Cambridge Youth Charged in Theft Confesses Beating of Law Student

A 20-year-old Cambridge youth, picked up by University police yesterday in Widener Library on suspicion of intent to steal a book, was later charged by Cambridge police with the unarmed robbery of a coat and wallet from a Law School student in February.

Police reported that James H. Duffy 3L said that on the night of Feb. 6, he came out of the Signet Society and encountered an assailant. He reportedly regained consciousness in the basement of Winthrop House at 5 a.m., minus his topcoat and a wallet containing $5. Suffering two black eyes and numerous cuts and bruises, he was treated at Stillman and held there for six days.

Detective Sgt. Leo Davenport, one of the three detectives called in by university police to question Roderick P. Murphy, noticed that the youth was wearing an expensive-looking but ill-fitting tweed topcoat. Recalling the robbery report, Davenport said, "You gave that guy quite a beating when you stole the coat and wallet."

Though Murphy at first denied the allegation, police later found the wallet, containing the owner's bursar's card, at Murphy's home. Murphy, under police questioning, then admitted to the beating.