The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-21
Prominent Politicians and Business Men May Be In volved in Great Investiga- tion Which May Unearth Organized Robbery. Cam paign.
Wright Brothers Virtually Admit Stealing Load of Wire, Say Police Arrest ed, One Boasts He "Put Redgate Where HesIs To- day."

day."
 Virtual admission ,by Joseph, IG Wright and his brother, Nathaniel, that they had stolen. a load of valuable aluminuni wire from the Union Metallic Cartridge Go. was obtained by the police today.
 Simultaneously, details of astounding losses experienced in the last few months by the munitions concern, and the ease with which great thefts teould be committed were un- folded to the authorities. Nearly $1OO,OOO worth of metal, used in the finer pro- cesses at the plant is missing. Nobody in power at the plant knows how much more is gone or for how many years the6ts have been going on. It was re- vealed today that search is be- ing made for a missing car of high speed steel.
 It was. freely admitted by po- lice Officials today that they suspect a systematized cam paign of wholesale robbery, startling in its magnitude, and boldness and it was more than intimated that a number of men, prominent in the busi- ness and political life of the community may be dragged into the affair.
 Bridgeport was stirred today by the revelation that Joseph Wright, who has long been on the inside of Republican poli- tics in this city, and who has been seen at nearly every gath ering of Republicans in recent years, boasted when he was ar rested that he put the superin- tendent of police here in office. He openly asserted his friendS ship and nearness to Mayor Wilson and John T. King and seemed to believe their protec-, ton would save him from pun ishment. !.
 The first conclusive evidence, that the concern was being robbed. came with the arrest of the Wright broth CTS yesterday. Nathaniel P. Wright was a trusth employe of the com pany and had entire charge of the stock room of the company. Goods received by the company came under his sole supervision and care and as he was the only one who kept records of the consumption of material in manufacture the police are baked in their efforts-temporarily at least
 Whether or not others besides the Wright brothers/and those who were used as fences for the disposal of the goods. are involved is also a question the police are bending every effort to learn. The brothers, however. main tain they stole only one truck load of aluminium wire, valued at about $5,000, and were the only ones con- cerned.
 According to the police. Joseph Wright last week asked T. H. Coogan, teamster, of 5S Mead street, if he had am auto-truck, which could be used to lake a cargo of goods to New Haven. The latter replied that he had not but would secure one for him.
 Coogan sent Edward Smith. of 14s Linden avenue, to Wright. who hired Smith. The truck driver was or dered to appear at the teaming gate of the plant, show a pass which Wright furnished him. and bring with him plenty of canvas to cover the load.
 Monday morning. Smith appeared at the plant. showed his pass and went to the entrance of the stock building. According tp the auto truck drivers story, Nathaniel Wright met him in the stock building and as- sisted him in loading onto the truck load of aluminium wire valued at about s5,000.
 Smith was ordered to take the load to the junk shop of Max Albert 6 Sons, 75 York street, New Haven, Jos ekh Wright, who is a salesman, hav- ing previously arranged for the sale of the wire to a New York junk dealer through Albert. Carefully covering his truck with the canvas, Smith safely made a getaway from. the yard of the plant and reached New Haven.
 For some treason the auto stood outside the New Haven junk shop for several hours before the cargo was removed. The suspicious of several officials of the police department were aroused. who inquired what compris- :. ed the load. Smith replying some
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