The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-24
EX-COP HEALY A BURGLAR?
ACCUSED or BEING LEADER or
A STATEN ISLAND GANG.


jail whom they accuse Of being the lender
! Of gang which for four or five months
+ has been committing burglaries along the
north shore OF the island. lie is Jeremiah
j. Healy. an ex-policeman. All OF the
burglaries have occurred in tho West
Brighton precinct, where Healy last did
duty as a cop.
The police say that Healy has directed
| not only the burglaries. but also has been
emulating recent hold-up artists Of this
borough. 1t is said that he was one OF
three men who on Friday night held up
William Mckenzie, a feed merchant, and,
after choking him into inscndbility. stole
his gold watch and SO in money. Mckenzie
Is still Ill at his home at 0 Madison avenue
Heaiy was arraigned in the First District
Court yesterday on the charge OF being
one of the hold-up men. He asked for time
in which to get lawyer and HIS case went
over until March s. He was held under
5000 bail and, in default, was locked UP
iu the county jail.
Mickey Walsh professional strong
arm" man, who hangs out in the Oak street
precinct was arrested on Friday night In
this borough charged with being one of the
same gang. He was remanded 70 the Staten
Island police in the Tombs police court
yesterday. Several other arrest are 10 he
made, including some women. the police
say.
Healy is 20 years old. He did not have
good record asa cop. He Unsupported in De
cambcr 1890 and served fora time IN Brook
lyn. DE wasfound sleeping ina car barn anG
dismissed He appealed 10 the courts with
the usual result. Then he served in the
Oak street precinct. His post was the
Cherry Hill district, where Walsh and other
strong aTm gentlemen loitered. About
year ago Healy was sent 10 tie West
Brighton station on Staten lsla nd. Healy had
posts all over that precinct, which. the police
say gave aim exceptional opportunities 10
observe the somewhat careless habits OF its
citizens
Last July Healy stayed away five DAYS
without leave and he was again dismissed.
In Common with many policemen Healy has
great faith in the courts Not long ago,
while he was planning the depredations
on Staten Island homes. he again appealed
10 the courts 10 reinstate him. His case ia
pending.
I'm be reinstated yet, and I'll be back on
the force to laugh at you fellows" said
Healy to his captain yesterday az he was
led away to Jail
The string Of burglafies and attempts az
btrglaries for which the police hold Healy
partly responsible, began last October
not long after Healy was dismissed a. a
,
had been the record on Staten Island before
that. In a short time this was raised 10
one burglary and several attempts every
week They came 30 fast that IL made /
the hair OF some of the Staten Island cops, T,
Used TO rural repose. stand on end They !
an along the north shore, chiefly /
on posts formerly patrolled by Healy.
Tho burglnries were always at night. /
Staten Island people have habit of leaving I
open. The burglars got in
yrit Loo all
in them. They got in house in Temp
kins avenue, where the family was away
and stole furs worth $3.50. They entered (
another house III Westeryelt avenue and
got jewelry worth $1,000. At house, II,
Clinton avenue the burglars we're surprised
getting in a window. They got away
There were always three men. and one
z enerally was described as wearing a
wv eater.
Capt Hogan OF the West Brighton station
sent out squads OF men To lay for the rob
bers. The movements Of these men always
seemed to be known in advance to the
gang. II the men were told TO watch one
md Of the pre- cinct the robbery always
occurred at { he opposite end. Men were
lostedat the ST. George ferry TO look for
characters tallying with the mca-
gre descriptions the police ha dof lie thieves.
80 arrests were made, because, as the
'olice have since found out the gang whose
rail they were on never came back here
idt way Instead tNtF lOph mo Terry
o Bergen Point, and thence, by way Of
Jersey City, reached this borough There
: no policeman on post at that ferry, which
iealy knew, according to thepolice.
reign OF terror pretty soon struck
staten island Peonle went to bed won
IerinR II their houses had been marked, |
'wo weeks ago, when tho police believed
he gang had marked house on Harbor
Ill and policemen were strung all through
hat section, the gang entered the house Of
oscar Flash on Clinton avenue, some miles
way. They got IN q basement window
nd looted the dining room of over 81 900
forth Of sllverware. Then they went up
tairs, where the family was sleeping. .
hey were in one Of the bedrooms when Mr..
lash woke up While he was getting his
evolver the intruders heard HIM and ran
own stairs and out the front door, which
hey had left open.
Mr.. Flash followed He saw the three 4
Zen as they rushed out. One was Of large !
uil d and wore white sweater. The police ,
ly the description fits that Of the ex- police |
ian. Detectives Lawson and Sullivan
1lowed the trail and found. they say, that
led in the direction Of Tompkinsville. r
here Healy has been living They also
,und near there articles which the thieves !,
ad thrown away in their flight !
The police began then for the first time h
watch their old associate Healy. They I
,und out that he went to Manhattan a r
bod deal, without having any business
ere. On Friday evening CaGno the assault "
4 Mr.. Mckenzie, who is OF years old and 4
YES back Of st. George. He was out
king a stroll after dinner, about o'clock, Z.
hen three men walked by him and then :.
lrned suddenly and made for him. One !.
them grabbed him by the neck and beat !,
m as he lay on the ground. The others u
ot his watch and money. Then ell three i
ID y
Detectives Lawson and Sullivan had been y
ohng for Healy in that neighborhood. y
ley we're quickly on tho scene and got a I
'scription OF the men. The detectives
flowed the three and learned that they
I'd jumped on trolley car for the Bergen ~
oint. ferry. The detectives traced them :.
this borough, by way Of Jersey CITY,
I'd then lost them. The detectives found :
at Mr.. McKenAe's watch had been pawned
Park row by man whose description
s Healy. With this evidence they arrested
ealy on Friday night at the house Of a Mrs.
itabrook in Tompkinsyille, where he has
EN- living
The police say that one Of the cane's
ethods was TO place women pals in some
the houses as servants, who left windows
en. The police say they learned that
c gang had it planned TO loot the house
well TO do resident tomorrow night
is said that the gang had placed a woman
servant in the house This woman left
sterdav. The police say they expect to
t her, as well as the other man. who is an
crook The police place the value of
3 stun stolen by the gang at $1,000.