The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-10-13
GANG OF YOUNG THE YES
They Confess to a Series
Of Burglaries on the
Hill

Patrolman Maguire, of the Oakland aye
nue. station, last night rounded up quar-
tette of young crooks on whose trail ne
has been for several days. Two of them
had in their possession several coils OF
copper feed wire which they had cut from
the lines of the North Jersey Street Rail-
way Company. It was the third haul they
had made from the same source. The two
caught with booty upon them were Rob-
ertB. Cook, of No. 25 Perrine avenue, and
John Donohue, of No. 1898 Douglass street,
Brooklyn Two others who came upon the
scene and were arrested on suspicion
were John Naismith, of No. 5s1 Elizabeth
street, Newark, and George Heslin, Of No.
II Canal street All four are about the
same age, seventeen years.
Cook made a written confession, which
was subsequently signed by the others,
setting forth that they had committed
numerous burglaries on the Hill in the
past week
Michael Capertino, an Italian junkman.
of No. 399 First street, who purchased
two lots of wire from the gang, was ar
rested at noon today, charged with reeeiv-
ing stolen goods and with violating city
ordinance.
James Moran. seventeen years old, OF
No. 497 Pavonia avenue, was also arrest
ed this afternoon charged with being inn
plicated in some of the burglaries.
Cook confessed to Captain Farrier that
on Monday night he and Nainsmith broke
into Ushers store on Chestnut avenue.
Nainsmith, he said, had a diamond glass
cutter. They cut the glass Of window,
went in and stole fifty cents, all the mon
ey that happened to be in the drawer
On Tuesday night, he said, he with John
Donohue and John Naismith, through the
same method, got into Klemmer's candy
store at No. 578 Newark avenue, but found
nothing in the cash drawer. Before going
to Klemmer's store the trio went to Fat
rick Rougers saloon at the Boulevard
and Newark avenue, and effected entrance
bv cutting the glass in rear window.
They secured some whiskey and cigars.
Concerning the wire stealing Cook said
that he in company with George Hesiin
and Naismith went to Stevens boat house
at the foot of ST. PauPs avenue, hired a
boat and rowed to the bridge over tne
Hackensack River, where they cut lne
connecting feed wire, took about thirty
pounds away in a bag and sold 1t to junk
man Capertino for 50. Tuesday morning g
they repeated the visit and stole seyenty-
three pounds, which they sold 70 Gaper-
tino for $780,
Last night all four met at the Chestnut
avenue bridge over the pennsylvania
Railroad cut, walked down the, tracks 20
Marion and thence out 70 the bridge,
where they cut more mire Wltn mack lsa
saw They had some trouble about cut,
ting Of the stolen Pise;es ,sn+ ol wiae tan anp
lev car passed expecting the wore to be
cut By the ear wheels crossing sn ever aiefea t
The conductor stopped @ tne rd cSr, the p'eAuu car
Cook and Donohue took the other Nece
10 the other end of the trestle WI where ere
sisi,ghtering house, who held them up
and teiephoned 70 the Oakland 1,i,rs avenue sl,r
arrived on the scene with a patrol wagon
Naismith. Donohue, Heslin and Cook
were arraigned IN the Second Criminal
fsourt this morning on charges OF grand
larceny. on Cooks confession they were
also booked on charges of breaking ana
entering. The examination was laid over
,,yff1 torY7arr0V.