The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-16
WINFIELD WAS
A GREAT CATCH
Young Man Arrested In Coal Excbaog,
Is Now In Jail.
CONFESSED TO TWO BURGLARlES
Entered Architect Duckworth's Office
and stole Drawing Instruments
Also Took Cigars from Keogh's
Pool Room-sWas Making n Third
Attempt When lie Was Detected.
At the Hearing Held Under sI,5oO
-.

Maurice J. Winfield, the young man
whose arrest in the Coal Exchange
building at 2.3O o'clock yesterday morn
ing was exclusively reported in yester-
days Tribune, is now in the county
jail in default of 1900 bail on a charge
of burglary. He confessed to the re-
cent burglary of Architect Duckworths $
office and the stolen goods have been
returned; Winfield also acknowledged
to have burglarlzed Jerome Keoghs
pool room. on Lackawanna avenue.
For these offenses and the entrance to
T.. A. Shiffer's office yesterday, Win
field was held in $500 bail each by
Mayor Bailey at the hearing.
Winfield is very clever young man.
He came here last June from Lead
Vile, Colorado, where his father Is a
reputable citizen. The young man is
civil engineer, having followed his
fathers occupation, and when he struck
Scranton had little trouble in securing
employment in George Leighton's office
on the second floor of the Coal Ex-
change building. He gave a hard-luck
story and through the kindnes of his
employer the young man was given a
key to the office and allowed to sleep
there.
Thus he was placed where he could
strike from the inside. A few weeks
ago the Duckworth office was entered
and drawing instruments to the value
of several hundred dollars We're stolen.
Miller d Peck's china store on the
ground floor was entered on the same
night and $I75 in money taken. The
manner of the robberes showed that
some one familiar with the premises
had done the work. Winfield was not
suspected, however. His actions did
not warrant the slightest suspicion.
ANOTHER JOB.
Last Wednesday night Jerome
Keogh's pool room was burglarized.
Eight boxes of cigars and seven or
eight dollars in money We're taken. The
theft was the work of some one from
the inside, although an attempt to
ward off suspicion had been made by
loosening the bolt from the outside.
The police say that the Keogh burg
larry was traced to Winfield and that
a warrant was to have been sworn out
yesterday for his arrest. The coup by
PatrOlmen John Thomas and John
Saltry yesterday morning cleared up
the mystery in a better way than an
ticipated.
Patrolman Thomas, who patrols the
Wyoming avenue beat, has been par
ticularly watchful of the Coal Ex-
change building during all the week.
He, in truth spent most of his time in
the building and no person entered the
place without being stopped and ques-
toned. At o'clock yesterday morn
ing a light was noticed in the apart
ments of F.. A. Shiffer, on the second
floor. This light had not been burn
ing earlier in the night and Patrolman
Thomas at once reported the fact to
Captain Richard Edwards, who is in
| charge of the night force this week
He was advised to inform Patrolman
Saltry and together an investigation
| was made.
Two Tribune reporters, who We're
standing on the opposite side of the
| avenue, saw the patrolmen enter the
building and. it seemed, the policemen
| had Just started up the stairs when
. the light in Shiffers establishment was
eXtinguished. The reporters at once
Informed Patrolmen Thomas and Saltry
of the unusual happening.
The door to Shiffer's office was found
locked. For fully twenty minutes the
DtllOlllltll hllOChtu ana threatened anC
| finally a young man came to the door
and said: Hold on there; what the
h are you fellows doing!" He opened
| the door and was at once grabbed and
handcuffed. Patrolman Thomas re.
volver was drawn.
| IN THE VALISE.
After Winfield. for such was the
| name given, had secured his coat, tie
| collar and shoes from LeightOns office
| where he slept, he was taken to the
| police station. A valse which wa.
found in the room was the only article
| disturbed. Upon examination by Desl
| Sergeant Robert Deter this was founC
| to contain the instruments taken from
| Architect Duckworths office.
Yesterday morning Winfield confessed
| everything. The key to the Leighton
office fitted the lock in Shiffer's door
He was after money. He entered tn,
| Duckworth office several weeks ago il
the same manner. Winfield stated
that he burglarized Keogh's place b,
hiding in the room until every othe
| person had departed. When taken be
| fore Mayor Bailey the prisoner brok,
down and cried Historically. He per
sists in saying that he had an accom-
| plce in his work.
The police are looking for the seconC
| party. The arrest of Winfield reflects
particular credit upon Patrolmal
I'M