The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-15
Rich, Coal
Dealer and Prominent
North End Resident,
Accused of Buying
Copper and Brass In
gots Stolen from Cars.
Six Others Caught By
Police After Escape
During Which Baffled
Policeman Fired Bull
lets at Fugitives Re-
cover Fortune in Metal

Charged with being impli-
Gated in the theft of a fortune
in brass and copper ingots,
which have been carried away
from Housatonic avenue sid
ings in wagons during the last
two months, Abraham Rich, a
large real estate owner and coal
dealer, was arrested by Detect
ives Dooley and Washburn this
morning. He was the seventh
person to be taken into GUS
tody in connection with the
robberies.
Following a search of Rich's
home, IS Frank street, this
morning, the detectives found
more than two tons Of brass
and copper in one bedroom. 1t
had been placed under the bed
and stored in closets of the
room, it's great weight causing
the floor of the chamber to sag.
The events which led to the
solutiop Of the robberies which
have baffled thespolice and rail
road officials and ended in a
rdnning gun play Sunday
morning and the arrest of some
Of the men by Sergt. John Bar
ton and Policeman Thomas
Carney aroused the entire
North End section of the city,
where all concerned live.
A-\citizen whose name the police
have withheld telephoned at o'clock
Sunday morning that gang Of men
had backed q wagon up to. a freight
car, at the Housatonic avenue sidings,
broken open the doors and were un-
loading the brass and copper ingots.
He stated that this was their second
trip and that they had visited the
scene some hours. earlier in the driv-
ing rain and hail and carted away one
load of metal, returning for another.
The metal was consigned to the
Bridgeport Brass CO., but under rul-
ing Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission was in care of the New Ha-
ven road and, belonged to it until
placed in the factory of the brass
company. Policeman Carney went to
the scene, and made out in the dark
ness a wagon leaving the yards with
fve or six men on the seat.
Accompanied by his informant, he
chased the vehicle, which was loaded
with stolen metal, to Lindley street
and North avenue, where he called
upon the men to halt the horse. In
stead of obeying his summons they
whipped up the horse and tried to
shake off their pursuers. The police
man drew his gun and fired three
shots at the fugitives.
Scared by the revolver discharge,
the thieves jumped from the wagon
while it was going at fast rate OF
speed and fled in different directions,
esca ping the policeman. Sergt. John
Barton then met Carney and after
looking over the horse and wagon re-
cognized it as the property Of the
father of Dominic Triprodella, of 232
North Washington avenue, who. it ap-
pears had broken open his fathers
barn Saturday night.
Barton and Carney, reinforced by
Policeman McNamara, went to a pool
room entering through an open back
a foot deep in the basement and
climbed the stairs into the pool par
lor. There they found Peter Phillipo,
Of 103 Commercial street, asleep un-
der pool table. He was arrested.
A visit to Triprode1la's home dis
closed the fact that the horse and
wagon had been stolen by him and
that his father two weeks ago had
elected his son from the. house.
On information obtained from Trip
arodella the home of Joseph Muscaldi
was next entered, at 37SS Main street
They found Dominick Costello of 1853
North Washington avenue. Frank Fu-
cello of 103 Commercial street, Ed
ward Jones Of 603 Housatonic avenue,
all asleep in one bed. They were ar
rested, charged with theft and Mus
caldi was also taken along. although
the police are inclined to believe he
knows nothing OF the robberies.
Cross examined by Sergt. Barton
yesterday some Of the men admitted
their completely in the robbery and In
other thefts and involved Rich, who,
they stated, had bought goods stolen
by them and told them to get more.
Some OF them admitted they had been
looting freight cars for two months
and admitted they had stolen metal
consigned to George 8. Yonngs. who
lost brass valued at $4,000 recently.
They admitted having taken one
load about midnight Saturday night
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