Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 July 1920 — BOYS TAKE THE SWITCH KEYS [ARTICLE]

BOYS TAKE THE SWITCH KEYS

From Cars While Owners Attend Church Services. Three or four people who had driven to the Methodist church last Sunday in their automobiles found after the services that someone had visited their cars and taken the switch keys therefrom. Among the number were M. I. Adams, John Bill and Dr. H. L. Brown. Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting the cars started, and on inquiry in the neighborhood of the church it 'was found that two small boys, the young sons of Charles Jacks, the barber, had been seen playing about the cars. Mr. Adams went to the Jacks home and questioned one of the boys but he strongly denied having taken the keys. Another trip was made in the afternoon to see the boy who still denied that he had taken the keys. Mr. Adams felt quite sure that the boy had the keys and offered him $1 for the return of them, as he had his plans made to drive to Crown Point on Monday. But the boy still held out. Mr. Adams’s son-in-law, Ivan Carson, also visited the Jacks home anh the boy denied to him that he had the key. * Later in the evening, however, he brought five keys to Mr. Carson, among which was the Adams, Bill and Brown keys, and two others which the owners may have by calling on Mr. Carson. Mr. Adams felt in duty bound to pay the $1 he had offered and went to the Jacks home and offered it first to Mr. Jacks, who -refused it, but permitted the boy, who is perhaps about 10 years old, to take the money. Much complaint has been mado about these lads, who run at large through the alleys, back of business houses and residences, and are said to have committed, numerous offenses. That something should be done to curb them is the Universal opinion.