Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1914 — STOLEN MOTORCYCLES RECOVERED NEAR BERK [ARTICLE]

STOLEN MOTORCYCLES RECOVERED NEAR BERK

Young Man Named Smith Believed to Have Stolen Both Machines ■' From Indianapolis. Two stolen motorcycles, ope of whkb was recovered without protest and the other after the supposed thief had taken to his heels and succeeded in dodging three bullets fired after him by Night Officer Critser, have caused Indianapolis officers to believe that they have rounded Up one or two motorcycle thieves, although so far neither one has been apprehended. About two weeks ago two young men, Clifford Jenkins and Hubert Smith, of Atlanta, arrived at the home of Clyde Burris, about 7 miles northeast Of this city. Jenkins was riding a Harley Davisson motorcycle and Smith was riding an Excelsior. Burris had formerly lived near Atlanta and was acquainted with Jenkins and Smith. Jenkins did not remain long but went away, leaving the machine at the Burris home. Smith secured employment ditching.

It seems that some person, probably some one living at Atlanta, where Smith and Jenkins live had reported to the losers of motorcycles at Indianapolis ffoat these boys had stolen wheels and almost two wefeks ago a young man came here and went to the farm where JBurria lives and laid claim to the Harley Davisson machine. Smith said that he knew nothing about it and the Owner of the Wheel took it away. He saw the Excelsior machine also and after his return to Indianapolis reported to Robert H, Strum, secretary for the G. H Westing Oo„ that there was another wheel at the Burris home. Mr. Strum came, to Rensselaer and in company with Marshal Shesler went to the Burris home. Mr. Strum bad lost a machine, but his was an Indian and not an Excelsior. He returned to Indianapolis and learned that a man named Lewis Benjamin had lost an Exeelsior machine and that the number on it was 45270, the same number that was on the machine tftafSrofth had at the Burris home. When he returned he notified Benjamin.

In the meantime, so Clyde Burris reports, Smith had received a letter from his mother, who stated that Benjamin had been at Atlanta looking for his machine and hod told her that he knew Hubert Smith had taken it. She informed her son in the letter that Mr. Ben-' Jamin had said that if he would send the machine home he would not be prosecuted. Monday of last week Smith left, the machine In the bam at the home of John Burris, in Rensselaer,, and Saturday evening, accompanied by Clyde Burris, he went after the machine and took it north to the Norman comer and asked John Clouse if he could put the machine In a shed there saying that it was disabled. Clouse thought that Smith acted very peculiar and decided to inform an officer and walked to the R. H. Grow residence and turned in a call from there. Marshal Shesler and Officer Crltser responded and arrived at the Clouse home just as the motorcycle Was being placed In a shed. When Smith saw the offlecrs coming he took to his heels and Officer Critser commanded him to halt and then fired at him three times. Burris stated that he knew nothing about the machine and the officers took him at his word and he went to the home of a relatives near by and remained over night. When he went to his home Sunday morning her learned that Smith had reached there Saturday night at about 1 o’clock and had remained until 5 o’clock Sunday rooming, when he left, informing Mrs. Burris that he was going to Indianapolis. The Republican interviewed Cayde Burris over the telephone. He stated that Smith had said that he was going to leave the motorcycle 80me place and then write to Beat Jomin, the owner, where he would find the machine It was for this purpose that Smith was leaning the machine at Clouse’s house. (Mr. Burris stated that he was coming to Rensselaer to make a complete statement of aU that he knows about the motorcycles and Smith and Jenkins, the young men who brought the machines to his place.