The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-04
STAMP FENCE" ARRESTED.
a CoNET ISLAND HOTEL KEEPER
NABBED BIZ Il ERAL OFFICERS.
Inspector waterbury or Colorado. FacinE
= Coney Island Gang. Pulled His eun
Tho Prisoner Alleged 70 Ne Implicated
In Robberies Amounting TO e1BB.ooo.

Tho Prisoner Alleged TO ne Implicated
In Robberies Amounting TO enSe'oOo'
Charles r. Morson, a hotel keeper at Thirty
fourth street and Breeze avenue. Conoy Island
was arrested at his place Of business yesterday
afternoon by Post Office Inspector George IL.
Waterbury of Denver. Col, assisted by Dep
uty United States Marshal Koch ana
Post Office Inspectors Coleman, Dwyer.
and King. When he was being taken from
tho hotel the Government officers were sur
rounded by a crowd of negro and white toughs.
friends OF Morson. and 1t looked as though an
attempt would be made to rescue the man.
Pistol in hand, Waterbury warned the crowd
not to interfere with him In the performance OF
his duty, and Morson was taken away without
further trouble.
Morsoh's arrest is the result Of o six months
chase by Inspector Waterbury for tho man or
men in the East who have been handling
postage stamps for n gang Of Western Post
Office robbers, nine of whom are now under ar
rest in Colorado. Morson was indicted In Colo
RADIO some time ago, together with Robert
Burkhardt, another Coney Island hotel keeper.
for disclosing of stolen postage stamps. Burk-
hardt died six months ago. Inspector Water
bury says that the evidence against Morson is
conclusive, and that he will certainly be con-
victed.
According to the officers, $685. 900 worth OF
stamps were stolen from various Post Offices
during 1896. Tho robberics began in the South In
second, third and fourth class Post Offices. The
officers were hot on the trail Of the gang when of
o sudden the burglaries in the South ceased.
Several Post Offices were broken into in the
North. and then the gang began operating in
the West. principally in Colorado. In one week
the Post Offices OF Victor. Florence, Cripple
Creek. and Manitou. Col, were robbed.
A. Tho Hrinpla Tran1 nfirn thn thfavaa nynf
5000 worth of stamps and So, 100 in money. and
there Waterbury got a clue to their identity,
and shortly afterward nine of them were
arrested and thrown into Jail at Denver.
Five were notorious characters. They are
Fred Ferguson, George II. Burton. w.
S. Hostettcr. William Wcrth, and Oscar
Dickens. Hostctter confessed that the men
who did the gangs work in the East wero
named Morson and Burkhardt, and that they
lived In Brooklyn. After n months work
Waterbury got confessions from Dickens and
Morson and Burkhardt.
WAT WateF 1nm traced traced a the 6so 5000 % worth y Of stamps mp
the sfG'e assistance hFGm eE of We Hsef Fargo 70 N & Co., nG %nd S Sere
learned that they had been sent to Bprkhardt
At Coney Island by the Long Island Express;
eSios%ao eisy a snsst f Fer s Fsis.'$ S!sSn
payment at regular fence rates for s42s
WoTlu VI stamps. Inc. CueCk. WuS uhteu IL uuy.
after Burkhardt received the consignment of
stolen stamps. Later Dickens regretted hav-
ing given information, and no wrote a letter to
Morson, warning him that the detectives were
i after him. He sent the letter special delivery
and Waterbury heard of it as soon as it was
sent.
When the letter reached Brooklyn, William J.
Carroll. superintendent of the Coney, Island
Post Office. took II 10 Morson and asked him il
it was for him. Morson read it and said that 1t
was. Waterbury was notified and he came East.
Yesterday he went to Coney Island and found
Morson in front of his bar. Inspectors Coleman,
Dwyer and King stayed outside. while Water
bury and Deputy Marshal Koch entered the
hotel. Waterbury told Morson that he had q
robbers, and said: IF you re all right you won't
mind letting med see your bank book, will your
Morson said he didn't mind. and he handed
the book to the officer. While Waterbury was
looking for the stub of the check sent to Hos
letter a boy grabbed the book and started TO
run. Koch trIpped him.. Morson struck Koch,
but Waterbury whipped out his revolver and
speedily took the fight out of the hotel keeper.
Morson was arraigncd before United States
Commissioners Oakley in Brooklyn and was held
in SO, 800 bail for examination. Bail was fur.
nished by p. j. Montague, a Court
street liquor dealer. who told a reporter that
Morson had been n customer OF his for twelve
years, and was, so for as he knew, a reputable
man. Morson was formerly in partnership with
Arthur Mullins. n lightweight boxer, In a saloon
in Fulton place. Brooklyn. 1t was in his saloon
dering a car driver about fifteen years ago.
Burkhardt was a well-known Coney Island
hotel keeper. Hiram Steele. in whose room
twenty-five pounds OF dynamite md a safe
opening device were found by officers some time
ago, was arrested there by the Brooklyn police