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Mail Tribune 100, Sept. 21, 1922 By Alissa Corman Sep 21, 2022 12:00 AM A A News from 100 years ago The following news items were drawn from the archives of the Mail Tribune 100 years ago Sept. 21, 1922 YOUTHFUL GANG PETTY THIEVES ARE ROUNDED UP A gang of boys, whose alleged thieving operation have extended over six months, and ranged from stealing milk bottles off back porches, to near burglary, was rounded up by the police last night and today. The members of the gang, all of whom have confessed, the authorities say, are as follows: Harold Penni, age 17, employed as a night dishwasher at the Optimo; George Brown, age 16; Beryl Brown, brother of George, age 13; Chauncey Hooker, age 17; Theron Martin, age 14; Lawrence Huges, age 12; William Taber, age 16. Penni and George Brown were caught red-handed about 2 o’clock this morning, rifling automobiles left standing on North Central avenue, and were taken to the police station, where the youths confessed and implicated the other members of the gang. This morning all the lads were taken to the office of District Attorney Rawles Moors, where the conference soon resolved itself into a contest to see which could tell the most on the others. They were taken to Jacksonville, where they are now confined in the women’s ward of the county jail, with the exception of the two younger boys, who are in the custody of Sheriff Terrill. They will be given a hearing in the juvenile court Saturday afternoon. According to the authorities, the various members of the gang confessed to a long list of depredations, including the stealing of two gasoline books from the C. W. Ashpole automobile, the rifling of tills at Truax’s and Louie’s Cash grocery, the stealing of money from check rooms at Gold Hill and the Fair Grounds dance pavilions, and pillaging of autos, wherever they found them of whatever articles that were not nailed down. Deny Housebreaking George Brown and Penni admit, according to Night Officer Joe Cave, of prowling around the Garvey Fields’ home on the East Side Tuesday night, but all deny that they broke into any homes. The detention of the youths, comes upon the heels of a petition circulated Wednesday, in which residents of the East Side requested that the city put on a special policeman at their expense for protection. W. A. Gates says that that portion of the city was terrorized by the nightly visits, and fearful of the marauders, who operated with startling boldness. The authorities are endeavoring to connect up the arrests with the robbing of the Vernon Vawter, W. F. Biddle and Fred Wahl homes on the East Side during the last summer, and attempted entrances of other homes, including those of Ed G. Brown, Harvey Fields and W. A. Gates. The East Side seems to have been a favorite field of operation. — Alissa Corman; [email protected]