Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-03-23
POLICE BOARD
ACTS TO STOP
BURGLARIES
Orders That Captains Make
Nightly Tours of Inspection
Throughout City.
ALSO INSISTS ON CLOSER
VIGILANCE BY PATROLMEN
Thieves Continue Their Work
Meanwhile, Operating in
RoseviIIe Section.

Awakened to the necessity of
checking the epidemic of burglary
which exists in this city, the Police
Board at its meeting yesterday took
action which is designed to check the
depredations of the thieves. The
course was. to order the captains Of
the various precincts to make tours
of inspection throughout their baili-
wicks every night and to keep a strict
supervision over the policemen under
their charge doing night duty.
So far, though, the burglars ap-
parently are in no terror of the new
order. About the time that the
Police Board was in session thieves
were committing other depredations
in the city. Two robberies were COM
mitted yesterday afternoon, and In
one case, that of the robbery of the
residence of Charles Smith, Is Jay
street, the intruders were so much
at ease in their work that they held
q "banquet" in the house, enjoying
substantial meal.
These latest breaks are added to
the list of burglaries and hold-ups
which during the past four months
have exceeded anything of q like
nature during a similar period in the
history of the city, a fact which has
been pointed out in the Evening Star.
The captains were instructed by the
board also to take whatever steps
they thought proper to safeguard the
householders and to keep their men
on the alert for the capture of burg
lars. This action, the commissioners
admitted, was an official recognition
kl.AA -
been unusual.
The board members, however, up
hold Chief of Police Long In his ex-
PLANTATION of the epidemic and ascribe
1t to the hard times.
1.-THE board has recognized that the
number of robberies has increased"
Commissioner John II. Donnelly said
after the meeting yesterday. "Times
are hard, many people are out work
and some of them are driven to steal
ing for a livelihood" Commissioner
Donnelly said that the board menu
bers agree with Chief Long that the
; l7-'i--A have done whatever was in
iesiIolI power III preventing or investi-
eating the robberies, and that the
standard of police protection in the
city Is very high. The police board
had no fault to find with the de-
partment in its work, he said.
Banquet as Well as Rob.
The robbery and banquet which
took place at the home of Charles
Smith, at 16 Jay street, during the
absence of the family yesterday. re-
suited in the theft of $50 pieces of
silver and jewelry valued at almost
1000, as well as $S in money, a ham,
bread, butter and relishes, a quart of
milk, bottle of cream and two pots
full of coffee.
Inquiry in the neighborhood today
disclosed how the halls of houses, in
Guiding that where the Smiths live,
have been entered during the night
recently. John Callan, who lives at
Is Jay street, found q man appar-
emily asleep in the hall at 6 o'clock
In the morning about two weeks ago
as he was about to leave for work.
The man said that he had no home,
and few hours earlier, finding
himself unable to stand the cold,
rang one of the bells at the front
door, and when the catch was lifted
entered the hallway and went to
sleep. He looked the part, so Mr..
Callan thought, and was permitted
| to go with a warning not to try it
again.
Another occupant of the house said
thaL the Dell 10 ner naI naq rung
that night, and she, thinking it was
| the miibnlan, had pressed the button,
releasing the catch to the door to let
him IN. Incidentally. she locked at
the clock and saw that it was only
| 1:45, but thought no more of the
matter. While similar experiences
had been heard of in the neighbor-
hood, the details were not available
| today.
Yesterdays burglary was accom-
plished between the hours of 10 in
the forenoon and in the afternoon.
Mrs. Smith left home certain that all
entrances were securely locked, but
when she returned in the afternoon
found q rear window looking out on
| the back porch half open.
The dining room table was covered
with scraps from the feast, and there
were many evidences that the bur-
glars had been very thorough in their
work The sterling silver tops of two
Continued on Page 2, Column ~