Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-12-28
CONFESS To POST
OFFICE ROBBERY
La Ford, Brady and Belle, Held
on Other Charges; Admit
SeWaren Station Job

Through the untiring efforts of
Detective Sergeant John Huff and
Detective William Hartmann the
robbery of the Central railroad depot
at Sewaren has been cleaned up,
signed confessions obtained from the
thieves. all of the loot recovered and
the robbers will be turned over to the
United States government postal au-
The men who are under arrest and
who have pleaded guilty to the rob-
berry are John LaFord of New York
and Jack Brady and Henry Beller,
of Staten Island. who were arrested
by the detectives shortly after the
Sewaren robbery on other charges
and who after being put through the
third degree confessed to the robbery.
LaFord was arrested first on a
charge of carrying a loaded revolver
and threatening to shoot up the city.
He was locked up and when arraign-
ed before Recorders Pickersgill said
that the gun did not belong to him
but to a friend for whom he was
keeping It. He was held in $1,000
bail to await action of the grand jury.
Shortly after LaFord was arrested
Detectives Huff and Hartmann were
informed that Brady, who was want
ed by the Staten Island police for
breaking jail on the island, was in
this city and they located him and
locked him up. He was taken to New
Brunswick on a charge of disorderly
conduct.
Last week the detectives got word
that Henry Beller. whom they were
looking for. was in this city. They
arrested him in a local saloon on
headquarters where he is still being
held.
From one of the three Detectives
HUFF and Hartmann learned that they
had pulled off the Sewaren depot
robbery on the night of Saturday,
December IA, in which they had stol-
en- a $500 diamond ring, some money
and railroad tickets. The man who
told of the crime said that they had
opened the safe with key and had
also rified a mail bag and torn open
a number of registered letters.
Detectives Huff and Hartmann be-
gan search for the missing dia-
mond, money and tickets. 1t was
learned that the diamond had been
given to Brady and a search of the
local pawnshops proved that 1t had
was planted with him in the county
jail and from the stool" it was learn
ed that Brady had the diamond,
which he had taken out of its setting.
in a scapular which he wore around
his neck.
Detectives Huff and Hartmann
went to New Brunswick and had
Brady brought into the warden's
Office and they searched him and
found the stone where they were told
1t had been hidden.
They then learned that some OF
the money had been hidden and the
railroad tickets thrown away at Port
Reading. The detectives went to that
place and found the money and tic
kets.
At this time the postal authorities
were notified and two inspectors were
sent here to help the local detectives
but they had cleaned up the case and
were able to turn over to the detec-
lives the diamond, money and tickets.
Detective Huff and a postal inspec-
tor took the diamond and the setting
in which it had originally been and
which was recovered with the other
loot to New York City yesterday
where 1t was identified at Tiffany's as
setting in which they had set a
DIAMOND for Mrs. A. II. Cowles of
Sewaren and which had been sent by
registered mail to her.
The diamond and other loot is now
in possession OF the postal inspectors.
Brady was taken TO Newark last
night where he is locked up and the
other two will be taken to that city
today.