Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-09-06
TAKE NO RISKS
IN OLD BRIDGE
Murder and Arson Wave that
Is Sweeping Community
Alarms Insurance Co.'S.
MAY CANCEL POLICIES
One Company Has Taken
Action Prohibiting Writing
of Further Business.
Special to the EVENING NEWS.

Old Bridge, Sept. 6:-Baffled In
every attempt to capture the murder
and arson fend who, unmolested,
has spread terror in this community
for years, the inhabitants of the
village were given a shock today
when it was reported that several
big insurance companies have can
celled all policies on Old Bridge
property. Within month there
have been three incendiary fires,
two of them obviously set to accom-
plish murder as we'll as to destroy
property.
1t was stated at the home Of one
of the insurance agents who has
written many policies here, today,
that only one of his companies had
taken action in connection with Old
Bridge property. That company had
instructed its agent not to write any
new business here, but to let the
present policies stand.
The cloud of crime which darkens
every home in Old Bridge was observ-
ed first six years ago, when Mrs. Jane
Wright an octogenarian, partly blind,
who lived alone, was murdered in her
home, opposite the Baptist church.
Mrs. Wright was known to have
money concealed In rear stairway.
She knew all her visitors by the
sound of their voice ard could not be
induced to permit a stranger to enter
her abode.
Several persons were under sus-
picion, but no arrests we've made.
Coproa Tr,N Gov, Of ba
keeper of the Rooster inn. on the Old
BridgeMatawan road, two miles from
town, had announced publicly his de-
termination to put the assassin in
prison. He had been a personal friend
of Mrs. Wright. One day when work
ing in the bar of the inn a man enter
ed. What followed must be coniec-
tured.
Neighbors heard the sounds of sew
eral shots and when they reached the
inn the young man, who was known
as Buck" was found shot through
the breast and died later, Near by lay
the body of his fatherl 1t was the
theory Of the police that Mr.. White
man had gone to the assistance of his
son and that the assassin, finding him
self recognized. killed the old man.
The murderer never was brought to
justice.
Several weeks after this double
crime a laborer, who is presumed to
have some knowledge Of the assassin,
was found murdered in a roadway near
the inn.E
Murder was succeeded by arson for
a time, but In December, 1909, Thomas
Collins, a well known citizen of the vii
lage, was held up by a masked robber.
and after being shot twice and struck
with an iron bar was robbed of 500
and other valuables. The police found
a silk mask near the scene OF the
crime. Suspicion was directed toward
a man who later left the village and
has not been seen within its precincts
since.
Tie fre last Thursday morning, it
was said at Old Bridge, clearly was
started>to hush up" Mrs. Beebe, who
had expressed her suspicious as to the
identity of the incendiary. Mrs. Bee
be, who keeps q candy store in Main
street, lost all she possessed in the
fire.
Mr.. Boream, the public prosecutor
said that he was not prepared to dis
cuss the Old Bridge arson cases, as
they had not been brought to his at
tention officially, but that steps would
be taken to protect residents of the
village.