BOY BURGLARS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 19, 24 January 1939, Page 5

BOY BURGLARS.

IN CALIFORNIAN MINT.< t THREW OUT COPPER SHfET. s c BANG POLICE AND WAITED. . 1 f (From Our Own Correspondent.) I SAN FRANCISCO, January 5. i Two youngsters who "cra>cked" the | impregnable, United States Mint in San j Francisco did "get away" with it, to use t an Americanism. After breaking into < the burglar proof fortress of coins, the 1 15-year-old schoolboys tossed out a j sheet of copper penny plate, then climbed ] out and escaped. The story given in the trial in theSan Francisco court was somewhat ' varied from the first report of the case. The boys telephoned the police, came . back and stood across the street "to ; watch the fun" and virtually surren- 1 dered. This amazing turn to the equally amazing "prank" of the boys was revealed in the court of Federal Judge ' A. F. St. Sure by Phil Geauque, secret service agent, who investigated the 1 sensational burglary in Uncle Sam's [ Gibraltar. 1 Red-faced and embarrassed, the boys —Paul Francis of Fillmore Street, and , William Gallagher of Duboce Avenue, , whose homes are near the formidable ' Mint at Market and Duboce Streets— „ heard the judge place them in the tem- [ porary custody of Probation Officer Charles Upton, who was ordered to take' , them back to school across the San t Francisco Bay in San Rafael. i Held in Detention Home since their , incredible exploit six days previously, , the youths were brought before the T Federal Judge on charges of breaking > into the Mint and taking 67 pounds of > sheet copper, valued at Beven dollars fifty cents. » "Well, boys," asked Judge St. Sure, "are you willing to plead!"

"We don't understand, judge," they i chorused bashfully, reddening to the 1 ears. j Sternly, Judge St. Sure reminded them < of the charge they had just heard read. ' Obviously scared, Paul said in a small timid voice: "Yes, we're guilty of that, ( your Honor." 1 The judge glowered at them, and 1 asked them why they had taken the ! copper. , "We just wanted to show we'd b§pn in the Mint," said William, equally frightened. Investigator Geauque was then called to the witness box and, in tones of studied fairness, related the story as told him by the boys. Gallagher, he said, was the ringleader and entered the Mint first, alone. "He had an idea he wanted to see what the machinery was like," Geauque said. "After climbing up window bars and an abutment, he entered through a second storey window, looked around, then went out and got Francis. "Then both of them climbed into the Mint. When they threw out the sheet of copper, it made a noise. They were frightened and climbed out again. "They went to a telephone and called the police, then returned and stood 1 across the street to watch the fun, Gallagher said. The police spotted them, went over and the boys readily admitted everything. I don't think there was any criminal intent. " School Principal Called. ! The judge looked hard at the boys and [ said: "Do you realise now how very ' lucky you were that you did not get shot ?" j The youths shook their heads and [ stared down at their feet. "Well, I don't think this is a case for probation," the judge said, relaxing his austerity. He ordered the boys to be returned to the school near San Rafael they had [been attending, and asked that the prin!j cipal appear at a later date for final disposition of the case. To the boys' defence came William's r mother, Mrs. Billie Gallagher, of San • Jose, who testified: "It is partially .my s fault, judge. I told William about the % Mint and its electrical devices to keep! f burglars out. I guess I piqued his 8 curiosity." The Mint that the boys "cracked"—a !, feat the boldest gangster would not 'dare—and that astounded the Govern-1

nent forces, is built in solid rock, of lattleship steel and thick concrete walls, s equipped with every modern alarm levice, tear gas, guns and is watched >y an army of guards. At this time, Government and Mint >fficial9 steadfastly denied that the boys lad "escaped" after entering the bullion lortress, and insisted that they were :aught escaping from the copper room >y a guard on his rounds.