New-York tribune., 1907-12-30
BURGLAR SECRETS OUT.
BREATHES EASY.
Details of 10 Robberies Told IN Court
by One of Eight Jailed.

After unfolding a story of successive nat
burglaries in Harlem and Washington Heights
with accurateness of detail that astonlshed
Magistrate Crane in the Harlem police court
yesterday, and would have reflected credit
upon Rafes himself, George Rapp twenty
years old. remanded to Police Head
quarters for further examination. while seven
other young men whom he accused as accom-
plces were held in $1,000 bail each for their
appearanc to-day.
There have been seventy-five houses robbed
in those sections in the last six months, and
the police seemed powerless until Charles
Gardner who lives with family named STAN
ton in an elevator apartment at No. 297 West
112th street. gave information to the Harlem
detective bureau a day or so ago that finally
resulted in the apprehension of the eight men.
Gardner said in court yesterday: AS | was
lying in bed reading Tuesday afternoon the bell
rang, but I did not go to the door. At inter
walls of few minutes it rang again and again.
but I paid attention to it. Finally was
startled to a face sticking through the
portieres in my bedroom. and 1 grabbed for
the head and found that it belonged TO a slen-
der youth. 1 kept good hold on him. He
moaned pteously. but suddenly shouted. turn
ing his head toward the open dumbwaiter
door, Look out. Fitz.
Il marched him into the parlor, just as Mrs.
Stanton came in We both talked to the lad,
and he made such appealing story of hard
luck that we told him would let him and
give him whatever assistance we would if he
would tell us who he was. He frightened up
and wrote on a slip of paper: George Rapp, No.
522 East 15Oth street
THAT evening Mrs. Stanton and went to the
place and found that ne had told the truth
about his address. We talked to him and his
sister. and finally about to suggest help
for him when he out of the room and did
not return. I told Of this experience to detec-
tives at the Harlem office"
Pointing out Rapp as he stood a prisoner in
the courtroom. Gardner concluded by saying.
'and this is Rapp."
The detectives were set to thinking by Gard
ner's story, and they looked up all the facts OF
the fathouse burglaries that had been puzzling
them They had a talk with Rapp. and then
they picked up John Fitzgerald. nineteen years
old, of No 323 West Hist street. lie gave some
valuable information also. and one by one the
following were arrested: Frank Donovan, nine
teen years old. No. 2090 Eighth avenue; Charles
Smith, twenty-one years old. No. 321 West 18th
street: Joseph McGary. eighteen years old, No
20 West Hist street: Frank Ogden. twenty
three years old, No. 221 West 14Sth street:
James Kicker twenty-five years. No. 2S41
Eighth avenue
All these prisoners were lined up before MaGis-
yrate Crane. Rarr made the following confess
sion in the hearing of the detectives and the
magistrate:
I'VE have been operating from 1Joth street to
1l6th street. and Lenox and Seventh avenues
for several months. and have got into about
seventy-five flats in that time. Our game is 10
go TO an apartment house, and in whatever way
we can learn just what people are not home.
We then ring the bell make sure. and If it is
not answered walk upstairs to the roof and
break into the dumbwaiter shaft.
lone and sometimes two of US got on the top
of the dumbwaitcr and let it down slowly until
we come to the fiat want 10 get into II IS
easy to get the latch of the door open and then
the rest is a cinch. Most times We have 10 keep
our feet braced against the wall of the shaft so
the waiter will not slide down too fast.
Sometimes when it is dark we get into the
places by coming down the fire escape from the
roof. One time Smith and l were on job to-
gether in a fat at Lenox avenue and 1i4th
street and separated to hide when heard
noise. Smith came out of q closet after while
and when l walked up to him he thought was
some one who belonged in the place. and he
made a strike at me with knife. but didn't t
hit me-
Harry Baker. eighteen years old, of No 159
East 91st street, who says he is janitor. was
arrested last night According to the police he
is also known as Robert Wardell and is alleged
to be of the band of which Rapp
member. The police suspect that Baker had IA
hand in the robbery of the home of George
Summers, at No 2s7 West 15oth street. on
Christmas Eve, when jewelry and clothing,
valued at S1.5, were taken.