Iowa
Old Press
DesMoines Register
Sunday, July 31, 1938
ADMIT RAIDS ON MAILBOXES FOR WPA PAY.
Youths Jailed As Theft Ring.
Theft of WPA checks totaling $172.92 from Des Moines mailboxes and the looting of three business establishments were reported solved Saturday by police follow the arrest of four youths.
The youths were arrested after a four-day investigation by police and a United States secret service agent.
Captain of Detectives Paul Castelline said that only two of the youths have confessed the check thefts but that all four involved themselves in the business house prowlings.
Those arrested were:
Richard Thompson, 17, of S.E. Twenty-fifth and Vale streets; Cruse Aguilera, 17, of 1510 Vale st.; Earl Brown, 19, of 709 ½ S. E. Sixteenth Street court; Howard Ewin, 18, of 1519 Vale st.
Conducting the roundup of the youths were Detectives L. O. Gardenbrook, Charles Antrim, Hugh Fitzpatrice and Phil Cavender. Cooperating with the detectives was the United States secret service agent, J. H. Chvai.
Castelline said that the United States treasury reports that the percentage of WPA check thefts here is the highest of any city of this size in the country.
Castelline asked merchants to co-operate with officers by refusing to cash WPA checks unless the holders present proper identification.
Exonerate Three.
Thompson and Aguilera, Castelline stated, confessed stealing WPA checks since Mar. 21, but the other two youths were not implicated. All are held in the city jail for federal officers.
The checks, all taken from mailboxes belonged to the following, Castelline said:
James Collins, of 932 E. Fifteenth st., two checks of $32.77…..one stolen Mar. 21 and the other July 25;
Charles James, of ___ S.E. 20th st., check stolen July 25;
Ray Taylor, 413 S.E. Twentieth st., check $32.77, stolen July 26;
Ed H. Conkey, of 919 S.E. Eleventh st., check fo $32.77 stolen Apr.
Frank Lampkin, address unknown, check for $14.17, stolen in July.
Campbell Grocery.
The business house robberies are listed as:
Campbell grocery, 2722 Ingersoll, $9 and cigarets stolen in July;
Cities Service filling station, Indianola ave., oil and tobacco, stolen on July 22; and the ____ Café, 1915 Maury st., $6 ___ stolen on July 18 and tobacco stolen on July 22.