The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-01-02
BURGLAR WHIH'S STORY.
Interesting Throughout and
Pathetic in
Part.
WHY He ROBBED CHURCHES.
Hoped to Build Up q Parish of His
Own in WiscOnsin-Judge Lip.
pincott Will Investigate.

John .Weih, alias Wirth, alias Schneider,
an ordained min ster, who Was recently
sentenced TO a term of five years at state
Prison under the name of Schneider for
stealing Bibles. alter cloths, aud other
church paraphernalia, was arraigned
today in the Court of Sessions
on five more charGes of breaking into
churches. He pleaded guilty to each
indictment aud threw himself on the
mercy of the Court. He was charged with
having entered the German st. Matthew's
Church, West New York, on Sep
tember 1, and stealing therfrom.
one flag, one crucif1x, one
chandelier, one clock, and one alter
cloth From the First Baptist Church.
New Durham, Weih secured on Septem-
ber 1, one chandelier and one altar cloth;
from the Congregational Church at Gut
ten berg he stole on February l one bible
0 the same date he secured from the
German Lutheran Church at West Hobo
ken one altar cloth, one large Bible apd
sum of monev, and on September l ne
stole from the First Baptist Church, Ho-
boken, one large Bible.
WEN pleHueQ EullIy " odCh VI tbONo
charges, and by way Of mitigation salt he
did not enter the churches, but waited
outside while two other men, Henry Bau.
man and Charles Seigler, stole the ar
ticles
Judge Lippincott asked Weih what he
wanted Of SO much cru .ch property.
CURIO HUNTER.
"To keep them,n he replied. II have
not sold any. l intended to go West and
start church. had been getti e the Sc
books and things for six weeks before
was arrested. ! met the two other men al
the rooms of the Young Mems Christian
Association. WAS a member OF the as
sociation on Second avenue, New York.
These two men told me that they hai:
quantity OF church property to sell and
asked me to buy It. told them ! would
if got it cheap"
Ibid you know that. the articles had
been stolenp asked Judge Lippincott.
"Yes, knew that; and knew IL was
wrong"
"The Court thought that perhaps you
believed 1t not to be wrong 60 take the
Lords property, to be used in His work"
commented Judge Lipnincott. adding,
'Wnere were you going?"
"To Wisconsin. To small place forty
five miles from Green Bay. Another
minister and myself had church and q
school there.
'Are You ministerW
"Yes, sir; ! was ordained by Bishop
Brown ut Racine, Wisconsin. When I
left there and went to New York the
ministers seemed down on me. They
only wanted me to collect money and
would not give me decent charge. l
lived t No. 421 East Seventeenth street.
New York
"How came it to be known that you
were arrested when you gave wrong
manner" the Court inquired.
81 wrote letter them and told all. ;"
what did you work at? inquired the
Court.
PHILANTHRoPIsT AND BRIcKLAYER
81 visit ell the sick on the 'lslana;' I'm
two years for Sylvester & Cusck, builders.
Mr.. Sylvester saw me lately when !
preached on Lexington avenue. ] helped
TO build the. fat house at No. 320 East
Thirty-sixth street and got 81. 25 a day.
Before that worked on a farm ut West
Park. N. Y, for seven months. was
steady worker. and at the same time was
engaged in religious work when
had any to do. Mr.. Sylvester knows me
very well. He lives on East Fifty-third
street"
"Who else knows your the Judge
asked
"The Rev Casper Haas of No. 90 East
Seventh street, the Rev Mr.. Denosch,
pastor of a mission al No Abs East Hous-
ton street. and Frederick Schelle. brew
cry collector Of No 105 East One Hun
dred and Sixteenth street"
'What is your true name?" Judge Lip
pincott asked.
John Weih Is my true name. l gave
the false name when was arrested. be-
cause did not want my friends TO know
III was locked up. Brother Smith,
of st. Peters College of this city, knows
| me too. All OF THESE men will give me
recommendation"
"Were you ever arrested before?"
Last year boy broke a window and a
'Sbeeney' assaulted him. | offered to
pay for the window il he would let the
boy go. He refused, and / got
into a fight. was sent
to the Island for ten days for this.
have never been arrested for anything
else until this trouble happened.
"Of what religious belief are your
81 was born In the Lutheran Church,
but was educated an Episcopalian. have
been in this country twelve wears. /
know DR.. Hill. of the big church on
Broadway aud Rector street. New York.
have been married. but my wife is dead.
have no children"
At this juncture the diseraced minister
began to sob bitterly and great tears
Court and added. "the only relative
have in this country is an uncle in Pitts
burg, Pa.o
Judge Lippincott deferred sentence
until next Thursday to enable him to
make inquiries of the men whose names
Weih gave him.