"DEADWOOD DICKS."

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1917, Page 2

"DEADWOOD DICKS."

YOUTHFUL BURGLARS. LURE OF THE BUSH LEADS TO TROUBLE. AuclHand, March 12, Emulation of a gang* of desperadoes, as portrayed at one of the local pic-ture-houses, resulted ill a boy aged fifteen appearing in the Juvenile Court charged with theft of a gun, a revolver and a quantity of ammunition, valued at £B. According to tile police, the lad secured a mask and made his way at night to the rear of a gun-dealing shop in Queen street. lie climbed round by a rain-water pipe, and, having broken a ckvlight, entered the shop, where ho secured the weapons. The boy then set off for the Waitakerei Ranges. After firing 12s worth of ammunition, he threw the guh i?to a creek. The chief detective said the lad had received an unfortunate inspiration from the pictures, which gave details of masked bushrangers at work. His mother was dead, and his father, who was going to the front, had. left him with relatives, who apparently could not control him. The juvenile probation officer said the father held rather strong views regarding pitcures of the character mentioned. The Magistrate: "I feci just as strongly. but what can I do The lad was committed to the Wcraroa Training Farm. The father was ordered to pay the value of the ammunition used. Another lad, aged sixteen, in no way known to the first boy, was charged with stealing from the same shop on tin; same night a rille, razor, gun-cleaner, revolver, packet of razor blades and other small articles, of the total value of, Co. The chief detective said that while employed by the owner of the shpp, removed some goods, and the same night returned and took them away. He was one of the greatest actors and the most untruthful lad the chief detective had met in a lengthy police experience. Ho was living with elderly people, and seemed to think he could do as he liked. All the articles had been recovered, with the exception of 2s worth of ammunition. The lad was committed to Wcraroa.