Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-23
ARREST Of TWO
MAY SOLVE AUTO
ROBBER|ES HERE
Police Believe Men Caught ID
New York Are Leaders of
Gang.
HOPE TO DISCOVER CLUE
TO P0LICEMAN'S SLAYER.
Local Authorities Connect Mems
bers of Gang With Gaff-
ney's Death.


Lieutenants from local police head
quarters went to New York today 70
take part in the roundup of a gang
Of automobile thieves whose opera
tions in this vicinity during the last
five years are said TO have been re-
sponsible for the disappearance OF
.S1,500,000 worth of cars. Two pris-
oners captured in New York are
thought to be the leaders of the band
The gang is believed to have figured
in several spectacular thefts in this
city and the suburbs
1t is even thought by the police
that Patrolman John Gaffney, who
was slain in gun fight in Lafayetts
street in 1912, was the victim OF two
of the gangs gunmen
Escaped in Accidents.
Heretofore only unimportant aides
to the real auto thieves have been
caught The members of the gang
who have been the brains of its op-
erations have been remarkably lucky
in escaping detection or being injured
in their desperate undertakings. One
of the cars supposed to have been
stolen by the gang ran off Passaic
avenue, Nutley, at sixty miles an
hour. went clean through a huge ad-
vertising fence. turned turtle. blew
up and burned to cinde-. This
thieves who were in it not only es-
capped uninjured, but got away with
out being caught
Newark has been pretty fortunate
in regard to auto thefts." said Chief
of Police Long. Most of the cars
rfa 4..1I
for, but we have sent men over, just
the same"
Clue from Baltimore Theft.
Fifteen detectives. disguised as me-
chanics. started out in three automo-
biles. in New York. early today. ex-
pecting to round UP the members Of
the band of automobile thieves. The
gang is suspected of stealing ma
chimes valued at 100000 in New York
alone. a.
Two prisoners were taken. Then
; described themselves as John WA
! Sherwood. an adjuster for D Philadei-
phia insurance company with Offices
here and Charles Rudy a chauffeur
/, Both were held On charges of srand
larceny.
A stolen automobile recovered by
|, the police of Baltimore gave the New
! York police clues upon which they
, have been working in the hope of
! checking interstate traffic IN Stolen
, cars. Inspector Faurot, acting under
. order from Police Commissioner Nc
.. Kay and Deputy Commissioner
Dougherty. has detectives from half
dozen precincts and fifteen snen
. from headquarters working with him,
The utmost secrecy was maintained.
: "Bis swede" Sought.
The New York police were aroused
I " <<,
covery in Baltimore yesterday OF
5000 car stolen from the street in
: front of the Packard Motor Company
December g. In trailing this car the
z detectives also have traiied man
{ known as THE Big Swede.'' who Is
], suspected of stealing 1t and is be-
n lieved to have been tipped through
some underground source that he was
n under suspicion. A few hours before
:, the New York detectives arrived in
= Baltimore. Wednesday night. the
2 Big Sweder disappeared. During the
i past three months the man is said 70
have been the head OF an organized
: gang of automobile thieves In that
time more than thirty cars have been
stolen from New York alone.
The car which was recovered in
Baltimore had all its numbers re-
moved. except the one on the gaso-
line tank. which the thieves had ove--
4 looked 1t was through this number
4 that the detectives got their first
clue and which led 10 the final identi-
j fication of the car.
The car recovered yesterday was a
model which had not been put on
the market. Arriving in Baltimore,
S the thief drove it to the garage Of
= Beehler & Ogden and left it to be
n washed. He said it belonged TO
Thomas Jones. who was stopping at
the Hotel Belvidere. Inquiry at the
9 hotel showed that no man by that
. name was there.
Believe Leaders Caught.
: Two men who are known by the
= detectives who trailed the car TO have
e been interested in il while II was in
N Baltimore, quit Baltimore yesterday
y afternoon and headed for New York
= The two men were taken by Detec-
= tives Hughes and Hymans to the New
3 York headquarters from a garage in
q the northern part of the Bronx. At
. the same time Detective Finan. with
's man who was admitted TO be pris-
a oner entered Faurot's Office.
E. B. Hopwood, of 55 John street
an insurance adjuster for twenty
g companies. has had general charge
a of the roundup of thieves. He was
Y in Baltimore yesterday. but returned
n yesterday afternoon and was in con.
e ference with Commissioners Dougherty
: last night.
: When Sherwood and Rudy had been
u locked up, Inspector Faurot said:
n I'VE have begun the roundup of an
! organized gang of auto thieves which
n for months past, have carried on
= their operations in and around this
e city. We have found that these
d thieves are the most cunning and
: dangerous of their kind They are
y armed, know how TO handle cars Of
Il all makes and will shoot to kill IL
/ trapped in a tight hole.
"These two. Sherwood and Rudy.
are the leaders of the gang and the
ones l wanted to get most Of all
They furnished the brains, and while
n one attended to the repainting. re-
numbering and Disgusting the stolen
e cars the other negotiated with pos
It sIble purchasers. or. failing to sell
J. the machine. negotiated with the
= original owner who was told that
= upon payment of a sum of money.
d generally about $500 to $500, his car
Ie would be returned to him. expect
c to make a number of arrests. and be
o fore the week is over will have the
= whole gang behind bars"