THE "CLUTCHING HAND" GANG.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 109, 9 May 1916, Page 3

THE "CLUTCHING HAND" GANG.

EFFECTS CF CINEMA PICTURES

The leader of an Ealing band of bey criminals, a diminutive youth of 16 named Archibald Conner, was at the Middlesex Sessions ordered to be detained for three years in a Borstal institution. Detective Sergeant Kirchner said that Conner was sent to-an industrial school in 1913 for two years

after stealing a bottle of whisky. Fifteen boys, whose ages ranged between 10 and 15 years, had recently been arrested in Ealing for breaking into shops. They called themselves the "Black Hand" and "Cluctlting Hand" gangs, having obtained their ideas from the cinemas. In some cases they had put their hands into some black stuff, and left the mark of a black hand behind them. Prisoner appeared to be the leader of a gang from South Ealine. The gang got hold of an errand boy raid persuaded him to leave open the back dcor of the shop where he was employed. Two of the boys then went in and robbed the till of about £3 3/-. The money was afterwards divided. At other shops one boy would engage the attention cf the proprietor whilst ethers stole sweets or other articles. They had been a pest to Ealing for some time past, added the officer, but with one exception all the boys had been captured. Three of them had broken out of the remand home to which they Avere sent, but were retaken. Prisoner said he did net "put the things into the minds of the boys." Mr. Montague Sharpe said a great deal cf harm was done to young people by these cinema pictures. "But." he continued, "when you went to

these shows and saw these exciting scenes cne thing you fcrg'ot. When the end of the life of the robbers is shown on the screen justice is done. You forget that, little act in the scene, but new it is going to be enacted in reality. You will go to a Borstal institution for three years."