These days, when a group of teenagers get together and come up with something to do, you know it can’t be good. It was the same way back in 1912.
Automobiles were extremely new in the Falls at that time, having only been owned by very few citizens beginning in 1910. Although a fresh invention, everyone knew automobiles were there to stay. Keith Crock took advantage of the rising tide and opened up the Cuyahoga Motor Sales Company along with a second company called Crock’s Garage and Machine Company both located on South Front Street. Here he sold new Cuyahoga Falls-manufactured ‘Crock Cars’ and made auto repairs in his garage.
On one spring Saturday evening four 12-15-year-old boys followed their older 16-year-old comrade to Crock’s Garage where he was employed. The original plan was to let the younger boys into the closed garage with his key to see the brand spankin’ new Crock automobiles. But once one of the boys suggested a ride, it was approved unanimously and they unknowingly picked out the Croy family car that was there at the garage for minor repairs.
The five boys piled into the car and headed to Akron where they spent some time, later returning to Cuyahoga Falls and then preceded on their way towards Cleveland. Their “joy ride” came to an end near Twinsburg, where the machine crashed into a road grader that was placed across the pavement to keep the traffic off a stretch of roadway just completed by the contractor.
The automobile was traveling at a 35 mile an hour clip when it hit the grader and spun into the nearby ditch. The left side lamp was crushed; the front axle bent and the radiator jammed causing three or four hundred dollars’ worth of damage. The impact also put the heavy road scraper out of business knocking off one of the wheels damaging the implements. Although stunned, the boys escaped without a scratch. Two of the boys walked to a nearby farm to request help in removing the vehicle from the ditch. The farmer opened the door and with a look of suspicion he shook his head no and closed the door. The young men headed back to the car and the five of them bunked in the car until daybreak and then started out on foot for home.
Early Sunday morning when it became known that the car had been taken from the garage, the Marshal and his officers were put on the trail. Mr. Croy and others hopped into an auto and took up the search as well. Nearing Hudson It was Mr. Croy who came upon three boys who were walking on the main road towards Cuyahoga Falls. When questioning the young men about spotting a missing car, they “fessed up” to taking the machine and explained to him what happened. They did not squeal on the other two boys but the officers were able to put two and two together and charged all five of them with the crime.
Fred Rose, Alex Cochran, Fred Hall, John McQuirk and Howard Kline were arrested on Monday for the theft of the Croy automobile from the Crock Garage on Front Street. Standing before Mayor Taylor on Tuesday they waived a preliminary hearing and were sent over to the county seat. They were bound over to the grand jury in the sum of $1,000 each under grand larceny charge.
The auto was later pulled out of the ditch and towed to the Crock garage where it will be thoroughly overhauled and repairs made at the cost of the boys’ families.
I’m going to take a wild guess and suggest that these boys were unable to sit down for a month after they got home!
More about Crock’s Garage and Crock Motor Car Company
I love reading these stories. Hearing about businesses, homes, and where they were located.I’m sorry the boys went on that ride, but I’m glad they were not hurt. Thank you for sharing!