New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-20
THE THIEF A POLICEMAN.
CAUGHT RED.HANDED IN a PATERSON,
- j., STORE.
A WAGON NECESSARY TO TAKE AWAY THE
STOLEN PRoPEETY-HE MADE EXTRA
MONEY DY sELIING NECEWEAR
WHICH HE HAD TAKEN.


WHICH HE HAD TAKEN
Paterson y. J.. had a shock yesterday. Patrol
man John Powers. one OF the most energetic and
valuable officers on the force, was caught In the
act OF stealing from large drygcods store in the
principal business street. and when his house was
searched enough punder OF various sorts was found
to require a wagon to take the goods 10 the police
station for Identification by the owners. Powers
had been fifteen years on the force lacking rev
months and had been remarkably jealous IN the
discharge Of his duties. He had done good service
in breaking UP low negro resorts in SiXteenth-ave,
made many arrests and had an almost clean record
with the department as regarded minor derectlons.
He is stalwart and handsome. neat In appearance
and has been known the "dude' Of the force
What makes Powcrs's moral downfall peculiarly
CALLING 10 his comrades Is the fact that 1t gives Al
derman Boylan occasion 10 exult. This same POW
ers when a witness in dsordery-house tria-. and
asked about illegal liquor-selling on his post. said
that there was in reporting such things to
the Aldermen. This made the city fathers angry,
and a a meeting Of the Police Committee. at which
Powers was taken to task, Alderman Boylan
charged the Police Department With being rotten
TO the core" The policemen unanimously passed
resolutions demanding that Mr.. Boylan either prove
or retrac his assertion Now after long silence. he
would seem to have proc: OF very decided rotten
ness on the par, Of at least officer.
Vandervoor,. SlIngland & Co.. in Main-st.. have
one OF the oldest and largest drygoods houses In
Paterson. In the present month many articles nave
been missed from the store. 1t was evidently not
the work OF burglars. and ugly suspicious troubled
good old John vandervoort. one OF the most vener-
able and respected citizens OF the town. and his
partner. George Slingland The same thing had hap
peneI in July 1884, and also in December. 1893 Yes
terdays developments led 10 comparisons showing
that these were just the months In which John
Powers happened to be on that post. and In no
other months were the thefts committed. Lately
,hafr % ~
Frederick o. Grau. Edward Williams. the colored
porter, many years In the firms employ was ques-
toned 10 whether anybody ever came into the
store while he was there early In the morning
building the fires and sweeping Williams replied
that Patrolman John Powers sometimes dropped In
to warm himself for few minutes. Chief Graul
yesterday put Warrant Officer Henry Titus up
stairs In the store in a place where he could watch
from behind some tablecloths hanging over the gal
lery railing Titus. without being seen, could nave
Il good view OF the main hoor below. He had his
shoes OFF so as make no NOISE. Powers came in.
talked for a while with Williams. who was sweep
ing as usual and while the porters back was
turned Titus from his place Of conccalment saw
Powe sfpck up a piece OF silk. two SIX handkrr
chiefs and three pairs OF woollen stockings ana
III IN away In his clothes. Powers left the
store. and Titus slipped out after him and told his
sto-y TO Chief GraIl. who was waiting nearby.
The Chief soon found Powers and invited him -
the police station The chief dd not tell the patrol
man what he wanted him for until he had him CLOS
e;ei when the uniformed roboer was taxed Win
the theft lie denied H. but the Chief searched nm
and found the articles which Titus had seen stolen
Powers was stripped OF his badge and placed IN
a CELL and Recorder Stewart who had been sum
moned Issued a search warrant for the guilty
mans house In h.s comfortable home IN brAhhm-
ave. whe> he lived with his atttractV. youns
WIFE married only "A year and a hair 10 MN. IN.
astounded warrant officers. Titus ani Mage iouin
many articles. with store tags stiil stia'hrn s'a
su iicient to require a wagon to iakr them away
Mayor Braun Immediately suspended Powers from
the force Mr. Slingdnd went TO the police sta-
tion II was o'clock In the afternoon b.ion ne
store and making inventory oi them ih'H
value footed az, Si7l. T. T. crane furnltnr"
dealer In broadway who had BE-. iniss'nt ,t S,~rs
from his store ana seriously tloush' OF ~ =
in, All his employees suspicion. found at row
erss house com OF hls stolen SILK damAsk. worm
81 yard covering the polcemanr iufn'ttu.@'
I'm the capaciOuS skirts OF his ONercoat were thf"r
oranges two apples and box OF breakfast Da
The articles found IN the house inclnd'd 'olI",
scans slk umbrellas. pcrfumery underwear ana
neck ktics and II Is thought that Powers - natural
thi.r ana has been stealing wherever he couhi
II was learned Yesterday that he hhd been H"inns
,vfe said she had no idea that the arurles "ill'h
he brought home were stolen. Powers had r'Ph
iation for coscness. ana was said TO have saver
,hnut g. OF his wages as n pOhc"Hlih
The guilty man arragned In IN" afternoon
ON fye charges OF grand larccny-one made by MI
crane and the rest by Nandervoort sllnslahI
morning In which he caught. but denlrh
the other charges Recorder stewart hIed the
bail at 1900 The affair caused profound seisa
tion i'm Paterson. The other policemen are bitter
against Powers This f. the first time In twenty
eight wears that Il member OF the force has been
guilty OF theft and only ne se.pnn ,a uine u, , .ns
when Patrolman Ellison stole meerschaum pipe
from citizen In 1861.