New-York tribune., 1912-12-30
Police Say They Have Gang
That Has Blown Many
Bronx Safes in Last
Two Months.
CONFESS, SAYS D0UGHERTY
Deputy Commissioner Asserts
Prisoners Have Admitted Their
Guilt, and Shows Very
Latest Safe Drill Taken
from One of Band.

from One OF bdnu.
With the arrest Of six men and tWo
women yesterday, the police believe
they have at last tracked down the
gang that has been creating a reign OF
terror in The Bronx by blowing safes
with dynamite. With these prisoners
behind the bGrs. it is the belief OF
DEPUTY Commissioner Dougherty that
the daring operations of the last two
months will come to an abrupt halt.
The Deputy Commissioner late last
night, after being closeted with the
prisoners a long time at Police Head
quarters. gave out a statement to the
reporters. in which he said the prison
ers had confessed their part in the nu-
merous Jobs" that have been turned
off in The Bronx recently.
Although much of what he gave out
had been known to the newspaper men
before, Dougherty was so enthusiastic
over the work Of his detectives that he
gave out the details at great length,
even giving a demonstration on his Of
flee safe of how the safe-crackers did
their work.
Taking a drill found on one of the
prisoners, Dougherty showed just how
Il was handled by the yeggmen. He
said il was known as a cog-rachet drill
and can be taken apart in six pieces.
With this tool, the latest in the
burglars trade. a safe could be drilled
in ten minutes, said the Deputy Com
missioner.
To back up his statement Dougherty
placed the point of the drill between
the two knobs of the double doors OF
the safe. placed the other end OF the In
strument against his chest. and turned
the handle of the larger of the wheels.
In less than ten minutes he had drilled
a neat hole in the steel door.
Best System Yet Devised.
Now" he said, "all these fellows
have to do is to place Illuminating
cap in this hole, attach fuse and con-
meet with an electric light socket in the
room they are burglarizlng. AS soon
as the Juice is turned on the explosion
will break the bolt of the safe and the
thing is open.
Its absolutely the best system of
safe-cracking that has ever been de-
vised, believe. and 1t is the simplest,
The point where they drill the hole is
invariably where the bolt of the safe
is"
The arrests made yesterday, in addi-
tion to putting out of business a dan
gerous gang, also resulted in the shat
terfng OF a romance Meta Briggs,
nineteen years old and Of extremely at
tractive appearance, was 10 have been
married to-day 10 Harry Albrecht, an
other OF the prisoners. The police do
not believe she is guilty OF completely
in the alleged operations Of the gang
but are holding her as a material wit
ness. She wept bitterly in the Alexander
avenue station house when arraigned
before the desk and kept repeating that
she did not know of her prospective
husbands alleged misdeeds, but thought
he was a butcher.
Capozzi, according TO Dougherty. il
employed as a rock driller, and had Sc
cretly removed the dynamite used IL
the safe crackers operations from tn
place where he was employed.
Still later in the night the police ar
In " nj (
Cornelisun. twenty years old, ma
chinist, OF No. 429 East 147th street
The Bronx He was arrested at l4'u
street and Willis avenue, while shoot
ing crap, while detectives were lookini
for him. He was rushed to Headquar
ters, and a confession was Wrung IRON
him, according to Dougherty.
Cornelison is said by the police Z
have been the outside man OF tn,
gang He posed as neWsboy' accord
ing 10 the Deputy Commissioner, ant
would warn his confederates at the ap
proach OF danger Several OF the pris
oners have criminal records, according
TO the police.
The first step in the successful effor
TO end the long string Of safe rob
berries. which are said 10 have netteC
the burglars 100000 was made early
Saturday morning, when one Of the
gang was captured. Combining skilfu
detective work with valuable tips h'
gave his captors, detectives from the
Bronx Detective Bureau rounded VI
the rest Of the 'yeggs." The sever
prisoners were arraigned yesterday
morning I'm the Morrisania court before
Magistrate Krotel and were remandet
10 the Tombs without bail for furthel
examination tomorrow afternoon.
Ross Called Chief Plotter.
The prisoners are Harry Ross. eigh
teen years old, an electrician, livint
at No. 1889 Bryant avenue. who. ac
cording to the police, was the brains
OF the gang; '"Tony" Cagginio, twenty
four years old. a driver. living at Eltoi
avenue and both street; Louis Cap
pozi, eighteen years old. Of No. "a
East 15Sth street, who gave his occu
patton as a rock driler; Harry AL
brecht, nineteen years old, butcher a
No 1864 Hall Place; Pasquale F'ru
schino, twenty years old, part owner O
a cafe at No. $40 East 10th street
and George Gillar, twenty-five year
old. a stationary fireman. of No. Ill
Intervale avenue. The other woma
captured besides Meta Briggs wa
Ioeenhioo epaIi1 nineteen wears old q