Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 246, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1911 — YOUNG CHICKEN THIEVES CAPTURED BY POULTRYMAN. [ARTICLE]

YOUNG CHICKEN THIEVES CAPTURED BY POULTRYMAN.

r ; •' ■. . / OrgMlMd S.» K .t V.» S 5.7. B«. Been BaMlne Beeets and Selllan V i » OTIIIHS me miCKens In Itensseiner. I i•• ' *•' ’ 1 -At least five boys, all of excellent families, have for some time past been implicated in the organized theft of have plied their thieving habits for a longer time and possibly engaged in other crhrtinaLactions had it not been for the suspicions of B. S. Fendig and Chas. Stephenson, who works for him. The boys frequently brought chickens to the poultry yard for sale, and all claimed that they brought the chickens from’their home. Recently 'the parents of one of the boys bought a chicken at the poultry yprd, stating | that they did not raise any chickens. With this clew to work on, Mr. Stephenson did a little detective work. One of the boys brought some chickens to the yard Tuesday and in making ! change Mr. Stephenson purposely held | out 24 cents. When Mr. Fendig came ] to the yard, Charley told him what had 1 happened and suggested that he take the 24 cents to the boy’s father andj tell him it was money due the boy as on his chickens.

The boy's father was surprised and said, “Why, we have' no chickens.” He was then told that the boy had frequently sold some and he took the boy into quiet council and after a little third degree interrogating, the boy opened up and told how he and his accomplices had been working. The boys claimed to have done their stealing largely In daylight and just about roosting time for the chickens. They were all badly scared when they learned that their deeds had been discovered. Owing to the ages of the boys, from 12 to 15 years, they will not be prosecuted, but a careful watch will be kept of them and if they are found guilty <rf doing other bad things they will be arrested and an effort made to have them sent to the reform school. Part of the boys are guilty of clandestinely smoking cigarettes and pipes and their delinquency deserves the most careful attention of their parents, for if allowed to go unchecked they will turn out to be criminals. Their names will be kept a secret this time, but should any of them get into trouble again, the papers will not treat them so considerately.