Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-05-19
Five ARRESTED
FOR RObbER|ES
Midtown Men Are Charged
With Series of Thefts In
Vicinity of N. Brunswick.
(By Evenins News Stan Correspondent.l

JBy Evening News Stan Correspondent.1
NEW BRUNSWICK, May 49,
The arrest yesterday of five men
living near Midtown. by County De-
tective Ferd A. David, is expected
to clear up a series of small robbie
ries perpetrated during the past
twelve or fourteen months in the
district between New Brunswick and
Cranbury and adjacent territory.
Four men are held under $4,000 ball
to await the action OF the grand jury
l.. this city as a result of signed con-
LESSONS, while the fifth Is held un-
der $1,000 bail as a witness.
Detective David was assigned to
clear UP the many robberies of
chickens, tools, automobile tires.
robes and accessories and lumber
between this city and Cranbury and
yesterday secured search warrants
to investigate the contents of three
suspected houses. The search re-
suited in two arrests being made and
written confessions by the two men
implicated resulted in three more
being taken into custody later.
The men arrested are: William
Ayres, William Widman, Charles and
Joseph Mcpherson, all of whom are
held under $4,000 bail and Carl
Widman, who is held under $1,000
bail, as a witness. The homes of
the five are located in a lane in back
of Midtown. Detective David terms
these alleged thieves as might rid
ers'' owing to the methods they pur-
sue to accomplish their ends. The
men Travelled in an automobile be-
longing to Ayers, who said he pur-
chased it from Harry Levine, of this
city, for SITS. Levine disappeared
when the county detectives discover
ed he was dealing in stolen cars and
it is the belief of Detective David
that the alleged fence" sold Ayers
a stolen car, as the engine number
was so battered it could not be made
out.
In order to keep this car supplied
with tires the men stole tires from
other cars and in some instances re-
moved rear wheels, together with
tires from machines which were
standing unguarded in front of
homes. AS a garage was needed to
keep the car in, the necessary lum-
Der was stolen. According to Detec-
tive David the men would not stop
their car in order to steal an auto
mobile robe which might happen to
be covering a radiator during the
cold weather, as one of their num-
Der would stand on the running
board and snatch the robe as their
car passed by.
Armed with search warrants De-
tective David and other members of
the county detective force went to
the Mcpherson. Ayres and Widman
homes yesterday and found tires,
pumps, searchlights, ropes, tools, a
photograph and other stolen arti-
Giles. Ayres and Carl Widman were
arrested as a result of these findings.
Signed confessions implicated the
other Widman and two McPhersons.
They were later arrested. All of
the men are between twenty and
twenty-five years Of age.
A. long list of the articles stolen
by them was made out, the men be-
ing specific in telling just What they
lad taken during the past year.. One
part of their confession tells of
their stopping at a house near
Adams Station last fall while re-
turning from a hunting trip where
they were served with whiskey. They
went back to the house and stole
two gallons, all of which was con-
sumed. They admitted stealing wine
and cider from another house and
drinking it all. Many tires which
they stole have been worn out on
their W machine, they said. Two
months ago they stole as much lum-
Der as they could pile on a truck
and used it for q garage and in maxi
ing additions to a house, the con-
fession states. They also tell of
stealing articles from broken down
cars.
County Detective David is now
endeavoring to find the owners Of
the various articles stolen by these
men.