins ordered
Ayers to halt. The passenger put his
gun in his oyercoat and invited the
chauffeur into lunch room for cup
of coffee.
Over light lunch the two men dis
cussed the possibilities of the hold-up
business and Higgins, according to
Ayers, was much impressed with the
prospect of finding a partner. Ayers
said he promised to meet Higgins at
O'Clock this morning at West Virginia
and Florida avenues, northeast.
Before they parted, Ayers said, Hig-
gins told him he would engage a colored
cab driver to bring him to the spot
Then, he said, the pair could hold-up
the colored man, make him drive to-
ward Baltimore and at some point along
the road tie him to tree, take his cab
and pull off some good jobs" he had
lined up in Baltimore.
Ayers hurried to headquarters, relat-
ing his story to Detectives Harry Cole
and Robert Barrett. The officers ac-
companied him to the meeting place
and concealed themselves.
Gun Found on Floor.
Higgins drove up in a cab operated
by Moses Morris Wilson, colored, of 123
D street southwest. Ayers climbed into
the vehicle, and 1t had no sooner started
of. police said, when Higgins thrust his
gun against the colored drivers neck.
In his confusion, the colored man
choked the motor just as the headquar-
ters car came up. Higgins, police said
dropped his gun on the floor Of the cab
where 1t was recovered. He offered no
resistance.
0uizzed for several hours at head
quarters, Higgins was said to have ad-
mitted he held up a filling station at
1922 Pennsylvania avenue last week
In addition to the Annapolis robberies
police said Higgins confessed he held
up two taxicab drivers on the night OF
December 4, one at the bottom OF Good
Hope Hill and another on the Soldiers
Home grounds.
When he held up the Pennsylvania
avenue station, Higgins is quoted as
saying he forced taxi driver to con-
vey him out Wisconsin avenue to the
District line.
Higgins admitted to holding up an
other filling station, but could not recall
the details.
Reported on Probation.
Police say Higgins admitted he held
up motorist who stopped at traffic
signal at North Capitol street and Florida
avenue last week, took his money and
car which he later abandoned at Four
teenth street and Rhode Island avenue
The youth could not recall the de-
tails of several other robberies which
police say he admitted. From such in
formation as he could give them, how
ever, every effort is being made to To-
cate the victims and have them con-
front Higgins tonight.
The youth was q former magazine
salesman in Baltimore. He said he
had not been in the District long.
Police say, however, he was put on
probation in Juvenile Court here about
year ago on conviction of seven
charges of housebreaking.
A friend of Higgins, a 20-year-old
, girl who said she was Miss Ottilee May
Simmons, was arrested early this morn
ing and held at the House of Detention
for investigation in connection with the
youths activities.
Police say, however, they merely want
to question her and probably win re-
lease her later today.
Only small amounts were obtained in
most of the robberies attributed to
Higgins.