Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-08-19
4P|CKPOCKETS
ARE FINED 500
Caught JostIing Crowds on
Smith Street on Saturday
Night by Detectives.
ALL HAVE BAD RECORDS
"Union" Gets Busy and Pays
SITS Fine for Each Brown
Is Attorney.


by Recorder Harold r. Piclrersgill
this morning upon four alleged pick
pockets, arrested here early Sunday
morning by Detectives william Hart
man and Joseph Gutowsl1i.
The men, ali of whom were found
to have criminal records, were men,
bers of the same 'pickpocket's union"
as other pickpockets who have been
arrested IN this city ON previous occa-
sions. The walking delegates" of the
union were present in court at the
hearing this morning and they sup
piled the money for the fines.
AS the men were not caught In the
act of picking the pockets of any one
they had to be arrested as suspicious
could not be Imposed upon them.
As soon as they had been taken into
custody their finger prints were taken
after which Detective Sergeant l.. A.
Long went to New York with the
prints and looked Up the records OF
the men with the help of the New
York police department
Two of the alleged pickpockets en-
deavored to disguise themselves by
wearing large tortoise shell glasses,
but they did not succeed In footing
mann. who had seen their suspicious
actions and were certain of their in
tentions. When searched at police
headquarters one man was found to
have seventy dollars stored away in
one of his shoes.
According to information secured
from the two detectives this morn
ing, the four pickpockets were work.
Ing In two groups Of two men each.
49, lnkn ~
be mingling with the crowds as they
were waiting for trolleys TO come at
both the State street and Smith street
stops. When the men would attempt
to board the cars, the detectives stat
ed, they would seemingly assist others
TO get up the steps, but In 30 doing
would feel about the person for his
pocketbook.
Detectives Hartmann and Gutowsixi
followed two Of the men on one OF the
cars and watched their operations but
could not detect them put their hands
IN the pockets Of ono Of the victims.
Noticing that their actions were be-
ing watched the alleged picipookets
made their way through the car and
dropped of.
The detectives went out the other
door and looked for the men but they
were nowhere In sight. AS the last
train and car from this city had LEFT
they decided to make a search OF the
city for the gtispscted men.
The detectives visited the garages
and gave q description Of the men
they wanted 30 as to prevent them
from escaping In an automobile. They
then went up and down the streets
In search Of them. At Smith and
New Brunswick avenue they saw four
men. two Of whom they recognized
as tho mon they wanted. although
they had since put on large tortoise
shell glasses. Tho detectives placed
all four Of the men under arrest and
removed them TO headquarters where
they were examined and a nDneid-
erable amount OF money found them.
including seventy dollars one man
had in his shoe.
The records OF the men. secured
yesterday by Detective Sergeant Long
showed that they were not new at
the game" and that they had been
arrested on frequent occasions prior
10 this.
All OF the men had aliases which
they went under. The man against
whom the New York police had the
longest record was Charles Collins,
forty years old, of ass Hendrick street
Brooklyn. The records showed that
be had travelled under the names OF
Wtliiafn FRANK, Louis Beck and Louis
Madden besides that of Charles Col
lins. He was arrested the first time
In 1904 and since that time has been
taken into custody seventeen times
on various charges, most OF which
are those OF being a pickpocket, Col
Iins was arrested on July IL OF this
year under the anti-loafing law In
New York.
Tnk GNhQ haFa IntFtN-IlNA years
bid OF s47 Thirty ninth street, Brook
Iyn. had been arrested on thirteen for
mer occasionA dating back 20 1903:
he has Travelled under the names or
Oaorge Gray, John Kelly and John
Grew IN addition 20 that OF Chambers
The last time the New York police
have a record OF his actions was IN
November 1918, when he was sen
fenced 70 spend from two and hsli
years 10 four years and eleven montns
h the Auburn Prison. found guilty OF
rand larceny IN the second degree.
William English. twenty-ntne years
lld OF 2ls East ] sth street, New York.
bas also been known IN police courts
~ william Ryan, George Kelly ana
William Patrick. He has been ar
regted ten times, according 20 the New
York police, since 1905 when he was
taken into custody on a charge OF
breaking and entering. he was ar
-ested the last time In New Haven
on september ] OF last year charged
With vagrancy.
The other member OF the gang ap-
oAars 10 be q rookie" the New York
ooiiee only having him down for two
,ormer jobs. His aliases are Isadore
7oidstein and Joseph Morris. He used
,he forner ia this city. He is twenty
sight years old and lives at se4 Di-
yisson street, New York. He was ar
,ested IN March. 1919. charged with
.heft IN Bridgeport. Conn, and on
September / OF last year In New Ha-
zen charged with being a eagTant
ae was Ia company with English on
Thomas brown. who has repre-
,snted many OF the ether professional
oickpockets arrested here. was Sc
'ured AZ counsel BY The delegates OF
he sa1nlon." Following . short con
nfftaSon In the court room between /
~ Brown ana the delegates" the
,ttornsy pis6ded guilty for them on
Iondition no prison term be imposed.
sseordsr PiekersEiii then imposed
lna of s1TB upon each man. total OF