The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-07
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Policeman Fitzpatrick
Charged With Stealing
Watch and Chain.
STRIPPED OF HIS SHIELD
Appointed by the Repub-
lican Board -Four
Months Ago.

Chaneeman Patrick Fitzpatrick, at
tached to the Ocean avenue police station
was arrested early yesterday afternoon,
! charged with stealing a gold watch and
chain. valued at $l00, the property OF
James Mckee. His keys and badges We're
taken from him and he was Immediately
suspended by order of Chief Murphy.
Mckee is the proprietor of a road house
4 at Garfield and Gates avenue, which is on
the post patrolled by Fitzpatrick yester-
day.
About TWO o'clock Mr.. Mckee went to
the lavatory connected with his house.
He laid his gold watch and chain ON the
marble wash stand, and on leaving me-
| elected to put them into his pocket Mr.
! Mckee, who is also a street Inspector,
left the hotel and proceeded to his work.
/ He had only gone a few blocks when ne
/ missed the watch and hurriedly returned
to the hotel. When he reached the toilet
room the watcn was gone. He immedi-
ately questioned the b~arkeeper. who said
that he knew nothing about the watch,
and That Oficer Fitzpatrick was the only
person who had been in the toilet room
since he had left it.
Mckee made an effort to find the officer
bll Idll6Q. lit lItI we'll " t3t
avenue police station and notified Serge
ant Howell who was behind the desk.
| George Roth, who was on reserve duty,
was at once sent to look for Fitzpatrick
and soon returned with him.
Sergeant Howell asked Fitzpatrick if he
had been in the saloon during the after
noon. He said s.yes." On being asked
if he saw a gold watch and chain, he
said, Eyes, here it is" at the same time
taking them from his pocket. He ex-
planned that he had entered the toilet
room and on seeing the watch thought It
belonged to the barkeeper. with whom he
was well acquainted. He then decided to
take the articles Just for a joke"
Sergeant Howell at once ~telephoned to
Chief Murphy, who instructed him to lock
Fitzpatrick up if Mckee would make a
complaint against him.
Mckee refused to make a complaint,
and, acting under orders from the Chief,
Sergeant Howell stripped Fitzpatrick OF
his shield, took away his keys ana sus-
Patrick Fitzpatrick was appointed
chanceman about four months ago py
the Republican Police Board and was at
ton. where he has been doing duty ever
since. 1t is said thai he is q member OF
the Americus Club. The watch and chain
were returned to the owner.
About five months tago Fitzpatrick. who
had been for twelve !years a on
the street cars in jersey City, .succeeded
in getting appointed. TO the police force.
He was assigned to the Ocean avenue
station under Captain iNugent. When
Fitzpatrick left the employ of the Com
solidated Traction Company he was way
up at the head of The list of conductors
and was one of the lucky ones who had
a paying and steady run. The life OF a
policeman. however. offered more attrac-
lions. less hours of work and more pay.
His friends congratulated him. Now. If
he is lucky enough to get back, he will
return to the rear or the front end of a
trolley car, but he will ave to go to the
end of the waiting Hist and work his way
up again. His twelve years of service and
his previous record will count for naught.