Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-19

In the rough and ready language used
by the police. police court attorneys. mis-
sion workers and those who associate
with the men and women who are rather
undesirable citizens. John 5. Edwards,
who was held without bail by Magistrate
Tracy at the Eleventh and Winter streets
poliCe station today, has had another fall
The underworld considers a fall as
son1ethng that business mon would style
failure.
Edwards today admitted that Edwards
was only an assumed name. but that he
bad used 1t for the better part of his
life,
His real name. he stated was j. f. V.
szatek and he said that for the most of
the time since his release from the East
ern Pententary he lived at 1913 North
Twelfth street
At the close OF the hearing Lieutenant
Smiley read letter from George n, Por-
tor. Director Of Public Safety, commend
iny Winnie and Kent, policemen, for
--rl2!u-silG the arrest Of Edwards
J" Edwards was caught attempting 10
"-orcak into a saloon.
e, Edwards is an inventor He has made
moro money with the Jimmy and the
'oracA and bit, but then, although John
wiiVed on the earnings Of his burglaries
= and safe robbinE Jobs, never boasted of
ccthem but preferred TO talk about his in
Mentions.
,r Edwards was released several months
b,ago from the Eastern Penitentiary after
= serving . sentence for burglary.
He was never a model prisoner. but not
= outstanding he won the friendship OF
. Robert j.. Mckenty, warden OF the prison
In 1905 while serving term in the
Eastern Penitentiary for robbery, Ed
wards. with Charles Berger, scaled the
walls. In the jump from a N-foot gate
way. Edwards received a broken leg.
Guards who had seen the escape came
upon him while they were searching the
flower beds outside the prison wall by
forcing the foliage hack with the barrels
OF shotEuns.
Edwards smiled when q guard pushed
gun against his chest and said 'Tn
It. hut YOU haven't got my pardner"
Berger was captured in Chester when,
famished, he went 10 the home of a rela-
tive to beg food.
Since his last release from prison Ed
wards is said to nave had a love affair
and also to have cherished a hatred to
saIoonkeepers.
As far as the police know he has robbcd
none but saloonkeepers He SAYS lie was
educated in saloons and he Is turning
his education to use against the keepers
OF har rooms,
young woman who lived In the gi10
block on North Tenth street is also said
To have interested Edwards He conf
dentiHlly told friends that he expected 10
marry the young woman, She has left the
homo OF her mother since Edwards ar
rest, and the mother says that there was
but little between Edwards and her
daughter.
Edwards left prison last winter and
went 10 the young Wpmans home 10
board, He spent nearly every night ont, |
but always explained hts absence in some
plausible manner. The police say that
every night ne was away from his room
~ was using his Jimmy and cold ch.sel
forcing open windows, cash drawers and |
small safes.
he rGH 10. - +.
the marriage with his landladys daugh-
ter N rs also said
He did not tell the girl that he vas a
"iail bird To her he was mechanic /
and a mighty good one, for he always
had money, speE- with "a smile. and
knew where TO get more money when a
night was expensive
Then came the fall The Detective Ru-
reau, when Edwards was released, de-
tailed man IN kesp an eve uu MIN The
man was able 10 tell how much Edwards
supper bill was what ho spent for other
thuEs. and all the other minor detail, I
of life. but could not toll how Edwards
kept his pOckcthook flled and that vas
the main thing for Bob Cameron chief
Of the Bureau,
Edwards shook off his detective shadow
one night last week, drew his jimmy and
started 10 work on the front door Of VIII
kinson's saloon Smith and Filbcrt streets.
Edwards was keeping his eyes open for
smooth and plausible Central station de-
tectives. one, whom he called harness
bull" swinging a club, slipped up behind
John and placed against his head the bar
rel Of a revolver.
Wen, guess you got me" said Ed
wards a. he handed over his Jimmy"
Thanks for the bouquet" replied the
cop, who Is Kent, Of the Eleventh and
Winter streets police station
Edwards while in the Eastern PenItrr-
tiary took an interest I'm the flower gar
dens and the machine shop He was busy
evsrv minute OF his waking hours He
invented doorknoh which he said was
burglar proof, because when It was
fastened and set he could not turn m
If Edwards could not work the knob the
police are of the opinion that no one
else could.
Edwards made a new kind Of a cane
seat for chairs and hltched mp a motor
which he said was as near perpetual
motion as any engine would come The
motor w~s run by spOols. When one
spool. cast into water would sink a
second spool would bob to the surface
ana sink the FIRST 81