Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1917 — Captured Auto Thieves Spent Night Here In Jail. [ARTICLE]

Captured Auto Thieves Spent Night Here In Jail.

Sheriff McColly had two boarders over Wednesday night. They were two young fellows who were 'being returned to Hartford City, Ind. ; where they are to answer fro the charge of breaking into “a hardware store and also for the theft of a brand new Ford automobile. The two men were in the custody of (Sheriff Pursley, of Blackford county, and Hart Hiatt, owner of the stolen machine. The return trip was being made to Hartford City in the automobile. One of the young fellows was 21 years of age and the other was 18. The two thieves whose names we did not learn, were caught at Joliet, 111., where they attempted to dispose of the machine to a garage owner for $l5O, who siispicioned them of stealing the car and notified the officials. While in jail at Joliet,’ awaiting the arrival of the Indiana officers, the two young fellows attempted to escape by cutting the water pipe, but were caught in the act, or they would have made good their escape. At is was, the jail was flooded with water. It is probable that they are well schooled in the art of stealing automobiles and will get a good stiff sentence. Within the pats few weeks theer have been several captures made in the state for the theft of cars, leading one to believe that there is a gang operating in Indiana. After spending the night here and getting their breakfast this morning, the party proceeded on their way to Hartford City.