The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-10-27
ROBBERY EPIDEMIC.
The Horseshoe Has Had a
Series Of Burglaries
Lately.

There is an epidemic of robberies in the
Horseshoe. The police cannot account for
it. Hardly a night passes without one
1t was learned last night that ST.
Michaeps Church had been entered by
thieves. and an attempt had been made
to loot the sanctuary.
Father Sheppard said nothing Of value
had been stolen from the church, but he
acknowledge that thieves had been In the
place. He said entrance had been gained
by means of cellar window, IN the
front Of the building and that the thief
or thieves had walked through the cellar
to a door leading up stairs, Immediately
beneath the sanctuary This door was
forced opened by almost superhuman
strength as it is a double door. The
thieves went directly TO the sanctuary
where they secured the key to the Taber-
nacle and opened that door. An attempt
was then made to open the safe Withlh
tne Tabernacle, containing the valuable
ornaments. The safe lock was badly
arnased. but the door was not opened
Finding that they could not get anything
of value without attracting the attentioh
of the authorities the men lett py the
same way they had entered.
Father Sheppard said:-"The matter
was not reported to the police because !
thought whoever attempted to enter tne
MACE would return to make another at
tempt / think that the crime was at
TEMPTED by some person acquainted with
the church and its contents The men
could not have been professionals because
Of the bungling way they went about u.
II has probably been done by some small
boys.''
Iust mreyious to the attempt made al
ST Michael's Church, the saloon owned
by Daniel McKiernan, at the corner OF
Grove and Twelfth streets, had been en-
tered and the contents of the cash
register. amounting to nearly SCI, taken.
The place was strewn with broken glass,
thrown from the counters. This case was
reported to the police. 1t is being lnvesti-
gated.
Then comes the robbery Of Wood q
Meuagh's Payonia avenue hardware saop.
This placeSwas entered last week ana
MANY articles of value were stolen. The
report of the robbery was made to the
police. The investigation is still going on.
A News reporter learned last night
that q fiat near the corner OF Flfteenln
street on Jersey avenue, another on slxth
street a few doors west of Erie street, ano
several places along Grove street had
been entered.
MANY holdups have also been accom-
plished. The 'sviaduct Gang organized
only a short time ago, has been terror
izing the residents in the vicinity of Jer-
W.T. f,.tn If Is
said the gang. composed chiefly Of young
men out or work, holds people up for beer
money.
few evenings since man entered
Casey's saloon at the corner of Grove
and Thirteenth street and informed the
proprietor that he had been held up and
a demand for beer money had been made
upon him. He said he refused the three
men who had aecosted him, and he was
badly treated. The strangers clothes
bore out his statement.
It was this gang that set upon Police
man Benem several nights ago and at
tempted to relieve him of his club. An
other policeman whose name cannot be
learned it is said, was stoned by the
members of the gang. This, however.
has been kept quiet.
On top of these stories comes the re-
port that the fence at the rear of Public
School No q on Twelfth street, was torn
down Tuesday evening and was carried
bodily to the vicinity of the Viaduct and
a bonfire made of it. This story was Civ
en- out by member of the Board of Edu-
cation last night.
At the last meeting of the Board of
Police Commissioners, President McGill
said THE present number of men on our
force is insufficient to properly patrol our
streets The posts laid out for the men
are too long and the men cannot be all
over them at once. We want more men,
then our force could be held responsible.
We are doing the best we can under the
adverse circumstances
Several years ago an act was passed by
the LEGISLATURE giving the Board of
Police Commissioners power to appoint
ten new men yearly This power has not
been exercised for some years, as the
Board of Finance has failed to increase
the yearly appropriation allowing such
an increase in the Police Department