Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-05-02
Gas Meter and Telephone
Robbers Prove to be Wild
wood High School Boys
Bell Telephone Detective Secures the Evi-
dence. One Robbery Was Planned in
Wildwood Crest Home

Bell Telephone detective has been at work in Wild
past and has succeeded in apprehendng
the telephone box and gas meter thieves who have been
working in Wildwood the past winter
They proved to be Wildwood high school boys four
of the accused six being in this years graduating
class Detective Devne gathered the evidence being asss
ed it is said by the Anglesea police and laid it before
County Prosecutor Cole
Warrants were issued for William Gesenbefger VIM
Gardiner, Chas. A. RossKam, Theodore Schott Sidney
Evan and Prosper Webb All students of the Wild
wood high school, except Gardiner former resident of
Ane1esea and living now with his parents at Cape May
Court House
In Court Schott Evan and Webb gave their ages as
nineteen years. RossKam and Gardiner seventeen and
Geisenberge about the age These six boys were
summoned before Judge Eldredge Wednesday, April 80
1919 who sat at Cape May Court House committing
magistrate All of the boys had made written confessions
Prosecutor Cole conducted the for the state.
Geisenberger the first boy called, and he pleaded
non and the court announced that he had engaged
lawyer defend him. His will come to trial at Court
House Wednesday and he will be defended by Lawyer
John Harris of Camden Gardiner next called and he
plead guilty entering the Pennsylvania hotel Keystone
hotel and the Anderson residence the North Wildwood
section His father in court in his boys interest
RossKam plead guilty to entering and helping to rob the
gas rs Crocus road, Wildwood Crest opposite
his home.
On the witness stand young RossKam calmly told of
evening spent his home in Wildwood Crest this past
winter On the evening question he said he entertained
Geisenberger Webb and Frank Randolph and then and
there it planned to go across the street and rob the
house 15 Crocus road This he said occurred when his
parents were away The father of young RossKam
and spoke very eelngly of his boy In voice shak
ing with emotion and with in his eyes he told how
keeny he felt the disgrace and he said he hoped one
of the guilty boys present felt the way He told how
wife opened their house to their friends and the
and friends of their boy and to think that this
hospitality taken advantage OF and robbery de1b-
erately planned in his home upon that of neghbor
was almost than he could bear The elder RossKam
to exhibit the only of real penence He fur
her said that boy should be brought before the
court again he wanted the Judge go the limit in punish
ment.
When Prosecutor Cole called the of Theodore
Schott Judge Edredge asked anyone present
resent him. The Mayor of Wildwood, F. E. Smith, arose
and said represented Scho stating that the City of Wild
wood employed the boy detective for two to
get evidence against the robbers The Mayor took oath
that this statement correct
Detective Devine was called and he told how Schott
ured Geisenberser to the Hotel Dayton for robbery on
the 10Th of November last how Gesenberger went home to
get revolver screw-driver, hammer and flash light
the Wnona hotel entered both the
ming Detective Devne of the opinion that the Mayor
was being by his boy detective He thought
Schott told the Mayor that certain place
be robbed that Scho would his boys go another
part of the and do job All the while the Wildwood
policemen would be watching given house and nothing
doing told the Judge that he and Gesenberger got
$226 the Dayton and Winona and that he took the
money morning and handed to the Mayor in the
Holly Beach pinochle club
This story corresponded with that told by the Mayor
Judge said that there being testimony to reute
the Mayors Schot could be held and the
charge against withdrawn with the consent of the
The record in the county clerks office shows