The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-03
BUSINESS MAN and BURGLAR,
DUAL LIFE or q. e. DICKINSON
or PHILADELPHTi.
PARTNER In an Importing Notion House.
He IL Also Accused OF scores Of Rur-
glaries-Booty and Crucibics Found
IN Ills HoNc-Had a Long Fight With
POiiceman-Was Energetic In Iusi.
ness and Industrious In Robbery.

PHlLiDFLPHIA. Dec. 2.-known to his
frienus as an energetic business man, who
had won a partnership with his employer,
George +. Dickinson, alias "Westcou," IL
face to face with indisputabe evidence
that stamps him as clever burglar. He
was arrested early on "Wednesday morning
OF last week after a battle with Policeman
Carroll OF the Haddington station
Two hours after his arrest the police
found the clue to the chain Of evidence that
now binds the prisoner. Dickinson hasibeon
operating in tn" city since October, 1901
Seventeen persons from various parts #
the city appeared at police headq quarters
tonight and identified silverware and other
valuables recovered by the police in Dickin-
sons rooms and valued at about $4,000.
He Is believed to have committed at least
100 robberies here. Terms Of imprison-
ment in ,harlestown, Mass. and Trenton,
n j., show his criminal record.
The police III carrying on their investi-
CATION were amazed by the precauti ions
That had been taken by the prisoner to cover
his tracks. The climax To- their surprise
cime, however. when they found that he
was the Junior partner of We'll 4 Dickinson.
importers Of Notions and shirt waists with
fiices al Tenth ard Arch streets When
rot robhing houses lie moved In good
societv
When Dickinson. his face battered be-
ronu recognition by his struggle with
the policeman. was brought To the CITY
Hall, he refused to make any state
ment. In spite of this, Superintend Mt
OF Police Quirk obtained a clue that
led him to fasten upon the prisoner "A long
series Of robberies This clue was tintype
found in letter in the prisoners pocket
1t showed Dickinson standing beside young
woman who ia a member of one of Phil
adelphia's well-known families The pho
tograph had been taken Recently al Long
Branch, n. J.
The prisoner said to the lieutenant of he
station house when he was capt ured
when you find ont who | am you'll be
surprised
Dickinson had given his name az Charles
Westcott. The Superintendent Of Police
upon hearing 1t, remembered that in 1895
man b. airing the name Of George Westcott
had been arrested on a similar charge.
Owing to lack of evidence he was dis
charged. Investigation showed that he
and Dickinson were the same. Detectives
Bond and Gallagher were detailed upon the
caae and ran down the picture clue. Ii was
not long before they were convinced that
the prisoner was an unusual criminal,
SO we'll had he kept his business and social
life apart from his criminal existence,
Four years ago Dickinson went TO work
for A. Well. a manufacturer and importer
OF fine notions and shirt waists at Eleventh
and Arch streets. He labored diligently
and gave great attention to the business
Three months ago he was made junior part
ner. When the news of Diokinson's arrest
was brought TO Mr. We'll the latter was
thunderstruck. He gave the detectives
every assistance however, with the result
that in the firms offices "A suit case was
found containing much jewelry and silver
ware. We'll says he noticed his partner
bring the suit case in several weeks ago
and was told that it contained samples.
The detectives next visited Dickinson =
apartments. at 1902 Spring street. They
found these fitted up in costly style. There
another basket % silverware and iewelry
was found. Three crucibles ere discovered
in which metals had been sheltered
So careful had Dickinson BEEN however,
that his two brothers, who had apartments
on the same floor, were In ignorance Of
any of his Operations.
Many things found upon Dickinson gave
the police an insight into his ethods
A bunch of fifty latch keys was found
upon him and in his rooms We're many
more. They We're of every conceivable
shape and size and had been carefully
fashioned. The police say that no lock
was ever made that could withstand these
keys and picks of the prisoner.
When the hundred or more robberes
with which Dickinson H. charged were re-
ported to the police the officials were ST rtIcl,
by feature common To all In every ca 40
there was an absence Of matches and candle
grease 4 solution was found when a
pocket electric lamp was discovered on the
prisoner. Every one of the houses robbed
was entered at midnight, 80 Dickinson was
always at his home at a reasonable hour.
Dickinson never went higher than tho
hTst floor Of any of the houses he entered.
His thefts consisted of silverware. prin-
cipally, with a large assortment Of wedding
gifts ami jewelry whenever he could get
them, These We're displayed in the de-
tectives rooms to-day and the long table
was covered with spoons cut into bits,
ostrich plumes from hats, buckles, jewclled
clocks and hundreds of other articles
The crucibles at the other end OF the table
gave a picturesque touch to the collection.
are NilbS' WHO lufUtll!eu Is
at City Hall yesterday; Mrs. Il ID. Benham,
239 West Haines street; Mrs c. j. Young
37i8 North Carlisle street Mrs j. f.. Ster-
rift. 1909 Trinity street; Mrs, W. A. vii
liams. 1914 North Ellison street: Mrs
Hoover. 943 North Fiitieth street; Mrs
I. c. Civil, 0ai North fifteth street, Mrs
Archer, $3.50 Hunter avenue; ID. O'Bricn,
1925 North Nineteenth street: y. w. kriedcr,
334S Park avenue; A. l.. Robertshaw. 1923
Pulaski avenue; James Shaw. 5li2 Wyalus-
ing avenue; Il, c, Miller, 1902 ont 10 street;
W. ". Long, APPS Cambridge street; X. :.
Jones, 1928 North Carlisle street; George C..
Hutchins. 46le Regent street
Dickinson's brother said last night that
he had always believed him honest. He
had never seen anything to lead him to
suspect his brothers dual life Dichin-
son is married. but separated from his
wife. He was born in Syracuse. n, Y,
about So years ago and later lived in Me-
chanics vile, n. Y. He will DO formally
arraigned to-day.
. &. Vanderbilt Passes for First ieutenancy.