New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-18
BOY CONFESSES CRIMES.
Tells Story of Many Robber7es an
The Bron.r and Brooklyn.

romantic story of buried treasure. OF high
wax train and church robberies told yes
teraav by a youth of the unromantic name OF
James J. Flynn of Nc. 49, East lad street.
confession of having robbed St Raymond >
Roman Catholic Church, in Westchester avenue
and half a dozen other churches IN The Bronx
and dozen churches in Brooklyn besldes many
Bronx tailor shops and stores, is accredlteo 10
the n~ssoner. who saws he is only nineteen years
old
Yesterday afternoon he led two Bronx dctec-
,;,.e 10 a spot lust outside the grounds Of the
Catholic Protectory. in West Chester. near big
tree. where they dug up gold chalice ana golo
ciborium supposedly part Of the loot OF the 81
Ravrnond's Church robbery
Several DAYS ago Flynn. who is known as
Chicken by reason OF poultry dePredatlohs
charged against him. and John Duncan were
lodged in the county jail al Monticello, SULLIVAN
County TO await trial on the charge that they
had held up and beaten farmer on loneiy
road near that town Word Of Flynns arrest
was communicated TO Inspector McCaferty. OF
tho Detective Bureau at Headquarters, and the
message mentioned the Bronx church robberies
Detectives McCarton and Tweevin, OF the
Bronx bureau went TO Monticello where they
found that Sheriff Davis had already worrned
confession out Of Flynn. The prisoner told the
detectives that If they went TO certain spot In
the woods Of The Bronx they would flnd burleu
there the stolen silver service Of St Raymond 5
Church The detectives dug about the spot IN
dictated for four days. but failing to find any
of the treasure they got the sherlh's PERMISSION
10 bring Flynn to this city that he might point
out the hiding place.
FIynn's alleged confession says all the ron
berries mentioned took place between December
of last year and July of this 1t recites the fol-
lowing r1bberies, but does not give speclnc
dates:'
In St Raymond's Catholic Church, on West
chester avenue. 1 took silver service, upset
the place generally and threw the sacred ooJects
about the place / also broke some of the peWs
and threw communion hosts on the floor.
In the Prospect Avenue (Bronx) Methodist
Episcopal Church, stole cornet from the
From the Grove Baptist Church. on 156th
lens and did some damage TO the place.
In the Congregational Church al Leggett Lane
and Beck street (Bronx), got some COLLECTION
From the woodstock Presbyterian Church, at
18th street and Westchester avenue. got
communion set.
In the Montefore Synagogue. at Hewitt Place
and Macy Place (Bronx), l got a number OF
little things.
The confession does not enumerate the Brook
lvn robberies, nor those of the stores in The
Bronx
Captain Price. of the Bronx detective bureau,
took look at Flynn in Headquarters yesterday
morning and declared that four months ago the
prisoner and a companion held up New Haven
train and got all the conductors money, after
threatening the train crew The engineer was
ordered to start the engine again. according to
Price, and Flynn and his accomplice backed off
into the woods near West Chester.
Yesterday afternoon. after the discovery of
the gold pieces belonging TO St Raymonds
Church. Flynn led the police TO East 177th street
near the New Haven tracks. where he pointed
out a spot in which he said much loot was
buried. The contractors had been at work there
and had piled several feet of cinders the
ground, the detectives could make only a
beginning u the work of excavation.