Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-09-27
WATCHED BY DETECTIVE
When Arranged Last Night
Said He Stole Because He
Couldn't Help 1t.
CAME HERE FROM ENGLAND
}. H. Foster Unwilling to
Press Charge--Loot Is,
Recovered In Room.

Admitting that he was klepto.
maniac and stole because he coult
not help himself, John P. Hughes
employed for the past six weeks as 6
clerk in j. H. Fosters dry goods
store in the new Boynton building
was arrested last night. A specia.
store detective, hired when Mr.. Fos-
ter first suspected Hughes, arrested
the clerk at o'clock last night Just
after the store closed for the even.
ing, and in searching him, found
several articles he was about to
take from the store.
For the past two weeks the detec.
tive, CASTOR BoissonnauIt, has beer
shadowing Hughes. He worked In
the store as clerk, side by side with
the admitted thief, laughing and
Joking with him, but ever watchfuI
A few days ago Hughes took the de.
tect1Ve to his room at 100 Gordon
street, and there the latter noticed
that the apartment was stocked with
articles taken from the department
store. Shoes, handkerchiefs, mems
furnishings and jewelry were found
scattered about.
" 'Sh lug hCS was dTTdlRueQ De-
fore Recorder Pickersgiu last night
ne admitted he was guilty and
begged for mercy on the plea of be-
Ing a kleptomaniac and unable to aid
himself. He offered to return the
stolen goods. Mr. Foster did not
wish to press the charge but desired
the return of the articles. They
were given back, and Hughes per-
mttted to go. He left for New York
this morning.
Hughes applied for position at
Fosters store when 1t first opened
about six weeks ago. He represent
ed himself as former English mer-
chant, and said he had been in this
country but two weeks He spoke
with an English dialect and present
ed English references which the
store proprietor did not trouble to
investigate.
Shortly after the man was put to
work as clerk, Mr.. Foster began to
miss articles. He suspected the
Englishman, although he said moth
ing outright. 1t was not very long
before he became convinced that he
had hired an underhanded employe,
ciSAouBA he was hbdbie 10 secure
any proof of his supposition. He
concluded that he had made a mis-
take in hiring Hughes, and immedi-
ately set about securing his arrest.
lie detective from New York was
employed. He was given a position
at a counter near Hughes, and 1t
was not long before he found that
goods were almost nightly being ta-
ken away by the Englishman. Since
he was retained, two weeks ago, he
continually watched Hughes and last
night saw him secrete several arti-
cles before leaving.
A patrolman was called and
Hughes placed under arrest. He
was searched and the articles dis
covered. When arraigned before
Recorder Pickersgill, shortly after 6
o'clock, Hughes said he was a klep-
tomaniac and acknowledged his
guilt. He said he had stolen articles
to the value of about s75. They
were all in his room, he said, and
might be had by Mr.. Foster. The
latter told Chief Burke that he did
not wish to prosecute the former
clerk.
The articles were recovered when
the room wasasearched. This morn
ing Hughes returned to New York.
He Is about thirty-five years old, and
has dark moustache. He said he
had wife and children in England.