The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-08-08

the last rites Of the church before he died
He was game to the last and said moth
ing which would indicate that any one
but himself was implicated in the rob-
bing of the safe and the burning Of the
building He stuck to his story that
he had gone into the office to sleep and
that a cigarette that he had been smok-
ing had set fire to the place. The de-
tectives knew better than that. for Walsh g
injuries could have come from nothing
less than an explosion
While Walsh was being carried to the
hospital a policeman had turned In an
alarm Of fire and the blaze had been ex-
tinguished before it had more than
scorched the woodwork and damaged
the books and furniture The appear
ance Of the Office was so suspicious that
the fire chief notified the police and Capt
Daniel Lee of the detective bureau. with
Capt. Richards and Detective Sergeant
Curry, at once went to work.
They found books and papers scattered
all over the room and even in the lava
tory at the rear. Most Of them were
burned until illegible. The door of the
safe stood wide open. The detectives
found spots on the wall and door which
books which had not been burned were
saturated with the same liquid George
Brnkerhoff, who IL manager for the Long
Dock Company and lives in Rutherford.
n. j.. was notified and came 60 Jersey
City on sunday night. He was osely
questioned about the employees of the
firm, but knew Of no one whom he could
suspect Brown was one Of the last men
whom he would suspect.
The detectives were sceptioal. They
thought that some one had been trying
to tamper with the books and they be-
loved that this would probably prove to
be some one in the Office who wanted them
out Of he way. They investigated the
movements Of the employees and were at
the Office early yesterday morning Brown.
who lives at 3l5 West ll3th str Get. Man
haitian, appeared as usual at about 9
O'Clock and tried TO look surprised at the
co ndtion of the Office Capt. Lee and
Sergt. Curry at once began to question
him.
Did you leave the safe open last night?"
asked Curry.
Il did," said Brown. but was not the
last man out"
Where were you last night9" queried
Lee.
Il was at Port Jervis," replied Brown.
sons had seen him in Cavanaugh's saloon
At Provost and Eighth streets. Jersey City.
Brown was arrested and taken to the
Office of Capt. Richards. where he finally
confessed. He made two statements. the
second little longer and fuller than the
first. In substance they were this:
Il hired Walsh to destroy the ledgers OF
the Long Dock Boat Company because |
had been stealing money and wanted
them out, of the way, The company was
60 over the books to-day and knew that
they would discover the thefts, although
tried to cover them up with false entries.
did not know that the place was set on
fire until came here this morning and
Id give anything in the world II could
bring that man back to life"
Here Brown seemed greatly affected,
a. though he was sorry that he had been
the cause of Walsh's death:
Il had been considering this thing, for
months. continued Brown. "and had talked
IL over with Patrick Timmins, friend
of mine and an expert accountant, who
has hepled me to doctor up the books.
l had stolen 81 500. | met Timmins in
Cavanaugh's saloon at noon on Sunday
and at half past one We left on a trolley
me that he knew man that We could get
to do the job and we were going TORE to Fred
avenue. Newark. to get him.
was the man-was not there and waited
while Timmins went out to find him.
Pretty soon Timmins came back with
Walsh and after we had had few drinks
called up the Hotel Broad for an auto
mobile to take us to Jersey City. The
machine and the three OF lis went back
to Cavanaughs. where we had some
more drinks. We got there between 3
and 0 o'clock Then the chauffeur went
away and we three went to the office.
ba M knv
the gas. Then opened the safe and took
out three check books and one cash book
] saw Timmins and Walsh burn one OF
them over the gas jet and then left for
home"
The detectives asked Brown whether
they had brought any gasolene with
them. He said that they had stopped
at Stumpf's garage in Newark, where
Timmins had gone in with the chauffeur
Brown thought tina; they, brought out
five gallons Of gasolene. He said that he
was not to pay anything to Timmins for
pulling of the job, but that the latter
had offered to do it as a friendly Office
Rshd Gh hs oaea up the Long 6osk MRRs HR
Company yesterday early in the after
noon and said that IL Manager Br!nker-
hoff would furnish an automobile and
swear out warrant for Iimmins s
before night. This Brinkerhon did and
with Capt, Richards and several detec-
tives he started out for Newark. They
had found that Timmins lived at 800
Clinton avenue with his wife and six
children. They found the accountant
at the bar of a saloon. He is not much
more than 80. with dark red hair and
mustache
Tmmns agreed after much question
ing to tell his version of the story, which
differs from that told by Brown. Tim
mns's statement was taken down in
writing and he afterward signed it. He
said:
Il met Brown yesterday in Jersey City
at II A. NJ. and we went to Newark to-
gether. | was so drunk that don't know
Just what happened but ! do remember
that we wound up at Reaches roadhouse
Brown wanted to know where Lightning
was, and when we found that no was no.
there went out and found him In a saloon
We got an automobile and all three
of us went in it to Jersey City. On the
way Brown said that he wanted some
gasolens for his motor boat and Walsh
went into a garage to get 1t for him. We
went on to Cavanaugh's and then went
to the office of the Long Dock company
! had come there In the morning to help
out Brown on his June books. for knew
from tbiDUS that he had told me that