Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-09-23
NEGRO BURGLAR
IN RICH HOMES;
CAUGHT BY MAID
Homes of Uzal McCarter and
w. M. Keepers Entered by
Thief in Night.
$4,000 IN SILVER
PACKED FOR REMOVAL
Army of Policemen Swarm
Through Fashionable Section
Until Maid Finds Thef.

After an all-night burglar hunt by
thirty policemen in the fashionable
quarter of South Broad street early to-
day, which caused intense excitement
in the neighborhood and kept it
awake all night. a negro burglar, who
had entered the home of William NJ.
Keepers, wealthy shirt manufacturer,
of 81 Lincoln Park, and who Is also be-
lieved to have entered 1044 Broad street,
the home of Uzal H. McCarter, presi-
dent of the Fidelity Trust Company,
was found locked in an outhouse by a
maid.
For eight hours he had evaded the
police. who had established a dragnet
over the lower section of the city and
had watched all the railroad depots.
Detectives almost touched him as he
lie prone en- the roof of the Keepers
home. The hunt was punctuated about
o'clock in the morning by a chase
over fences. which resulted in the bur-
slar getting away. 1t was by the merest
chance, three hours later, that the
maid found him and two detectives
thrust a gun in his face.
The negro gave his name as David
Speer, % years old, of $40 Bloomfield
avenue. There is no such place. 1t is a
vacant lot. He had packed up $4,000
worth of silverware when he was sur
prised at work, and he is believed to
be the burglar who has been getting
rich in the big hauls in that wealthy
section.
Hat May Prove Clue.
When taken to police headquarters
and questioned by Captain Connell,
Spears refused to make any admissions
or give any information regarding his
supposed pals
The hat that was left hr tho negro
in the Keepers house contained the
outlines of the initials as. f. NJ On
September 10, Stephen T.. Meagher, of
1l12 Broad street. found that his house
had been rarisacked. Among the arti-
cles stolen was hat answering the de-
scription of the one found in the Keep
ers house. The negro denies all knowl-
edge of the Meagher robbery. and says
he bought the hat on Washington
street.
The police expect to identify him with
the other recent robberies that have
been terrifying the community.
Mr.. Meagher was summoned to head
quarters, and identified the hat as his
property. The negro then confessed
that he had robbed the Meagher home.
Shortly after II o'clock last night Mr..
Keepers returned to this city from a
business trip to Boston. His family
n q G cfanAif1rr 1aa
hurst. He entered with latch-key hy
the back door. As he lighted up the
dining-room he drew back at what he
saw.
Several bundles were on the dining
room table. One consisted of nost of
the valuable silverware in the house
There also was an old hat and coat
Mr.. Keepers searched the pockets of
the coat, and found bloody handker-
chief. There were also a shovel. a
pitchfork, stove-lifter a poker and
nut pick.
Mr.. Keepers tiptoed out into the
street and\began search for a police
man. He met Roundsman Garry, who
called Patrolmen Romagel, Kelly and
Kean. This force entered the house and
searched it from top to bottom. They
found that entrance had been effected
through rear window, but no trace OF
the burglar could be found.
The policemen were leaving the house
when Detectives Ebert and Temple
ton ran up. They said that they
had just been told that burglar had
entered the home OF Mrs. McCarter
The burglar had been frightened away
by the servants-the family is away
but had left a bloody trail behind him.
He had gashed his finger with pane
of glass.
Army of Police Sent Ont.
Police headquarters was immediately
telephoned to and men were drafted
from all the neighboring precincts 10
surround the block and make sure that
the burglar would not get away. Men
were sent to the railroad stations and
every outgoing train was watched. Few
in the neighborhood slept. Mr.. Keepers,
however, went to his room anout 3
O'clock, and being tired from travelling
was soon asleep. Subsequent develop
ments proved that almost directly over
him-his sleeping apartment is on the
top f1oor-the negro was hiding.
About 4 o'clock in the morning, with
the block surrounded and Patrolmen
Kelly and Kean watching the rear, the
negro came down through the Keepers
home past the sleeping Mr.. Keepers and
went out through the basement door.
He carried his shoes in his hand and
had suit case. He wore Mr.. Keepers's
sons smoking Jacket. Kelly and Kean
saw him and ran toward him. He
dropped the suit case and shoes and
scaled over a fence. The policemen
were afraid to fire for fear of hitting
one Of the many policemen.
The negro vaulted several fences and
The policemen were
baffled and a more stern vigil was kept
on the block, as 1t was plain that the
negro could not have gotten far. The
vigil was continued until O'Clock this
At that time Minnie Nelson, a maid
in the home of J. w. Peters. soc WASH
CONTINUED on Third Pagc.D
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