Youths Escaped From Reformatory – Alleged That They Stole Auto in Florence.

The new Studebaker automobile belonging to Dr.R. L. Reaves, of Florence, and stolen from a public parking place in that city Thursday, is now quarted in the year of the Columbia police station, while two young men, less than 20 years old, who are charged with the theft of the car, are behind the bars at the city station house, waiting for an officer from the state reformatory to come for them. The boys, who escaped from the state reformatory, are Lloyd Watkins and Arthur Daniel. The former was a resident of Columbia, until he got into the trouble which caused his incarceration in the reformatory, while the other boy is chum whose acquaintance he made at the reformatory.

The car of Dr. Reaves was found beyond the fairgrounds where it was abandoned by the boys, when the water gave out. The presence of the car was made known to the police department by a driver of a public service car who was aware of the fact that the authorities were engaged in a search for a stolen car of the Studebaker make and also looking for two youngsters who had stolen it, it was reported. The pursuit of Watkins and Daniel was a “thriller.” Immediately upon discovery of the theft of the car and information as to the persons suspected of the stealing of the machine, the Florence police sent out warnings several directions. Advices reached Camden and Columbia. Late in the afternoon Chief Richardson was advised by the Camden police that two boys driving a car such as had been described to them, had passed through that town and apparently headed for Columbia. This was about dark. Another report and coming from Blaney was similar import. The car reached Columbia, the police heard while investigating, but the boys were so constantly on the move that they managed to keep just ahead of the police, according to information from different parts of the city. The hour was well toward midnight when the abandoned automobile was discovered on the Two Notch road.

The boys were found about daylight. Chief Richardson and Val Smyrl, arrested Watson as he lay sleeping in an automobile under a shed near barn at the home of relatives in the 200 block of Gates street. Daniel was found in a house next door to the home of the Watkins boy’s relatives. L. C. Knox, officer of the Olympia section, and Constable Dick Palmer were also members of the force of officers who arrested Watson and Daniels.