Evening star., 1953-12-06
2Boys, II, Jailed
Here on Charges
0fHousebreakinu

VuVUSVUIVUNIHy
Two 17-year -olds - one an
AWOL Marine, the other youth
with more than q score of Of
fenses on his record - were
lodged in District Jail last night
to await decision from Juvenile
Court Judge Edith H. Cockrill on
whether they should be tried on
multiple charges of housebreak-
ing and robbery as juveniles or
adults.
Detective Sergts. Murray Kut-
nee and Robert E. Krahling of
the Robbery Squad said the
youths admitted some of the
cases on which they are charged,
including a safecracking at Paul
Junior High School last week
end.
The two youths are Marine
Pvt. Lawrence Lewis East, jr., of
the 400 block of A street Sc. and
John Flood Dieffenderfer of the
400 block of Maryland avenue
S.W.
Charged with them in one Dis
trict case is Bennie Casper, jr.,
20, of the 600 block of G street
S.W. Casper appeared before
Municipal Court Judge Edward
A. Beard yesterday and was held
for action of the grand jury un-
der $4,000. Judge Beard said he
fixed high bond because he un-
derstood Casper also was wanted
in Virginia case.
Admit Stealing Truck.
Arlington police have issued
detainers for all three youths for
armed robbery at a service sta
ton at Lee Highway and Oak
street, Arlington. In that case,
three youths with handkerchiefs
masking the lower part of their
faces held up the station oper-
ator, Aubrey C. Carroll, Al, on
December /.
Detectives said the youths ad-
mitted they stole a truck in the
District and were driving by the
gas station when they spotted
the attendant alone and decided
to rob him at gunpoint. Mr.. Car
roll said they took SLOT.
Dieffenderfer and East are
charged by District police with
the armed robbery of the Con-
cord Open Air Market at Georgia
and Missouri avenues NV. last
Monday: with the holdup of a
service station at COL Maryland
avenue S.W. last Wednesday;
with the Paul Junior High School
safe-cracking; with $65 house
breaking November q of fan
shop at 1904 K street NV. and
with the unauthorized use OF two
automobiles.
Accused of HOusebreaking.
East is also accused of house.
breaking in the home OF his
brother -in-law, Lindall Hewitt,
572O Thirteenth street NV. on
October %, where a foreign
make gun was stolen.
Casper is charged with the
others in the Maryland avenue
service station robbery on which
he was arraigned yesterday.
Dieffenderfer'S record, dating
back to his ninth year, shows an
old association with Casper, who
was then neighbor. The record
shows that in September, 1946,
he and Casper crawled through
a ventilation window over a rear
door of a store in the 100 block
of Maryland avenue S.W. and
took 40 pennies. The next year,
the record shows, he and Casper
were accused of two cases OF
housebreaking and larceny IN
Alexandria with a net of $3.50.
Boys Record Listed.
Here are highlights of Dieften-
derfer's record with police:
When he was nine, in 1945, he
was caught breaking the window
of an automobile. At 10, he was
accused of stealing a wallet con-
tanning $85 from a desk drawer
in the Agriculture Departments
main building. Later that year
and in March, 1947, he was &C
cused of the three cases with
Casper.
Also in March, 1947, ne was
charged with housebreaking.
During Christmas week, 1947, ne
was accused of petty larceny on
December %, shop-lifting at
Kann's Department Store on
December % and participating in
an unnatural sex act for SIS on
December "a. A few days later.
Park police arrested him on a
truancy charge.
In April, 1948. he was accused
of shoplifting at Kanp's. In May.
1948, his parents filed papers in
Juvenile Court saying he was
beyond parental control and po-
lice reported when they went to
pick him up he was shoplifting
at Kann's again.
Sought as Escapee.