Evening star., 1932-09-15
,MANY RObbER|ES
|SOLvED,POL|CE SAY,
| IN ARREST OF TRIO
Flowers and Shrubs From
Yards in Northwest Homes
Held for Owners.
C0L0RED MEN SAID
TO HAVE CONFESSED
Implements of Great Variety Re-
covered at Home of Two of
Prisoners, Brothers.

Solution of scores of robberies and re-
covery Of thousands of dollars worth
Of loot were announced today by tenth
precinct police, following the arrest of
three colored men for investigation in
connection with the theft of flowers,
plants and shrubbery from the lawns
of numerous homes in the Northwest
section
Reports that yards along upper New
Hampshire avenue, just east of Georgia
avenue, had been stripped Of their
flowers, plants and shrubbery began
pouring into the police station yes
terday morning.
While investigating the reports, Po-
liceman j. F. Patton learned a number
Of garden tools had been stolen from
the home Of Bennett Wilkerson, APO
Seventh street.
Will.erson said he had hired three
colored men, trading as the "Vinca
hia nsVh G9 ao DO work x1e Ga
Tuesday, then left with the promise
they would return and finish the Job
yesterday, Wilkerson said. Shortly aft
er the men left, Wilkerson added. he
discovered his tools had disappeared.
Arrested on "Hunch."
The men returned yesterday, how
ever, and Patton was there waiting for
them On the "hunch' Wilkerson's tools
might have had something to do with
the theft Of the flowers, plants and
srubbery. Patton took the men to the
station for questioning.
There they are said to have confessed
stripping the various lawns in order to
obtain flowers, plants and shrubbery for
their landscape company" Some Of
the stolen plants already had been re-
potted and sold, according to Patton.
One of the men took Patton to a lot
beside the home of one of the others
where enough flowers, plants and shrub
berry to fill two police patrols were
found. Most of the plants we're carted
to the station, where officers we're kept
busy watering them.
Today the station looked more like q
plant nursery than a lookup, with
steady stream of visitors passing among
the flowers, plants and shrubbery and
identifying their property.
The men arrested gave their names
as George Washington Davis, 40, Wood
burn, D. c.; William Henry Davis, ~,
of the 900 block of Barry place and
Alvin Queen, 80, of the 1900 block of
w street.
Two Are Brothers.
George Washington Davis and Will
liam Henry Davis. VINO are brothers,
have criminal records, according to
police. The former, it is said. recently
completed a 15-year term in the Mary
land Penitentiary for shooting a Balti-
more policeman and staging two hold
ups.
The officer, George Weidner, was
shot, dispatches from Baltimore stated
when he attempted to question Davis
about series of hold-ups staged there
At the request of Baltimore police,
Davis was arrested here in January,
1916, about month after the shoot
ing. and returned to Baltimore for trial.
Accompanied by Queen, Patton went
to Davis home this morning and found
an assortment of articles that included
surveyors instruments, fire extinguish-
ers, automobile parts, wire fencing, lawn
mowers, toys, garbage and rubbish cans,
poultry crates, lubricating oil. soft drink
colors, whisky jars and kegs, pictures,
lumber, trunks, garden hose, marine
pumps, engines and pipes.
All three prisoners were taken to po-
lice headquarters, where they were fin
about their activities.
Meanwhile, tenth precinct police were
preparing to haul the loot to the sta
tion and issue a call for its owners to
claim 1t.