The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-09
schwitofsky's own story.

He will be 81 years old on July 4.
He Is short and dark and has large dark
eyes. He spoke slowly at first but gained
assurance as he went on, and at the last
raised his voice 10 tragic pl.ch as he
told OF the last moments OF his trial
when he pleaded for chance TO tell
his story.
He came 20 this country from Austria
with his parents, but returned there In
1900, when his grandfather left him
$25,400. year later he came here alone
and on the advice OF David Rothschild OF
the Federal Bank invested all but a few
hundred dollars in mining property,
where he, being an electrical engineer
expected TO have charge of the electrical
equipment and management. His sister
had also invested. but he got her out
before the wreck OF his own fortune.
With the few hundreds of dollars he
had left he opened a cigar store In Second
avenue and before long began to play the
races. He got In debt to his friends AMI
two Of them, knowing that he was an
electrician, proposed that he take Job n
the home Of William Harrison at Glen
dale, Pa, their scheme being that he
should steal Jewelry there and repay them
what he owed. He consented, he said,
with the hope that he would be able 10
make good on the Job and repay without
robbery. He did not tell his wife OF the
plan,
He worked IN Glendale three weeks.
was taken i'll. and at the end of aother
week, on Thanksgiving Day. 1903, was
told that his services were no Longer
needed and that he must pay his Doctors
bills. His two friends had visited the
house several times as repalrers and that
night he stole $4,000 worth OF jewelry
met them In Germantown and came on TO
New York with the loot lie put II In
Second avenue place and went home to his
wife
When he told her what he had done she
tainted In her hysteria she told him h.
erist take the jewels back. They got
them and went to the home of friend
whose house Schwitofsky had furnish I'd
when he had money. This friend said he
would arrange for the return OF the Jewels
through A lawyer He and Schwitofsky
went TO Glendale but when the friend
learned that Mr. Harrison had offered a
reward or $500 for the capture of the thief
he surrendered SchWitofsky 20 the polio 4.
and collected the reward. SchwitofskY
was sent 10 the penitentsry for five years.
His wife died in childbirth while he was
In prison and his boy was sent to the
home OF relatives.
SchNltofsky was released from prison
four years later and taking his boy with
HIM got job in Gloversville, y. Y, as an
electrician When work got slack there
he had put s2Sl In the bank and with $50
w MS pochet came 10 New YORK. lie was
arrested mere as Yagrant, but was re-
leased, Then he started restaurant In
Allen street, He made money there.
one day he went out to collect a bill
from an actor and when within a block
OF the house OF his customer was arrested
by Detectives Knsler and Dugan and
cnAssed with unlawful entry. He was
discharged and then rearrested by the
same two detectives. lie was released
when the actor testified that Schwitofsk,
mad come to his house to collect a bill.
When he was finally released his part,
ner had sold the restaurant. Schwitofsk,
went to ll7th street and started a delica
lessen store His boy continued TO live In
,'eIancey street Schwitofsky noticed thai
a man came frequently TO the store anc
ne put him down It's a stool pigeon. One