The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-12-22
nURPHYS GOOD MEMORY.
He Identified a Man Who
Committed a Crime
in '76.

az ~ ~
dered valuable assistance to Captain Rey-
nolds Of the Brooklyn Detective Bureau,
in the capture of Edward Tibbetts, alias
Boston Tibbetts, the well known bunco
steerer, who was arrested by Detective
Sergeant Roache of Brooklyn several
days ago. Tibbetts was wanted for bum
Going ex-Alderman French, of New York,
out of 81, 5000; Mrs. Stack, who keeps a
boarding house at No. SOB Fulton street,
Brooklyn, out of $500, and an Islip. S. l.,
farmer out of $500. French was feeced
in the early part of this month.
Detective Sergeant Roache, of Brook
lyn, called on Chief Murphy, Monday
morning, and asked him If he knew any
good buncomen who were doing business
at present. The Chief brought out a
number Of pictures, his private property,
and exhibited them to Sergeant Roache,
informing the latter that all were doing
business. Roache could not recognize his
man in the exhibits He then described
the man he wanted.
Il know him. said Chief Murphy. "and
I can have him in twenty-four hours.
His name is Tibbetts."
The Chief then went to the police
rogues' gallery and got Tfbbetts' picture
from 1t. He had been arrested in this
city October s, 1876, for swindiing.
This picture, with the others, were
given to Detective Sergeant Roaehe, who
took them to Brooklyn, where Tibbetts'
photograph was identified b. the three
persons who had been feeced. The re-
suit of the identification was Immediate
~ teiephoned to Chief Murphy. who in
formed the Brooklyn authorities that
their man could be found in Stratford,
going to that city, where he arrested
Birmingham county, assisted Roache in
making the arrest
Detective Roache returned to Brooklyn
Headquarters last night He felt ex-
.ceedingly grateful to Chief Murphy for
his information, which resulted in the
well known criminals arrest. Tibbetts'
record in the history of the Jersey City
Police Department is as follows:-
Pictures Nos. ga and 215 represent two
of the smartest gold brick swindlers in
his country. No. ga is Edward Tibbetts,
alias Henry c. Forster alias Boston
Tibbetts, and No. 275 represents Thomas
Snow, alias William C. White. These
two men marked for their victim IN old
settler named John c. Van Horn, who
was better known as Mill Creek John.
Mr.. Van Horn resided near the Conn
munipaw shore, where his forefathers
had settled. The swindlers learned that
Mr.. Van Horn had sold a considerable
portion of his property for railroad pur-
poses.
son October s, Chief Murphy received
word that two strangers were seen in
conversation with old man Van Horn. and
that the latter had drawn a consider
able sum Of money from the bank on
that day. Captain McKaig, Detectives
Hottie and Ryan and Patrolmen yeers
and Kaiser were detailed to watch the
strangers. The officers wore different
disguises. Hottie and Ryan We're dress
ed as painters and carried paint pots and
brushes. Kaiser was in a boat on Mill
Creek, apparently fishing.
sTibbetts finally accosted Kaiser and
asked of the latter, What do you ex-
pect to catch in that dirty stream lib
belts was informed, Suckers are the only
thing I am looking for at present.
"Mr. Van Horn was told by the police
to carry out the scheme. even if he paid
over the money, so that a good case could
be made out if an arrest was made.
Mr.. Van Horn became alarmed when
he was told of the true character of the
men he was dealing with. and his anx-
iety caused the men to become suspicious
that their game had been exposed
s'The officers, seeing that the strangers
were moving away from Mr.. Van Horn.
closed in to make the arrest. This move
on the part of the police left no doubt
in the minds of the swindlers that their
game had been spoiled. They started to
run away, but were soon captured In
their flight the swindlers dropped a bag,
which was picked up by the officers and
was brought to the station house. It
contained two gold bricks, similar to
those used by confidence men.
After the arrest had been made It
developed that Tibbetts' game was a
gigantic scheme put up by some person
acquainted with Mr.. Var Horn, to get
possession of the money realized by the
sah of his property. The confidence men,
who were disguised as Westerners. want
ed 5000 for the bricks, which were worth
no more than 81 as old metal"
The bricks are now at Police Head
quarters as curiosities-