The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-06
$4,000 NAVY THEFT
AT PELHAM BALKED
Three Men Are Arrested and
an Unnamed officer Is
Being Sought.
BIG COVERED TRUCK USED
Case Of Silverware, Rope and
Other Goods Stored in
House in Manhattan.

Several times a day for several days
in the last week sentries on duty at the
big gates forming the entrance to the
Pelham Bay Naval Training Station in
The Bronx have inspected a pass ten
dered them by the driver of a big COW
cred double truck that was driven up
to the entrance and signalled to the
driver to pass In. Then the truck hustled
ton. stayed there for time loading and
eventually was passed out by the sentries
with equal celebrity.
Not until yesterday afternoon, how
ever, did either the sentries or the truck
driver realize that any others but them
selves were watching the passages of
the big truck. They were watched
though and late in the afternoon three
men were locked up in the West Forty
seventh street station here charged with
receiving approximately $4,000 worth
of property stolen from the United States
Navy. The prisoners, according TO the
police charge, were the driver OF the
truck and two men who got into the
navy training station locked securely in
the wagon the sentries passed.
made the police notified the navy au-
thorities and an investigation was be-
gun, which. II Is expected subsequently
will involve at least one navy officer
who had to do with the system under
which the alleged stolen goods were
placed in possession OF the men already
under arrest. In the collection. the po-
lice said. were 900 pieces OF glittering
table silver. which they think was in
tended for use in the officers mess 20
pieces Of rope of exceptionally good
value and of unusual sizes, two cases of
linen and cases Of various other navy
supplies in their original packing.
The arrests were made by Detectives
Fitzgerald and Dennison. They took up
the trail of the alleged receivers OF the
stolen goods several days after informa-
ton came to them from a source which
they refused to reveal. 1t led them, the
detectives said. to watch the basement
Of house at 1871 West Fifty-third
street. into which. day after day. they
said they saw carried the big navy pack
Ing cases that were lifted Off the truck
just after its arrival from the training
station. Yesterday the detectives
walked into the basement and questioned
man who was In the place. They said
he made statements which caused them
to place him under arrest
lie gave his name as Frank Kay and
said he was a theatrical producer, liv
ing at $40 West l36th street. The de-
tectives asserted they identified him
quickly as the man who drove the truck
and then they took into custody two
other men who were with Kay In the
basement. These prisoners said they
we're actors out OF n Job and that all
they knew about the truck and its
questionable loads OF navy supplies was
thet they had taken a job to tide them
over unul they could hook up with an
other stage engagement They said they
were Edward Chrisman. 80. OF 323 West
Forty-third street. and Max Cooper. "a.
of 206 West llsth street. But the de-
tectives said they were the persons who
rode into the navy reservation locked
in the truck and helped pile the alleged
stolen supplies into the truck. which
bore d sign proclaiming II TO be owned
!y the Pelham Trucking Company"
According to the police version OF the
case. Kay told them he became &C
Quainted with an officer at the training
station through entertainments which
Kay put on there for the 1000 men in
training at the station during the war.
Recently the officer. according to the
police story. told Kay the station soon
would be closed and some easy money
could be earned through the big store
of surplus supplies at the station
This is the officer for whom the navy
authorities started searching last night.
but neither the police nor the authoTi-
ties at the training station would dis
cuss that phase OF the case. The other
prisoners were locked up pending ar
raignment in court this morning.