The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-11
S25O,OO0 HARBOR
THEFTS;; II INDICTED
Stealing Of Cotton, Munitions
and Hospital Supplies
Laid to Germans.
THREE MEN ARRESTED
Captains of Lighters Paid to
Stay Away While Goods
Are Being Taken.

Looting Of barges and freight cars. on
lighters in New York harbor has cost
more than i250,000 in tie last ak
months, 1t was asserted yesterday. when
three men we're held in $500 each in
the Court of General Sessions on indlct-
ments charging grand larceny in the
first degree and receiving stolen goods.
The men held were Harry Gertner and
Harry soloman OF 1o2 Tompkins street
and Louis Abrams OF 4s3 Thatford ave-
nue.. Brooklyn, all junk dealers.
Eight others are under indictment. ac-
cording to Alexander ]. Rorke. Assistant
District Attorney. They are Capt. Victor
SoIberg, 27l Forty second street, Brook
Ign, captain of the lighter Lena; Andrew
Lee, 5 Fourth street.. mate OF tire same
lighter. both of whom are said to have
pleaded guilty to attempted grand lar
ceny; John Brown. longshoreman, no
address :, Capt. Charles Abrams, l4'
Eighth street, Brooklyn: Morris Bern
stein. 1859 Longfellow avenue. The
Bronx Henry Schimmel. 1873 West 113th
street: Jim Chapman. GIT West 17Oth
street. Joseph Rosenblott, 2ol West
112th street.
Cotton Thefts Alarm Banks.
Chapman and Rosenblott are held in
$500 bail and are charged with having
stolen l2s bales OF cotton from the
lighter Serafine tire night OF January 5.
George M. Shut. president of the New
York Cotton Exchange. wrote letter 10
the District Attorney In which he eeti-
mates that the thefts of cotton alone
ave mounted to $250.ooo. THE good
name OF tine port Is in question" he
wrote, land the cotton trade Is disturbed.
not only on account Of the losses in
volved but also because the banks are
alarmed and are threatening to curtail
the usual facilities extended to mer-
chants on cotton moving through New
York"
Mr. Rorke believes there are men who
direct and control the activities OF the
pirates who do the actual stealing. EVIL
dence duplicating officers and employees
OF various steamship companies Is ac-
cumulating. he said. in this connection
there Ia a significant mint by the Federal
authorities that the !nstigators are en-
envy aliens. anxious to hinder and harass
| the orderly movement Of munitions and
supplies from this port to Europe.
The piracies were committed In sure
fire fashion quite different from the
dramatic fashion of earlier years. when
| running nights between police boats and
harbor thieves were not uncommon.
Nowadays captains Of lighters are
sounded, and II they show willingness to
talk business they are paid to remain
away on the night the haul is to be
made. The rate for cotton thefts. for
example. was 500 a bale. On the night
! chosen trucks drove up to the wharf or a
motor boat drew alongside the barge
and the looting went on undisturoed.
II anything further were needed to
| show there is no honor among thieves 1t
| is furnished by the fact that the pirates,
| having paid the barge captain $40 apiece
| for ten bales they were to steal. usually
made away with twenty or thirty bales.
refusing him any further commission. "
James II. Smith. who Is in the prop
| erty protection section OF the United
States Railroad Administration. has been
cooperating actively with the District
Attorneys Office in rounding up the gang.
| He said yesterday:
Pro-German, Says Doherty.
Three weeks ago p. ]. Doherty. man.
, ager of tho property protection section.
visited New York personally on account
OF the large losses of merchandise and
munitions which were being stolen by
| harbor pirates from the railroad yards
| In and around New York's switching
| district. On that occasion he had a
| meeting with a number OF railroad off,
| cials and prosecuting officials Of New
York and New Jersey.
HE thoroughly set forth that the dep
relations around this switching district
| constituted IA direct interference with our
Governments activities in the prepare
ton OF materials for the war and that
! such interference was considered as
| nothing more nor less than German
activities to interfere with us in every
possible way in the successful prosecu-
ton OF the war, that in many instances
the goods were traced to enemy aliens
and other persons not citizens
1.-The size OF the thefts since the
United States entered the war can only
be approximated. but they run to more
than a quarter of a million dollars. The
thefts include silks. quicksilver. brass
cotton. copper bullion and pipe, pig tin
and tinplate. leather, foodstuffs and ever
hospital supplies intended for our
wounded soldiers abroad. The investi-
CATION tends to show that the thefts
were committed by an organized band
| of thieves and receivers"