Evening journal., 1919-08-12
WHOLESALE THEFTS Thief rs
LAID TO NORTON
Suspect Said to Have Ad-
mitted Tank Larcenies and
Expense Padding
DISCHARGED AS
HARLAN PLANT BOSS

In the arrest OF Edward NJ. Norton,
n Thirty sixth and Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, last saturday by Detec-
,iVe Gold of the Philadelphia police de-
partment on a charge OF stealing six
,een oxygen and acetylene tanks from
lhe Harlan plant Of the Bethlehem
vhinbuilding Corporation, it is thought
hat a systematic method OF swindling
Me Government Though the Harlan
nlant has been uncovered. According
10 Sergeant Green Of the local detective
sdIad who questioned Norton In phil
pdelphia yesterday, the defendant ad-
mitted stealing the tanks and also Of
securing 500 by padding his expense
,ccount at the local plant.
Norton is now being held without
bail by the Philadelphia police on
,harges OF larceny and obtaining money
nnder false pretenses preferred by the
local authorities. lie will be brought
here for trial as soon as requlsition
papers are ready.
I'm speaking Of the arrest OF Norton
Sergeant Green intlmated today mat
other arrests might follow, as II was
evident by the Investigation so far
made ihat thousands Of dollars worth
Of materials had been stolen from the
Harlan plant and either resOld to the
Harlan plant or to others. Norton,
who was employed as a foreman at the
plant at 500 a week. was discharged
some time ago. Since then he has
formed a welding company and had
opened offices at No. 1918 Penn Square
building, Philadelphia.
In addition TO the charge Of stealing
the tanks. It is alleged that Norton
not only resold these tanks to the
former owners, but he rented the
company welding machines at s. a day,
which they had already purchased.
and that ne had charged the plant $50
for schooling men who were employed
at the local plant, whereas the tuition
fee was but s2j.
The obtaining money by false pre-
tense warrant against Norton alleges
he obtained $500 from the Harlan plant
for three welding machines, but ac-
oording 30 Sergeant Green, the pris-
oner admits getting $3.50 for the ma
chines.
The arrest Of Norton and the uncOv-
erlng Of the alleged wholesale plunder-
ing was due to a tip received by the
local detective bureau last week which
resulted in the arrest OF Charles John
son. foreman Of trucks at the Harlan
plant and James Smith and Elmer Ray,
employed on the trucks. The first two
named men are held under $1,000 bail
for a hearing on Friday while Ray is
held under $500 bail for a hearing at
the same time. All are charged with
larceny. Norton according 10 the auth
critics. says the three Negroes, are in
nocent OF any wrong doing, he having
told them 10 take the tanks away.
These were found In the loft OF John
sons garage at No. sOi WOilaston street.
Sixteen tanks found at the garage are
valued at sii0 each.
at The time Of the arrest OF the
Negroes they told the same story, i'm
pHcatlng Norton. but he was not in
this city. having been discharged
some time ago. The detective bureau
followed several trails that lead them |
10 New York and finally to Philadel- !
phia. The Philadelphia police were /
asked TO cooperate and Detective Gold |
located Norton at his apartments on /
saturday.
1T was learned in the investigation !
that tanks were taken from the Harlan /
plant TO Philadelphia, repalnted and |
then brought here and resold TO the |
owners. The Emergency Fleet Cor |
porati0n, which paid all bills OF the |
Harlan plant. Is expected TO continue /
the investigation.