New-York tribune., 1918-02-26
Silk Makers Form
Bureau toCheck
Burglaries Here
Thefts Since the Beginning
of Present Year Amount
TO $15O,0OO

In an effort to check the burglarcs
and thcfts, which have amounted to
more than $15O,OOO since the first Of
the year, the Silk Association Of
America, made up Of leading silk man
ufacturers and dealers, have formed
stolen goods, engage private detectives
and furnish counsel to victimize MEM
bers for the prosecution Of burglars
and thieves.
Most of the losses since January 1
have been suffered by New York
houses which handle only the finished
product. Steel doors, specially con-
structcd shutters and burglar alarms
have proved unavaiiing against the
burglars, and the system of employing
special watchmen has been abandoned
as useless. Considerable material has
been stolen from trucks or railroads
while in transit from the mills or
dyers to the salesrooms.
Burglary insurance underwriters, un
able to fix rate which would make
cease writing insurance on silk risks,
except in cases where unusual precau
tions against burglary have been in
stalled. The underwriters are refus-
ing to renew policies expiring now or
next month. Truck insurance is .abso.
lutely banned.
The Six Association has no quarrel
witlS the Police Department. from
which, it was said yesterday, it has re-
ceived excellent support. AS indicative
OF the activity of The police the asso-
citation pointed to the arrest early yes
lerday morning of four men as they
were about to load into an automobile
$4,000 worth of silk which they had
taken from the loft of Schwartz &,
Finkcl, $50 West TWcnty-second Street.
Detectives Fcnnelly, Oliver, Bowling
and Hoffman, Of the First Branch Bu-
rcau, who have been detailed to seek
lot burglars, became suspicious of the
four arrested men on Saturday when
they bought jimmes at a blacksmith
shop. They followed the quartet con-
tinually until they had forced an en-
trance into the Schwartz g. Finkel loft
and had carried the stuff to d waiting
machine. The men arrested said they
were Abraham Feldman, Of 225 East
Twelfth Street; John Knocker, Of 1872
East Fourth Street; Harry Closky. Of
1922 Allen Street, and Nathan Bernstein.
of 3O8 Chestnut Street, Brooklyn. All
were held.
But the association feels that the
root of the evil lies in the fences"
maintained by dishonest silk dealers.
To stamp out the "fences" would be to
eliminate the burglar. as it would de
prive the burglar, the association is
contiden of means TO dispose of his
Practically none Of the silk stolen in
New York is resold in the bulk here, it
was said yesterday. Usually the
"fence" has branch in the West or
South where the stolen silk is shipped
and through which it is disposed Of.
To stem the epidemic Of robberies,
the Silk Association has sent to the
trade QUESTIONABLE which, when
filled out. will furnish the missing silk
bureau with an intimate knowledge of
every piece OF silk-raw, in the process
Of manufacture and the finished prod
uct--from the time it leaves the mill
They have also issued warming
against purchasing any material from
any but a dealer of recognized stand
ng in the trade.
Plans FOR extending the work of the
association are nearing perfection.
They will include the offer Of reward
for the arrest OF burglars or truck
thieves, the employment of high class
private detectives and the establish
ment Of a legal bureau which will CO.
operate with the District Attorneys
office in the prosecution Of ali silk
burglars. The last will eliminate the
expense of engaging counsel by mem
bers of the association to push cases
IN fNl