Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-19
SAYS ILLNESS OF
CHILDREN DROVE
HIM TO STEAL
Reformed ex-Convict's Pathetic
Plea Stirs Hearers in
Fourth Precinct Court.

When Frank Freibatt, of 6o4 South
Fifteenth street, who had been arrest
ed upon the charge of attempting to
break into a gas meter, broke down
while he was being arraigned in the
Fourth Precinct Court today and SOD
bingly told the magistrate that neeo
for money to buy medicine for two SICK
children a driven him to the deco
which caused his arrest, there was that
ring of sincerity in his grief which won
belief for his story and sympathy lor
his plight.
1t had been charged by the ponce
against Friebatt that fourteen years
| ago he served eighteen months for Dur
glary and a rogues' gallery picture
Sc ,med to corroborate this charge
Freibatt insisted those
years q been free from w~rongdoing,
and that he had remained a useful and
respectable citizen until. he felt hat
the need of his children Justined
almost any act of his own which
| might relieve their suffering.
A superficial investigation oil the
prisoners story apparently verified II
A short time after the time set by the
police as marking his release from
prison I'riebatt married. His wife de-
clared today that throughout the lei
years of their married life he had beei
Uniformly kind and ~consideraSe ano
.ad made a good home for her and the
children.
"He was always home OIL time a.
night said Mrs. Freibatt. land las
night when he failed to return wal
so worried I sat up all night. INT
baby, three months old. was very Ill
and Frank, who is 3 years old. wa
Just recovering from an attack of grll
Frank was so worried about them HI
went out yesterday again to try ant
get some work, as we had no money II
buy medicine. I am sure he would no
have thought of doing anything wrong
under any other circumstances. Ii
was working for the Edison Compan,
in West Orange as a mechanic I'M JUS
before the holidays was laid off. The,
promised Frank he would be takel
back In the neal future, but ate
awhile our money gave out. Nranl
picked up odd jobs now and then driv
ing and such things, but for the pas
few days he has been unable to &c
anything to do and so could not bu,
medicine which the babies needed"
It was evident that Freibatt had pro
vided a most comfortable nome for hi
family. Despite thoses ravages which
always mark a long period when TIL
bread winner is out of work, the apart
ment 1T 125 South Eleventh street wa
unusually attractive. AS Freibatt hat
said. the children We're i'll. and it wa
not necessary TO secure the diagnosi
of a physician to determine that.
Last night Frank Shoemaker, of IS
South Fifteenth street, was attracted
to the cellar by n grating sound re
peated at regular Intervals. He say
he surprised Friebatt e~ndeavoring Il
set into the gas meter. He seized til
man and held him until a policeman
could be summoned. Policeman Torta
riello answered the summons, and Erie
i,att was taken to the Fourth Preclnc
station house. A ,chisel and a buncl
OF skeleton keys were found in hi
Possession.
Something of the old caution whic'
he must have found necessary to exer
else asserted itself, md when he wa
asked for his name the man said |
was Frank Triper. It was not until h
broke down in court that the prlsone
gave his own name and address to tn
policemen.