New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-21
Say Prisoner Admits Robberies
in Homes of J. p. Morgan, Jr.,
w. D. Guthrie and Other
Rich New Workers.
HIS CAPTURE A LUCKY ONE
Detectives Trailed Him Because
of Resemblance to Man Who
Broke Tombs-His Rooms
Cluttered with Valu-
able Property.

John Bernauer. a stolid faced young
German Of twenty-three, went into a
near 141st street. yesterday afternoon
and bought new hat and quantity
Of silk socks. When he came out he
was placed under arrest by Detectives
Doyle Tierney and O'Neil. Of the
Alexander avenue station.
An hour later he was in the office of
Deputy Commissioner Dougherty.
where, according TO the police he con-
fessed to having robbed the house OF
]. Pierpont Morgan, Jr., at No. 231
Madison avenue, on January 25; the
house of William D. Guthrie, No. -
Park avenue, on February .. and
number Of houses In The Bronx and
the Riverdale section Of that borough.
Bernauer. according to the police. is
the midnight burglar" for whom they
have been looking for more than year.
In the pockets OF the prisoner were
found an enamelled cigarette case and
an enameled match safe which bore
the inscription u. p. NJ, Jrr' ana
wore identified by the police as property
stolen from the Morgan home. Iha
urisoner also carried thirty-four pawn
tickets. mostly for jewelry which tn'
nolice have not yet had time 10 LOOK
nm Two revolyers, one OF which Was
loaded. belied the young mans mic
anuearance. His rooms, at NO. ~
East 13Jth street resembled an auc
tioneers just before sale. They were
Uttered with watches stickpins, medals.
foreign coins. chronometers ana as
sorted knlckknacks. Nine OF these
r,oces were Identified by the police az
having come from the house or MI
Morgan.
Germans Capture Lucky.
The capture Of Bernauer Was iucHy
one. The three detectives VINO mane
the arrest admitted that their sus-
nicions wero turned toward him by
reason of his resemblance 70 Ray
mond Forsbrey the prisoner VINO
ESCAPED from the Tombs recently. Tney
watched him for three days and founo
that although he had no job and was
looking for none. he appeared prosper
ous and spent money freely.
The usual police formula OF "watcn
for the woman" did not seem 10 leao
anywhere in BernaueTs case, so the
motto Of "cherchez the haberdasher
was adopted as an alternative, ana the
time thus spent was vigilance reward
ad for the young German could not
resist the lure of a rakish black ana
v,bite contraption which was marked
..all the rage" and sold at 81 0. Fol
lowing the splurge in haberdashery the
datectives decided 10 arrest their man
on suspicion. or speculation as
Dougherty phrased IL.
They went 10 his room and were AT
once convinced that they had the man
who was responsible for the Morgan
robbery ana a number Of others. TAX
ing him to Police Headquarters, they
tuned him over to Commissioner
Doueherty. who questioned him closely.
The Commissioner said that in the face
of the strong case against MIN tne
prisoner confessed readily.
D5ugherty was particularly inter
ested in the Morgan robbery. On ac-
count of the fact that no fewer than
forty servants slept in the house. no
considered the work done by the burg
lar in that instance of a particularly
daring and skilful nature. 1t was,
however. no trick at all, according To
Bernauers story as told by Dougherty.
Found Back Door Open.
The burglar made his way along the
fences to the back yard Of the Morgan
house and found the back door not
even locked The only finesse required
was the removal of his shoes. Tread
ing lightly in his stocking feet, he
made q tour Of the entire house, using
a small electric hashlght TO guide his
steps. In his tour he passed within
two feet of the bed where Mr.. Morgan
slept but he was too thoughtful 10
arouse the financer.
He entered the house about I o'clock
and took the best part Of an hour 10
the job. Many valuable
pieces he left with regret. but he vas
determined TO travel lightly.
The most valuable bit Of Morgan
property recovered was small blue
snameled Cartier watch. The time-
piece. which is not much thicker than
, half dollar. is a marvel of the Jew
Hers art, and is valued AT about 5000.
There were also two gold watches,
hree silver stop watches and a gold
lenknife. Two hundred dollars in cash
vas taken from the Morgan house. and
,bout $500 IN foreign gold COINS and