The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-10-23
.UYZ BHFRIHNDHD HIN,
In Return He Cracked t1As
Commissioners Safe.
A HoBoKEN THIEF's BIG HAUL
Pursued and Captured in New York
With Most of the Stolen
Money in His Pocket.


Theodore Masopust. an Austrian, aged
thirty years. and living with his wife ct
No. 1876 Jefferson street, Hoboken, was
until yesterday trusted employe OF Po-
lice Commissioner William Utz who IL
agent for several railroad and steamship
lines. Today he is behind the bars. e
self confessed embsA2er Of his patrons
money.
Masopust was formerly employed at
wholesale liquor store, and was known
by the Commissioner. He became sick
and spent some time in the hospital. One
day after his recovery he secured work as:
a laborer on the steamship dock
Commissioner Utz took pity on him and
gave him situation in the baggage de-
partnent of his Office About two weeks
ago he promoted him TO a c1erkship-
CRACKED THE SAFE
Yesterday afternoon Superintendent
Albert Seichaft went to New York with
several packages of foreign gold to ex
change for United States money. The
packages were each supposed 20 repre-
sent $500, but the superintendent disc0v-
cred while in New York that some OF
them had been .'weeded." " and that 800
/ lfdQ Dttu AbIdCttQ4 1lOlll CdCA VI - gtAt& LIZ
He hurried back to the Office to make an
investigation and found that Masopust
had locked the safe and skipped The
safe was opened by SeichafE and the dis
covery startled him. 1t had been cleaned
out and nearly IS. 900 had been stolen.
Commissioner Utz communicated with
Chief of Police Donovan, who at
once started out to find Masopust;
although he was unknown to him.
After an examination of the latters
effects, the Chief first securing the as
sistance of Detective Sergeant Michael
Crowley, at New York Police Headquar-
ters. went to the corner OF Canal and
Forsythe streets, where the fugitive had
formerly lived and where he was well
known.
PURSUIT AND CAPTURE.
The detective left him there and went
to the police station to make enquiries
written description of Masopust, which
was correct in all its details, excepting
for his light side whiskers. While await
ing the detectives return, he saw man
who answered the general description,
but with side whiskers. stop on the COR
ner, opposite He concluded to watch
his movements When the man caught
glimpse of the Chief he started away
on a rapid walk The Chief followed
him to the Bowery; through Hester and
Christy streets back to Canal street,
Wnore ne meU LH6 uelecLlVe Oh q run.
Hold on,n said the chief, II think
there goes my man" The detective ran
after the man and nabbed him.
He proved to be Masopust. He quietly
submitted to the arrest and expressed his
Willingness to go back to Hoboken with
| Mr. Donovan. He admitted hha-iiGss
purloined money on several previous oc
casions from his employer. and to the
.'weeding'' of the gold packages and also
to the safe robbery. He said he had gone
to the place where the chief first saw
him for the purpose of meeting his wife.
HELD FOR EXTRADITION.
He was taken to the New York Police
Headquarters and searched In his pos
session were found S2,S25.05, all the
money stolen from the safe, excepting
twenty-five cents, which he had ex-
pended. He was locked up, and this
morning was taken Co Jefferson Market
Police Court The magistrate commit
ted him for fifteen days to enable the
Chief to secure the papers necessary to
his removal to this city.
The total amount Of his peculation IL
SO. 256.