The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-12-14
Crime Wave
Hits County
During Week
Police Reports
Show VorietY of
Crilninul Acts

The crime wave which is
sweeping the nation was reflect
ed in Jackson County this week
with a wide variety Of offenses
resulting in the disqualification
of four persons.
Law enforcement officers made
several arrests, remanded juve-
nile offenders to child welfare
authorities, and instituted inves-
legations of unsolved cases.
A young woman in Pascagou-
la was criminally attacked b. an
unidentified assailant in a brutal
and bold assault. four children
under IL years OF age were in
volved in robberies. one man was
hospitalized after he was beaten
with a crutch welded by a Grip
pied man, two men were in
jured when the automobile which
they had allegedly stolen left
the highway, and the body of a
premature infant was found on
the river bank.
The attack was made on the
young woman when a man with
a gun jumped on the running
board of al automobile in which
she and her escort were riding
near Machpelah cemetery Friday
night and ordered the woman's
companion to get out. He step
ped out of the car and had adj
vaneed only a few steps when
he was struck on the back of the
head with a large oak stick and
knocked unconscious. The young
woman jumped from the car and
ran whereupon the man shot at
her and missed: When she failed
10 nan 10 fsan aftef hcr ufffff ne
caught her and on a second at
tempt to escape struck her re-
peatedly with the gun barrel,
causing bruises and knocking the
breath from her body, she told
police. He directed her, still at
the point of the gun to the woods
where police said he attacked her.
The officers of the sheriff's de-
partment were summoned by the
woman's companion, who, on re-
gaining consciousness drove to
the sheriff's office. On arriving
at the scene the man was found to
be gone. The woman was TAX
en- to the hospital for treatment
of injuries and shock.
Little Girl Robs
One little eight-year-old girl
was turned over to Miss Minnie
Lou Walker, child welfare work
er of the Jackson County De-
partment of Health. after police
said they traced several robber-
les to her. The robbery of
Wright's Laundry near Market
street, led to her apprehension,
Chief of Police ]. e. Shirley said,
and uncovered a story OF nocturn-
al maraudings and hockey from
school for the past several months,
The child said that she had never
registered at school at the first
of the term but that she left home
ostensibly to attend school each
day and had successfully de-
ceived her mother who has suf-
fered from a leg ailment for
some time.
The little girl said she played
every afternoon, usually in the
vicinity of the new recreation
building where swings and slides
have been set up and that she
was often joined by two little
boys whom she knew only by
their first names. The three of
them planned the robberies to-
gether, she said.
The chief of police said the
little girl admitted entering
Wright's on two occasions and he
said she is believed to be the child
who recently snatehed : purse
from a woman at a local theater
and fled with it. Mr.. Shirley
said the child said she and her
companions waited until about
ll:40 p. M, attending the picture
show until that hour, before
breaking in and that if possible
they selected a windy night be-
cause folks can't hear you break
a pane of glass or tear a screen
if the wind is blowing" she said.
The mother of the child said
the little girl frequently did not
return home after leaving at
noon until after midnight but
that she was i'll and could do
nothing about it. The father is
employed at the shipyard.
Man Beaten
Three little boys, one nine and
two II years of age, were also
placed under the care OF Miss
Walker Tor investigation and
planning after they robbed an
other little boy Of s2.75 and then
took several articles from a Hin
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