The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-30
BURGLARS LOOT
ELECTRIC WORKS
Young Thieves Garry Off
Material Worth
Thousands.
|. Police Capture the Gang in
a Midnight Raid on the
Water Front.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
Ills Broadway, Dec. %

After stealing 5000 worth of copper
wire. copper cable, aluminium wire and
other valuable electrical material from
the Standard Electric Company's works
al the foot of Castro street, a gang of
young bay pirates was rounded up am
lodged in the City Prison early this morn
ing by Policemen John Sherry and VIII
liam Moore.
The thieves are John Audet. is years
old, residing at 752 Brush street; George
Nlttusen, is years old, whose home is at
elO Market street. and Wesley Bates, Is
years old, living at GA Sixth street.
Also under arrest is Willie Wittusen,
brother TO George. who, the police declare,
had knowledge of the raids Of the trio.
The youths were captured at the rear
of the works. where they had more than
$1,000 worth Of cable and wire hauled out
of the store houses ready 10 be cached.
Ii was the second raid that had been
made upon the works within two weeks.
The gang invaded the cOmpany's premi-
ses at the first expedition from boats.
They carried off $1,000 worth Of cable and
wire and sold it 10 junk dealers for a
trifie as compared with the real value Of
NE plumber. The police were notified OF
. The raid, and constant watch has been
Kept .uDon the grounds for the return Of
N Policeman Sherry was at Castro and
ftlrst streets. i'm hiding last night. when
a watchman inside the works heard suspi-
cious sounds. Policeman Moore was sent
in response TO a call, and with Sherry
corralled the young raiders after a chase
over the mud and the wharves along the
water front.
Stacked outside the works were piles of
wire. There was 1000 feet of copper worth
500. Several hundred feet of copper cable
worth . cents foot couple Of hun
dred pounds of copper worth 20 cents a
pound. and 600 feet Of aluminium wire
were In the pile.
All Of this was recovered. but the lot
stolen two weeks ago and twice the size
Of last nights pile has probably been lost
10 the company. It has been sold and re-
sold by the junk men TO whom the lads
disposed Of il.
That the young pirates were not electro
cUted during their raids is amazing the
company OfIicials- The burglars entered
the works by smashing window in the
test room. Here runs a wire that car
rieS a current Of 10000 volts ana to touch
which would cause instant death. The
line passes through the room, within a
lew feet Of the window The police have
learned that Audet the smallest lad OF
the trio, was hOiSted into the room, and
how he escaped the heavily charged wire
10 one knows
Men at the works declared they would
not have taken the chance in the dark
Tor all OF the wire the company owns.
Confessions a-plenTV were made to-day
to the police. The lads were only too
anxious to yield under the pressure of the
sweat box With the thieves in Jail an
effort VIII now be made to force the Junk
men who received the wire and cable to
clSgOrge. According to the declarations
Of the cOmpany's men prosecution OF the
junk dealers will follow. Charges Of bur
glary and grand larceny will be lodged
against the thieves