Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-24
POLICE COURT DoINGs
The Watch Stealing Case Was Heard
 This Morning.

AtS 4N1Oi
 City court this morning was long, tedious, hot and suffocating. The suspension of work in many of the fac tories tended to crowd the room so that standing room was at a premium. The attraction was the five charges Of theft of watches from the New Eng land Watch factory by one of the en- ployes, Samuel Berg. The state was assisted in the prosecution by Attor- hey Carmody, and the accused was de- tended by Attorney Russell. John Me keever, foreman of the finishing de- partment of the factory from which the watches were stolen testified to the system adopted in distributing the work among the employees. Each work CT has number which corresponds with the number on the trial back of the watches he is engaged upon. Any number of these trial backs can be procured from girl in charge. The backs are kept in a cabinet, which is situated in the middle of the room, and it is against the law of the concern for any one but the girl ill charge and the foreman to gc near this cabinet, which, however, is not kept locked.
 The principal witnesses for the state were two boy detectives named Eugene Lyons and Bernard Haas. Lyons teS- tiied that he was engaged on the case about two weeks ago and that he went to work ill the department in which Berg was employed. and had seat near him. By degrees he got into his confidence, and one day saw him put watch in his pocket and leave the room. Lyons followed the man and took him back to the foreman and had him confess to the theft and four others also. The number of the trial backs of the watches which were stOi- on cOrreSponded with Berg'S number, G4. About two months ago the first theft was committed. Berg admitted selling the watches to Samuel Schner- 0" and Morris Green, jewellers on South Main street for S1 each. All of the
 watches were in evidence. Though Berg pleaded not guilty, he admitted the theft when he took the stand Ol his own behalf He said he was for | mcrly employed by the New Haven | Clock company, also by the Waterbury | Clock company and had been married l for@ months. In his argument to the | court. Attorney Russell said that Berg | should be given as much 1eniency as | any other man. There was something
 
 | stund. It was admitted in the evi
 dence for the state he said, that others had been caught in similar thefts a: | Berg was charged with, and they werc
 let go. Why, therefore, was Berg no 1 given a chance? Was it because of hi,
 nationality? The daily newspaper;
 contain stories of big thefts committed
 every day and the thief is allowed hi:
 liberty Why then, should not Bers
 charged with stealing d few cheal
 watches, be given q chance? MT Rus sells elOquence was in vain. His eli
 ent was found guilty on the complaint: l and fined $7 and costs on each. Al appeal under a bond of S25O was taken | Schneerer and Green were then pu 1 on trial charged with receiving Stolel 1 goods when they knew the same to be | stolen. The trial had not proceeded
 far when the case against SchneereI
 was nOlled and Green was declared
 not guilty. John Morrissey, a car con
 ductOr, charged with nOn-support was
 let go with a warning.