The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-08
A THIEF.
Stevens Institute Students Have
Fun With a Purloiner
Of Oyereoats. :

"A young man WITHOUT q nat ran up TO
Policeman Patrick Hayes, Jr., at Wash
ihgton and Fifth streets, Hoboken, about
three O'Clock yesterday afternoon and
said that there was a sneak thief in
Stevens Institute of Technology, who
was going to be lynched unless some
one went to his assistance. Hayes jump
ed as though a fire cracker had been
thrown under his feet.
Who's going to do all this" asked he
excitedly.
why, the Students answered the
young man, who said he was the assistant
janitor at the Institute. They're run
ming about ike wild cats and if they
get a hold on that fellow they'll tie him
up into seventeen different kinds of
knots
Hayes hurried through Fifth street to
Hudson street and there, sure enough,
We're about $50 students romping about in
Indian fashion on the campus directly in
stitute.
AS Hayes approached, the studen gave
a war whooD and gathered around him.
1t was evident hat they were after some
body's scalp, 'bu Hayes did not quite
understand what the trouble was all
about. He tried the door at the main
entrance and found it locked. Then some
one shifted the bolts on til. inside. OPEN
ed the door and shouted, come in,
quick
Hayes had no sooner stepped in When
the man who had spoken to him shut
the door with a bang and replaced the
bolts, SAYING
IF those student get in here they'll
have that fellows scalp, sure" The
another wal wheop from the crowd. fol-
lowed by a succession of college cries.
Hayes was escorted to a small room
in the Institute where a well dressed man
vifh n - a nlyy 11fSfaah vvaS nniYTp6 A1lf
to him as the individual who was the
cause of the trouble. The man wore a
new black overcoat. and was apparently
unconcerned about the excitement sur
rounding him. Janitor Bennett who had
the Stranger in custody. stated that he
had seen him enter the Institute about
two o'clock without any overcoat: A rev
minutes later he noticed him leaving with
one. He stopped the man at the door
way and upon making an investigation of
the clothing rooms found that an over
stranger wore was identified by Harvey
E.. Newell. Q student. 1t bore NeweiEs
name on an inside pocket. Notwithstand-
ing this fact, however, the man assumed
an air of indignation. There had been
a number of coats stolen in the Institute
during the past year, and when the
students learned that the alleged I'M
poster had been caught they vowed VEN
geaEce upon him..
The next. question was to get him to
Police Headquarters without coming in
contact with the students. Janitor Ben
nett concluded that it would be best for
Hayes to lake the prisoner out through
a sid door opening on Hudson street.
The students outside suspected that such
a plan would be decided upon so when
the side, door was opened they lined up
on either side. Some had prepared snow
balls. AS Hayes and his man walked out
one student ran up behind the prisoner
and gave him a severe punch in the ribs.
The attack was followed up by several
others, each landing a pugilistic blow
somewhere on the prisoner, but not severe
enough to injure him. Then came a
fusilade of snow balls, only one took
effect on the prisoner.
Policeman Kelly finally came to Hayes
assistance and the students dispersed.
At Police Headquarters the prisoner
described himself as Elmer F. Ernst. %
years old, a core maker, of Chicago, Ill.
He was held to await examination before
Recorder McDonough and the coat which
he wore was returned to eve
Ernst. it is aid, has been seen lettering
about the Institute on several occasions.