Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-07-29
GALL BOY, 8, GEM
THIEF AND L0OTER
OF MANY HOMES
Munching Stolen BOnbons, Thief
Who Baffled Detectives
Is Captured.
SOLD VALUABLES WORTH
THOUSANDS FOR PENNIES
"AIl | Had to Do Was Walk
In," He Tells Po-
i. Iiceman.

The mystery Of the inert OF tnoushnus
of dollars worth of heirlooms and vaiu-
able jeweIry from several fine homes In
Roseland avenue, Essex FeIls, which
the pick of the PinI<ertons had failed
to unravel, was solved In the most
prosaic manner when officer John
EysoIdt. who constitutes the police
= force of the borough, found 9-year-old
VJoin Comrah eating bonbons ON the
veranda OF w. J. LocI<wood's mansion.
Subjected, TO a severe line of ques-
tions by the policeman, the lad ad-
mitted that he is The robber who had
thrown the wealthy residents in that
section into such a panic of fear that
there was talk of forming a vigilance
committee. Single-handed and in the
most simple manner, he had stripped
the richly furnished homes and had
disposed of diamonds and other jewels
for twenty cents and twenty-five cents
each. The police are now trying to
trace some of the stolen stuff. They
say that those who bought the valu-
able jewels at the ridiculous sums are
as guilty as the boy.
RObberfes Eear Ago.
1t was about a year ago that the
first of the robberies was committed.
Walter r. Shupe awoke to find his
home ransacked and jewels which had
been in the family for years missing
Realizing that the police force Of Es-
sex Fells was unable to aid him-the
force consisting solely of Officer Ey-
soldt-he called on the Pinkertons, and
the best men Of that service were sent
to Essex Fells. After they had been
there week they admitted that they
were baffled.
\ Since that time there have been sew
eral vobberies along exclusive Rose
land avenue and the residents were
greatly alarmed. Within the past
week the robberies became more fire.
quent The home of George Coping
Warner was entered on Tuesday and
several pieces of jewelry stolen. Henry
Becker, a wealthy milk dealer in Rose
land, reported the theft of a valuable
watch from his home.
Officer Eysoldt was patrolling Rose
land avenue yesterday afternoon when
he saw on the veranda of the Lock-
wood home q barefoot boy eating
candy. He gave the>matter no atten-
when half an hour later he was told
that the Lockwood home had been
robbed. The family had dismissed the
servants preparatory to stay at the
seashore The articles reported stolen
were an iron childs bank. in which was
about s15 and a box of bonbons.
Candy Gives Clcw.
The bonbons gave the officer his
clue He recalled the diminutive,
barefoot boy eating candy on. the
Lockwood veranda, and he found him
some distance down the road. The boy
at first denied all knowledge Of the
theft, but later broke down and con-
fessed that he not only had robbed the
Lockwood home, but had robbed the
other homes in that section.
A valuable watch, he said. he sold
to a railroad brakeman. The police
have traced the watch. Other jewelry
he sold to persons for whom the police
are seeking. The boy said that he
lived with his stepfather. who is over
10 years old, and his mother. who is 30.
on the Lister farm. between Roseland
and West Orange. They sent him out
to sell blackberries. he told the police
His customers mostly are the wealthy
residents.
ut was dead easy he said. 1T
would go to the basement with my
berries Sometimes there wouldn't be-
anyone home, and all had to do was
to walk in and help myself. These
rich people have so much money and
Jewels that they are very careless. At
>other times they would be in the upper
part of the house. Whenever they
came on me suddenly / would show
them my berries, and they would never
think that was robber.'
The boy was arraigned before Re-
corder Herman Miller in Essex Felis
today and sent to the Essex county
jail pending the disposition of his case
by the Juvenile Court.