The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-01
A GENTLEMAN BURGLAR.


II. w. Brooks COnfesses RObbtng 30
Residences.
Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun.
New York, Aug 20.-The United
States government figures as a receiv-
er of stolen goods in the confession OF
Harry w. Brooks, alias George Robin
son, the burglar who operated in the
Fifth avenue residential district with
rare success until wounded and cap
tured on the roof of Orlando M. Har
per's residence, at Al West Forty-sev-
enth street, Sunday night.
BY close questioning, Capt. Langan
of the detective bureau to-day secured
from the prisoner the story of his OPP
erations, in which Brooks said that
he melted up in a crucible whatever
silver he secured and sold the metal
to the assay Office.
The prisoner was arraigned in the
YorkVille Court and remanded, so as to
give Carl Fischer Hansen of q West
Forty seventh street time to return to
the city to make specific complaint
against Brooks. who looted the Fischer
Hansen residence, but was surprised
and left the booty on the roof.
Brooks told Capt. Langan that he
lis 29 years old, was born in New Ha-
ven and is baker by trade. He went
West, but finding bread-making at
Kansas City tiresome, he came here
last September to operate in the
wealthy residential district between
Forty-fifth and Forty-ninth streets as
a burglar.
He put up at the most expensive
boarding houses and bought his clothes
at Fifth avenue shops, and couple
of revolvers, light silk rope ladders
and a jimmy made up his outfit
He would waie until between and 4
a. M, when every one was asleep, and
then go through the skylights, or let
himself down to the second story
where the windows were generally
open, It being warm weather, and he
had no trouble in helping himself If
he heard a noise he would not go in,
but would climb the ladder again.
Brooks said he never entered more
than two or three houses on a block,
and would then go to another block
some distance away.
IT fooled them nicely" he said. They
all thought l was gentleman. think
l stole about $4,000 worth of stuff,
but 1 only raised between $4,000 and
$4,000 on it, as l was in a hurry to
dispose of it,"
Brooks told of realizing $500 by SELL
ing silver to the assay office. When he
secured jewelry. he said, he would take
the stones from the settings and melt
the gold mountings. These he also sold
to the assay office. The stones he pawn
ed in most cases, but some he reset
and others. which We're not available,
he threw away. The pawn tickets he
always destroyed, he said, and this left
no evidence in his room should the de-
tectives enter.
Brooks told of thirteen specific in
stances where he had robbed residences
of wealthy persons, but said he had
robbed thirty-nine places altogether.
He first told of the robbery of the
residence of Carl Fischer Hansen, on
June 9. While he was getting back to
the roof a care-taker next door saw
him and threw a pitcher of water on
him. He left the silver and escaped.
1T was either me of the silver" he
said. II merely took myself out of
trouble"
How many houses between Forty
sixth and Fiftieth streets, and Madi-
son and Sixth avenues did you rob?"
he was asked.
ue" O'U A0'Ds east u ruin aVe"-
How many west of Fifth avenue ?"
Il think it was thirty-nine. l did
two or three to a block
Brooks then enumerated a number
of the robberies, and told what he had
taken. He did not remember where
he had pawned the loot, but told of
half dozen pawnshopS on the West
Side where he had pawned articles at
various times.
At the residence of William Nash. at
81 West Fifty-third street he said, he
secured about $500 worth of valuables.
AT Al West Fifty-third street, he Sc
cured what he thought was worth 5000.
but in reality the goods brought only
81.
At Mrs. Reds home. As West Fifty
first street, he said, he secured Jew
elry and clothing and made the same
kind of haul at 46 West Fifty-second
street.
Brooks said he liked the residence Of
]. A. Blair, 8 West Fiftieth street. and
that of DR.. Able, IL West Fiftieth
street. These two places. he said he
liked so much that he went there
second time and robbed them. Called
them good meat" He said he also
went to 10 and Is on the same street.
He was treated WELL" he said, at
30 West Forty-ninth street. the resi-
dence of S. l.. Stanton. where he got
diamond pin valued at $500. but Sc
cured only $23 on it.
On April p, Brooks confessed, he
robbed the residence of Justice George
Gray, at AZ West Forty eighth street.
He said he had the pleasure of TAX
ing the worthy Justices clothes"
At DR.. Henry f. Norris. at II West
Forty ninth street, he varied his pro-
cedure and entered through the base
ment, taking a 14-piece silver set some
fine razors and surgical instruments.
The next day, he said. he saw an ad-
vertisement in the newspapers for the
return of the wood and a reward of
500 and no questions asked was prom
Used.
THE reward was too cheap" he
said. If II had been greater / would
have taken the stun back"
The silver he melted In a crucible,
but the razors and knives he threw
away
Brooks said he robbed the house OF
Henry Seidenberg OF "a West Fifty