The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-17
RAID TAPPERS' TURNING JOINT
POLICE FIND AN ELABORATE OUT
FIT IN FIFTH AVENUE.
Dummy Telegraph Wires. short Distance
Telephones and the Usual Victim
lowering Pretended Western Union
Cipher and "NIahouey & Co." Pads.

Telephones and the Usual Victim
lowering Pretended Western Union
Cipher and "NIahouey & Co." Pads.
An deliberately equipped tapless wire
tapping plant in Room on the top floor
Of the office building at liz Fifth avenue
was confscated by the police yesterday
afternoon. No arrests were made. but
it was said that Acting Inspector O'Brien
knows who have been running the place
and expects to get them. The little that
could be learned about the raid from the
police was given out az the Detective
Bureau last night by Detective McCauley,
He said that O'Brien received information
about the place about three weeks ago
and that Detective Sergeants Munday
and Fogarty have been watching. The
detectives learned that the gang hired
the room in August last.
On the ground floor of the building is
a branch Office of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company and the employees there
told the detectives that number of persons
had called there inquiring for -Supt. Miller.
One was a young woman who said she had
an appointment with Supt. Miller, who was
going to invest $500 for her. When told
that the superintendent of the branch was
named Casey she didn't believe it.
why, was told that Mr. Miller was the
superintendent. she said, and that his
private Office was in room on the top
floor
She was finally convinced that some
thing was wrong, and departed with the
observation that she guessed she had saved
her money Another of the callers gave
the name and address OF well known
organ manufacturer.
The day the young woman called, as
afterward was learned, a stranger entered
the Office OF the Western Union on the
ground floor at 1876 Broadway. and going
behind the partition, took of his nat and
coat. When the employees there began 10
question him he boted into the street in
his shirt sleeves. His coat and hat are
still in the office. This performance is one
Of the familiar chapters Of the wlre-tapping
swindle
On Wednesday last a man appeared at
the Western Union Office on the ground
floor and asked what was known about the
concern on the fourth floor He said he
was a contractor and hailed from Pitts
burg.
I'm out $1,000 and l want to get that
money back If | can, he said They told
me | would get it all back eventually. and
that ! had lost II was no fault Of theirs.
They telephoned me over the long distance
yesterday to come on so that could make
up my losses I'm here, but I'm not going
to risk any more money.
The Pttsburger said he had been in
duced 10 part with his money by man
whom he know rs Sells. he bad bet on n
supposed good thing at the New Orleans
racetrack and the horse came in second
instead Of first as he had played it.
Another greenhorn appeared on Wednes-
day after the man from Pittsburg had gone.
This second man said he was from Phla-
delphia but he was just cOme-on and
hadn't been robbed yet.
Yesterday O'Brien ordered tie plant
seized Nine telegraph Instruments with
dummy wires we're found There were
electric push buttons on the tables CON
nected with dry batteries fastened under
the table tops The police believe that
the dry batteries may have furnished
energy for the operation Of the telegraph
instruments Nine table telephones were
connected with call boxes attached to the
walls There were lot of racing cards,
pads Of memorandum cards on which was
printed "Mahoney Il Co., Racing Com
inissioners. and bundles OF small cards
of the size Of u business card which read.
MAHoSIE BROS. ii9 WYsT 35Tu ST.
Identification
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