The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-08-27
A Sneak Thief Steals Them
and They are Found in
PaWnbroker Simp-
sons Shop.
COURT ASKED TO RECOVER THEM.
Simpson Arrested at Midnight and
Pays $50 to Keep Out of
Jail

EX-School Trustee Luke Brandt of Ho-
boken and his handsome wife are just at
present engaged in a legal struggle with
Robert Simpson, the wealthy New York
pawnbroker. and the fight is watched
with considerable interest by the New
YORK and Hobok en- police authorities as
well as by every pawnbroker in New York
city.
Brandt is young man popular in social
circles and has lucrative position as
uperintendent for William Howe & Co.,
coal merchants, of Newark street. He is
captain of the Atlantic Boat Club, and
prominent in Third waru politics. He
Ewes in good style at No. 727 Park ave-
nue.. His wife is dashing woman and
is very handsome.
About month ago Brandt complained
to the Hoboken police that during the
day his apartments had been entered by
sneak thieves, and diamonds bel on ging
to his wife, and valued at almost 81, 900.
had been stolen. Chief Donovan and De-
tective Gallagher became interested in
the case and traced the robbery, as they
believed. TO Charles Foster. one of the
most successful sneak thieves in the
7
New York for the commission OF another
CRIME, and is now serving term at Sing
Sing Prison.
SEARCH FOR THE DIAMONDS.
Although the robbery had been traced
to Foster, the diamonds were not recov-
cred as they could not be located. One
day in the early part of the mouth,
Brandt called on Captain Hayes anu
asked him to detail man to visit all the
New York pawnbrokers to find the dia-
monds. After some delay caused by
Brandt, Detective Goode went to New
York with him.
One of the first pawnbrokers visited
was Simpson's- Detective Goode was
known at this place and the clerk will
ingly agreed to show him the contents of
| the safe. Among a lot of trays in the
| big safe were Mrs. Brandt's diamonds
snugly packed away in tray.
| Brandt Immediately recognized them.
| The books showed that the dia-
| monds had been pawned for S2l0
Detective Goode asked the pawnbroker
| to hold the goods and Brandt said he
would go over in a couple of days and re-
| deem ii em.
Instead OF this Brandt and his wife
l visited q lawyer and began steps to re-
| cover possession of the diamonds. Siinp-
| sou WAS made aware of these steps very
| shortly. He has a summer cottage at
| Montclair, which he visits every Saturday
night and remains over Sunday.
| PAWNBRoKER SIMPSON ARRESTED.
ShortIy after midnight last Monday
| morning he was rudely aroused from his
| bed by an officer armed with process
sworn to by Mrs. Brandt. He was being
| led to the Jail when. upon his agreement
to pay $50. he was allowed to remain in
custody at hotel. In the morning
| he furnished bail and was re-
leased. Now. Mrs. Brandt. through
| her counsel, has carried the
matter to the Supreme Court. Yesterday
| Simpsons lawyer called at the Stare
| House in Trenton and asked for copies of
| the papers which had been filed with the
clerk. 1t is evident that Simpson is de-
| termlned 10 fight to the bitter end and it
is said that he will be backed mp by all
| the pawnbrokers in New York city.
! The Hoboken police areE angry over the
| affair. Captain Hayes said this morning
that Brandt's action would make it al
most impossible for the Hoboken police
TO locate any stolen property in New York
pawn shops in the future. The police
| were on the best of terms with them un-
who happened to be at the Hobo&en po-
lice station this morning said, "Robert
| Simpson is not the man to hold
stolen property il he is fully
| convinced that it was stolen.
know it to be a fact that Mrs.
| Brandt's diamonds were in the pawnshop
| before. Whatever chance Brandt had OF
recovering the diamonds he has lost by
| his action in having Simpson locked up.
He will soon get tired paying lawyers
fees" In the meantime Mr.. and Mrs.
| Brandt are vigorously urging their coun-
sci on, and the outcome of the fight is
awaited with great deal of interest.