The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-14
A CHAPTER OF BURGLARIES
CHARGED AGAINST II. M. DA VIS
ARRESTED YESTERDAY.

fesses to 81 Burglaries ana Two Thefts
Captured by Detective Henry j. Don-
Statements by His Wife Some of the
Plunder Recovered-He Comes of a
Respectable Family.
Detective Henry J. Donnelly yester-
day afternoon about 1 o'clock arrested
Frederick M. Davis, a street car con-
ductor who is charged with having
committed twenty-three burglaries and
two thefts. This case is one of the
most remarkable that has ever come to
the attention of the local detective bu-
reau. According to Davis own state
ment to Detective Donnelly his burg
laries have covered period of about
two years, during which time he had
not even been suspected of anything
criminal until Donnelly became sus-
picious of him a short time ago. Davis
is about tWentyfour years of age, and
| lives at 70 Shelter street. He is mar
ried and has two children, one girl
aged four years and the other boy of
three years. He has been employed as
a conductor on the Fair Haven and
Westville road for about year and a
half on what is known as the East Ha-
ven run. His hours of employment
| were from 6:06 in the evening to 1890
at night, and relief trip from 11:42 a.
| m. to 1.1S p m. each day
vv1, I,ae
arrest the detectives believe that Davis
has burglarized nearly every store on
Chapel street, between Church and
State streets. During the last two
years large numbers of burglaries of
stores have been reported to the police
and in some cases the offenders. We're
captured and convicted. 1t is said that
some of these offenders were given
heavier sentences because it was be-
lieved, although the cases could not be
proved against them, that they were
concerned In the burglaries which 1t
now transpires that Davis committed.
Detective Donnelly was detailed to
work up some of these reported cases
and finally he noticed certain things
which led him to believe that the same
man was doing many of them, One cir
cumstance which led him to this belief
was the fact that in many of the stores
which were burglarized stubs of cigars
We're found which had evidently been
left by the burglar. Another was the
fact that many of the stores were enter
ed by means of skeleton keys. Some Of
the stores were hurglarized twice and
invariably on the first occasion the rear
door was left open and the front door
was left securely locked, while on the
second occasion, the front door was
left open or unlocked by the burglar.
In October, 1898, Davis lived at 141
Blatchley avenue, with his wife's fam
lily. On the first floor of the same house
lived Charles Moody. In that month
Moody's apartments were entered sew
eral times by burglar and Detective
Bonnelly was detailed on the job He
became convinced that Davis was the
guilty party, but could not fasten the
crime upon him. On each occasion the
Moody apartments were entered by
means of a skeleton key Retaining his
suspicious Donnelly about a month ago
began to keep Davis under close sur
vellance. giving special attention to the
case. The detective learned that Da-
Wis worked steadily, was man of good
habits and was apparently sober, in
dustrious and intelligent. This made it
even harder to believe that he was
burglar, but Donnelly kept track of
him day and night and the closer he
watched the man and the more he
learned of him the stranger it appeared
that he could by any possibility be a
professional burglar.
Finally Donnely ascertained that |
Davis appeared to have plenty of
money, more than a conductor could |
be expected to have and learned that |
he had disposed of articles which he had !
probably not purchased. He found out |
other things which confirmed him in his |
suspicious and last Saturday he be- |
came satisfied that Davis was the man |
he wanted. Monday he reported his |
suspicious to Captain Cowles, who told |
him to go ahead and do as he thought |
best in the case. Yesterday Donnelly, |
taking Sergeant Dennehy with him,
went to the Davis home at 1880 in the
forenoon. Davis had just gone out on
the relief trip. Donnelly gave Mrs.
Davis to understand that they were
looking for things that had been lost
by the street railroad company and she
offered no. objection to their searching
the house to find those articles.
The detectives made nasty search
and in a small alcove found large
folding desk and large cabinet, each
packed full of every imaginable kind of
small articles. all new. In bedroom I,
closet Donnelly found a dress suit case
in which was a quantity of cigars. The
saloon of John j. Kinney on Blatchley
avenue was burglarized last Thursday
night and among the articles stolen
were LOO cigars Donnelly was con-
yinced that the cigars in the suit case
we're part of the haul at kinney's and
his confirmed him in the belief that he
was on the right track.
Leaving Sergeant Dennehy in the
house Donnelly went to the office of the
Fair Haven and Westville railroad and
Treasurer Candee that he
wanted Davis and told what he wanted
him for. That was between u and 1
o'clock and Davis was at that time on
MS car in East Haven. Donnelly. Mr..
Candee and Car Starter Judge accom-
lanying him. took car for East Haven
md in East Haven met navis' car
coming towards the city. They board |
ID the car and Davis was placed under |