Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-05-08
SURPRISED BY POLICE
4 SAFE CRACKERS
CAUGHT RED-HANDED
Police Make Good Again In
Sensational Arrest of Safe
Crackers, Now in Lookup

About five minutes after the receipt
of information PatTolmen Fitzpatrick.
Buchan and Layden pounced down
about four robbers were trying to
crack the safe in the Office of A. NJ.
Metzendorf on New Brunswick ave-
nue. alongside the Central Railroad
arrested men gave their names as
follows: Harry Grove, thirty-one
years; Sam Levine, twenty-four years:
Sam Rosby twenty-six years and
Joseph Silver, twenty-five years all
giving their home address as sPater-
son, N. j.
When surprised by the police the
robbers were working on the large
safe In the feedhouse office, ana a
number of tools were taken to police
headquarters, brace, six bits and
two large bars. 1t seemed that the
mon just Started working with one of
the bits when the police entered. Be
fore starting to attempt the opening
of the safe, which is said to have
contained approximately 100000
worth of whiskey certificates. the
robbers moved same away from the
wall and perhaps according TO their
idea out of the view of any passersby.
At 1925 o'clock Sergeant Morris
received a telephone call from
in the feedhouse of A. NJ. Metzen-
dorf. The policemen were coming in
steadily, preparing to go out on the
II to o'clock shift. The sergeant
detailed Patrolmen Fitzpatrick. Lay
den and Buchan TO the scene in an
automobile.
Buchan driving the car drove at a
terrific pace until he reached New
Brunswick avenue and East avenue
where the police officers left the car,
Buchan going up East avenue and
over a number of back fences, while
Layden and Fitzpatrick went up New
Brunswick avenue and In q railroad
siding on the east side of the Metzen-
dorf feedhouse.
ON this side of the building the
police discovered the door through
which the robbers entered. One by
one tho officers entered, searched
around the building for a few sec
onds and then made their way to the
Office where the four men were at
work. The policemen pounced upon
the robbers, but one managed TO
evade the police and Buchan with
gun in hand followed him through
the warehouse and cornered him on
top of a pile of feed bags.
While Buchan was chasing the
fourth member of the gang Fftzpat-
rick and Layden were holding the
other three men.
The robbers did not have guns with
them when searched by the police.
After being handcuffed the men were
marched to the automobile and taken
to headquarters. Although 1t Is said
the men hail from Newark. all four
gave their home as Paterson, but did
not say what street they lived on.
which gives all the more impression
that they do not hail from that place.
The arrested men have very little to
say, but their fellowmen were on hand
early this morning ready to bell. them
out. One of the men In cOur- this
morning ready to aid In bailing out the
mon, was Hyman Kugel known to box
ing fans as the midget referee" who
halls from Newark. Chief Burke
did not arraign the men this morning
before Recorder Pickersgill, but Is
holding them to further his investiga-
ton before bringing them up for
trial.
David Wilentz appeared In court
this morning to defend the mon and
made an earnest endeavor to have
the men arraigned without success.
1t is possible that the men VIII be
arraigned tomorrow morning, but
this will all depend on the compile.
tion of the investigation by Chief
Burke.
Chief of Police Patrick j. Burke
and Mayor Frank Dorsey commend
ed the three policemen for their
work this morning Layden was one
of the nine policemen to go on duty
last Saturday, and the task placed
upon his shoulders last night was
one rarely given a starter, and 1t can
be safely said that a number of the
men who have been On the force Tor
many a year never had such an eA-
perience. The chief remarked that
this was the best catch ever MADE IN
this city, and compares with any ever
made IN the country.
1t is understood that Mr. Netzen-
dorf has been Interested in the WIS
key business for some time, ana Ior
this reason 1t is believed that 1he
robbers went to the feed house for not
no other reason than to secure the
certificates in the safe. At the otice
OF the feed house this morning, b
denial was not made that whiskey
certificates were in the safe. They
claimed that the safe was open, Du.
that the robbers were not aware OF
the fact in their short work on same
According to the story given at the
Metzerdorf Office, the thieves entered
through the warehouse end ana start
ed working on the reEr OF the sale
which extends into the warehouse,
being butt into the wall of the office
Detective Sergeant Long took the
pic.iire, anG prints of the men ms
morning and Immediately took them
into New York to the clearing house
in that city. Chief Burke believes
that at least two of the men have
had criminal records.