Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-29
BOYS FOOTPRINTS
IN SNOW LEAD TO
ROBBERY CHARGES
Nephew of Former Police Chief
and Companion Confess, East
Orange Authorities Claim.

Acknowledging the police say, that
they robbed the homes of a number
Of residents in the eastern section of
East Orange, two sixteen-year-old
boys OF that city are lodged In cells
at police headquarters awaiting ex-
animation Thursday morning. One OF
tho pair, Kenneth Shannon, Is son
- eserveman Robert Shannon, OF
the East Orange force, and nephew
of former Chief of Police James Bell.
His companion is Brinsley Donovan,
of II Sterling street, East Orange.
He is still In knee trousers.
Put through a third degree" yes
terday afternoon by Chief Of Police
William H. O'Neill, Donovan is de-
clared to have admitted having looted
several residences last week. He inn
plicated Shannon and Harold Wal
lace, twenty-four years old, Of
Eleventh street and Fourteenth ave
nue., Newark, who Is known to the
East Orange authorities as Punk"
The latter was taken into custody In
this city late last night and turned
over to the East Orange police today.
The young boys say they gave their
jewelry and other goods In this city.
Wallace. after being grilled by detec-
tives OF this city, said he sold much
OF the stolen property to George r.
Rudolf, of 207 Market street, and q
warrant for the latter's arrest has
been issued by the East Orange
police.
Chief O'Neill. aided by Acting De-
tective Nelson Gamble, was enabled
to fasten the robberies on Donovan,
he states, by footprints In the snow
outside the home of Daniel c, Whit
man. a tax assessor of East Orange,
whose home the youth is said to have
admitted looting Christmas day.
Processing ignorance of the robber-
les, young Donovan steadfastly pro-
tested his innocence for over an hour.
He finally weakened, and, according
to the officers, made a clean breast OF
the thefts he figured in. He said some
of the jewelry could be found at the
home of young Shannon, and Detec-
tive Gamble was sent there. Assisted
by the youths. father, Reservefnan
Shannon, Gamble put young Shannon
through a third degree" but he
stoutly maintained Innocence. He
was brought before Chief O'Neill and
In the presence OF his father broke
down and admitted his part in the
robberies.
The youths, Chief o'Neill says,
confessed that they entered the
homes of Louis Hedden, In Maple
avenue north; that of I. c. Burg
dorff, of 73 Hollywood avenue, and
Mr.. whitman's residence. They said
Wallace aided them in obtaining en-
trance to the Hedden residence. They
did not secure any booty there be-
a. Fo,x 1.Fs., tttn In
vaults. The house is unoccupied.
Donovan said he entered the Whit
man home alone, but that he was
aided in footing the BurgdorR resi-
dence by Shannon.
Wallace last summer was arrested
In East Orange charged with robbing
Alfred Pineo Suarez, nephew OF
Francisco Madero, the slain Mexican
president, who was stopping with
relatives in the city at the time.
Queried about what they did with
the booty they obtained, young DON
ovan and Shannon said they took II
to the latter's home, where Wallace
tested the jewelry. Practically all
OF the stolen property has been re-
covered. A $50 diamond ring, which
was secured by the youths at the
Burgdorff home, was found In the
possession of Rudolf, the police say.
Chief O'Neill said today 1t was 9
painful duty for him to have to ar
rest the youths. Much sympathy was
expressed for young Shannon. The
boys parents have had much domes-
tic trouble, and his father is now
seeking a divorce from his wife. Re-
serveman Shannon was dumfounded
when no learned his son faced
charges of burglary.
The boys We're arraigned before Re-
corder Mott and remanded for a
hearing on Thursday.