The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-02-06
SMYTH OBTAINED IDEAS
BY READING aRAFFLES"
BURGLARIzED FOR EXCITE
MENT, NOT FOR PLUMBER.

Interested in Exploits of Western Ban-
dits and Tried to Emulate Them
Declares 1t would Have Been the
Easiest Thing in the World for the
Police to Catch Him If They Fol-
lowed Him.
New York, Feb. 5.--Christopher
Smyth, or 'Sandrock.'' who is locked
UP at police headquarters charged with
being the perpetrator of many startling
robberies in private residences within
the past few weeks, made a confession
to Acting Inspector O'Brien of the de-
teetive bureau to-day according to a
statement made by the inspector to-
night.
Smyth declared that he had not
worked for plunder but merely for the
enjoyment he got out of the excite
ment incident to the robberies. He con-
fessed that he had been interested in
the exploits of western bandits, and
that he had tried to emulate their ex-
ample. The character Of "Rafies" he
declared had also given him ideas and
he had attempted to follow out this ex-.
ample. He vowed that it would have
been the easiest thing in the world for.
the police to have captured him ON va
rious occasions, but that there had been
no attempt made to follow him after
he had left the house he entered ex-
cept in one instance.
He declared confidently that in sew
eral instances he could have secured
diamonds and other jewels had he SO
chosen and was sure that he could have
gone to any bank in the city and OBJ
tained whatever he demanded.
One of the crimes imputed to him,
that Of entering the house Of Gen. An
son G. McCook, when the generals
young son fired on the burglar, he de.
clared he was innocent Of. OF his
dexterity with weapons, he boasted
that he could hit a fifty cent piece at
fifty yards ninety mine times out of a
hundred
Smyth denied absolutely that he had
any confederates and declares that he
has been working alone. Besides the
$s5 he got from Ernest G. Woerz, he
netted all told one dollar from the hall
attendant Of the Delta Phi club and
S35 from pawning a watch taken at the
same time. He insisted again and
again that he had worked not for prot
1T but for the excitement,
Y 4 = u -.
Snyth told with great gusto of call
ing on the telephone an evening paper
which had offered a reward of $1,000
for his apprehension.
\ He said: "Will You pay me the re-
ward if I go down to the Office" I ask
ed them. They wanted to know who 7
was and i said I'm Raffies. I'm the
man you want They said they would
pay the money If went down to the
Office, but I never went.
"I telephoned to Mr.. Woerz that /
was the man that held him up, and
told him he need not bother about go.
ing around to identify people who had
been arrested. He isn't caught told
him. and he isn't going to get caught.
You can't get him. But / warn you il
you don't stop all this publicity I'll
blow up your house with dynamite. (.
mean what I say. I will now tell you
that / am the man. Good bye also
telephoned to the Shipmans. felt real.
bad that the girl had been made i'll by
the fright"
U. Solomon, organizer of the socialist.
democratic party in New York sent a
letter to Police Commissioner McAdoo
to-day denying that Smytn had ever
been a lecturer for the party or had
ever been known to have any affilia-
tions with it.