New-York tribune., 1918-10-21
Gaffney Is Beaten Up
In Attempt TO Escape
Convicted Murderer, Re-
captured Through Girl
and Own Boastfulness,
Mysteriously Obtains a
Loaded Revolver in the
North Bergen Police Sta
ton After BeingS Searched
by New York Detectives

Johnny Rooney. former prize fighter
was polishing glasses behind the bar
in Clarke's cafe in Jersey City about
three weeks ago when a group of
fashly dressed youths who we're shoot
ing craps at one end of the room began
to quarrel. Abruptly one of them
pulled out a revolver, fired shot
through the mirror back of the bar and
announced that he was the toughest
person in the state.
"You amt half as tough as me, bo,"
declared the bartender, reaching for
bunG starter.
"Say, listen, I'm Vincent Gaffney,"
boasted the youth with the revolver,
and then after making all present
of the saloon, turning at the door to
promise death to any one who
"snitched"
Inside of five minutes the bartender
had telephoned to his friend, Patrick
Dolan, lieutenant Of the Hudson
County motorcycle police.
Police Are Notified
Dolan in turn informed Mayor Frank
Hague of Jersey City and the Mayor
telephoned to Inspector Cray. of the
New York detective force. Since then
seventeen Manhattan detectives have
been living in the Jersey towns along
the Hudson River working for the re-
ward promised by Commissioner En-
right to the man who captured GaHney
promotion to a first grade detective
sergeant at double an ordinary de-
tective's salary.
Two weeks ago the Manhattan de-
tectives enlisted the aid of Lieutenant
of Detectives George Cash, of North
Bergen. They told him Gaffney was an
habitual crap shooter. Cash said there
were only three games in North Ber-
gen.
With the aid of stool pigeon Cash
learned that Gaffney was frequenting
a road house conducted by Brozzo &
Puckerine, known as "Puck's Place"
The New York detectives we're mott
fed and Saturday night seven of them
party were Clarence DAILY, James Fitz-
patrick, George McGann. Louis Barrett,
Thomas Donahue, William Whalen and
George P. Gilbert.
McGann was the first to enter the
road house after peek through a
window had convinced the detective
their man was in the place. 1t would
have been hard to miss him. He wore
a brown suit, green velour hat, cham
pagne socks, lavener striped silk
shirt and he was dancing with blonde
girl, Katherine Coyle, said to be his
sweetheart, and one of those indicted
Tombs last June while he was awaiting
removal to the penitenuary to serve
a twcnty-year sentence for homicide.
The police have been following
"kitty' ever since, and many merry
chase she has given them-but it never
led to Gatfney.
McGann shouldered his way through
dancing couples and the jazz band
stopped with a sudden bleat as the de-
tective wrapped his arms around Gatf-
ney and the others closed with drawn
pistols.
Fear Attempt at Rescue
Fearing an attempt to rescue their
prisoner the New York men rushed
Gaffney, his sweetheart and girl COM
panion out of the dance hall. AS they
left the place two uniformed North
Bergen policemen rushed up with clubs
ready for action and started to break
up what they thought was a regular
Saturday night shindy.
Dolan, Of the county force, shouted
the identity of the men struggling with
Gaffney and the North Bergen police
men guided the New York detectives to
the North Bergen police station.
Gatfney was searched there, accord
ing to all the detectives, and after
being handcuffed was locked in a
E basement cell. Two detectivcs-Fitz-
patrick and Barrett--remained on
guard in front of his cell all night.
The two girls-Kitty Coyle and Mary
McCauley-also were searched by the
in
to that occupied by Gaffney.
When the detectives started to
leave with Gaffney for New York yes
tcrday they searched him again. This
time they said they found a revolver,
stuck inside the band Of his trousers.
1t was loaded and there were five ex-