The sun., 1907-08-29
FOR STEALING ELECTRICITY
DEVICE TO FIN METERS COST HUN
DREDS or THOUSANDS.

investigations Of Edison Co.'S Detective
man Bsrth Hint That Pcrsons ef
Greater Import ance May he Involved.
Herman Barth. an electrician OF 52i
Sixth avenue, was arrested yesterday
on charge Of violating section esi Of the
Penal Code, which makes 1t misdemeanor
TO interfere with gas or electric meter.
Barth, II is charged, has made and sold
a device which has been applied to the
meters OF the New York Edison Company
to make them give fraudulent readings,
and by which, according to an employee.
the company has been swindled out Of
hundreds OF Thousands
The detective bureau maintained by
the Edison company has been working
on the case for some eighteen months.
The bureau has found, IL lie declared, . large
number Of the attachments in use by per-
sons Of all classes and conditions. 1t is
said that when the names OF some Of these
are brought out in the arrests which are
expected TO follow it will be found that
they are more or less prominent in various
walks of life.
The scheme itself Ii described as an in
genious but at the same time simple inven-
tion. The company is loath 10 give out many
details until the case is completed. Exte-
riorly the device consists Of a sheet iron box
the side pieces Of which are OF heavier iron.
rhoaa s;Jaa rrn;act dounward aorna fan
inches, making a sort of stand, which is
securely attached to the meter. The box
is we'll built and is riveted together. From
il are passed two wires which are connected
with an outside electric current. When
properly operated the invention has the
peculiar virtue of driving the indicator OF
the dial OF the meter back to zero In a very
short space of time and with little use OF
electricity. The box is finished with alumi-
mum paint.
An arrest was made for the use OF sim
liar contrivance some two years ago, but it
is understood that difficulty was found in
obtaining evidence against the prisoner and
he was discharged. The companys de-
tectives did not let the matter drop. how
ever, and now assert that they have the man
who has made all the machines
". X. Kenny, who has charge Of the in
vestigation for the company. went to a shop
at 25i Clinton street and. 1t is alleged. made
a bargain with Parth for one OF the ma
chimes, the price agreed upon being $500
Kenny paying $50 on account, he says.
The arrest was made by Headquarters
Detectives Miller and Griffith, who have
been working on the case with the COM
pany's detectives. When Barth was
searched at Headquarters in one Of his
pockets was found two ounce vial con-
tanning some liquid. The label on the
vial read. knockout petre." The police
have turned the liquid over to a chemist
for analysis. II, as the police suggest.
it is found to be knockout drops another
charge will be entered against Barth when
he is arrsigned in the Tombs police court
this morning Carrying knockout drops
is felony.
The detectives Of the Edison company
promise a surprise when the next arrests
are made. II would seem from their state
rnents that the scheme has been widely
used in the city. and according to them
Barth must have done a thriving business.
Inasmuch as the meter could be set
hack at any time the saving to owners OF
the machine soon made it's original cost
small. The company makes no denial that
il has been hit pretty hard by the swindle
during the past month or 80.
list Of names which the company de-
teotives say are OF purchasers Of Bar.h's
machine was found with his papers.
Against many Of these il in understood
the police already have evidence. IL was
said on behalf Of the company that the
sec ton Of tho code under which Barth
will be arraigned has been amended since
the arrest of the first OF the class two years
ago and ia expected TO make the prosectI-
ton of the swindlers much easier and more
sure.
The prisoner, Barth. last night retained
J. Is. q. Rinehart as his attorney. After a
consultation with his client, MIR. Rnehart
made a statement in which he quoted Bar1h
as asserting that he was an expert mechanic
and made models OF various invent ions.
He said. according to Mr.. Rinehart. that
Kenny had come to him with plans for the
construction OF an apparatus like that
which caused the electricians arrest and
asked him to make one like II. Barth saws
he did so and that the company detective
paid him $50 on account for his work. Barth
denies ever having made such a machine
before.
To Mr.. Rinehart Barth said that he had
never carried knockout drops in his life
and that when hc was searched at the
Madison street station before being taken
to Police Headquarters no such thing was
found in his possession.
Tho address. ISL Clinton street. where
Barth was arrested is that OF a saloon run
by Conln and Touhey. When a Sun re-
porter called at the saloon last night a
man who said he was Mr.. Conlip refused to
discuss Barth's arrest.