New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-10-02
Theft of 1000
Autos Laid to
Two Couples
Brooklyn Man and Wife Are
Charged With Being Mas
ter Minds Directing
Wholesale Garage Raids
Mates Turn Accusers
Woman. Held as Accomplice.
Said to Have Confessed
Stealing for Excitement

Edward Lang and his wife, Margaret
Of 8l5 Albany Avenue, Brool1lyn; Doro-
thy Smith, twenty years old, Of 397
Gates Avenue, Brooklyn, and Thomas
Sweeney, of 329 Franklin Avenue
Brooklyn, who we're held in $4,000
bail each on burglary charges yester-
day in the Chief Magistrate's Court,
Brooklyn. were accused By Assistant
District Attorney Ruston Of RESPONSE
bility for the theft OF 1000 automobilca
in Brooklyn.
Mr. Ruston's accusation was made in
connection with a request that bail be
hxed in 200 each. AS Lang already
is said to be under $4,000 bail pend
ing an appeal from his conviction of
criminally receiving stolen automo-
bile, Magistrate O'Neill fixed bail in
$4,000.
Man and Wife Accused
According to Detectives Contor,
Casey, Grey and Campbell, who made
the arrests, Dorothy Smith and Sweeney
have made statements accusing the
Langs of directing the operations OF
automobile thieves on a large scale.
The young woman and her confessed
accomplice have told them, the police
say, that they stole five automobiles in
Brooklyn at the order of the Langs.
~ liked the excitement and the thrill
ii it," the young woman is quoted as
saying when asked why she set out to
steal automobiles. at really was Won
derfully exciting to speed away and
avoid detection, but, like everything
else, it had to come 70 an end
The TO11s U-pra arrested in connection
with the theft of an automobile, Sep
tambar %, IRON Francis Brady, Of 387
Greene Avenue, 9 son Of Supreme Court
Justice Brady
Dorothy Smith said that she was
married three years ago to David
Bratton. bat left him after a few
months and since then had been living
with her mother. She met Sweeney,
taxicab driver, about three weeks
ago, the police said she told them. and
had been his partner in automobile
thefts since.
poice snyy agrees 'Tff %t aSs1q ha9 told BY ths
Smith woman. They were together
September 23, he said, when Lang and
his wife passed them in an automo-
bile at Bedford Avenue and Eastern
Parkway and invited them to dinner in
Manhattan.
Brady's car passed tnem sweeney ls
said to have continued, while they were
going through Atlantic Avenue on
their way back. and Lang pointed it
out, saying: "Sce that car. It's in
garage at 1867 Atlantic Avenue. ! want
that car
Story of Auto Theft
II knew what that meant" the 20
lice say Sweeney told them. II had
stolen cars for him before
They rode little further, accord
ing to the story Sweeney is said to
have told. and then he and Dorothy
Smith were told 20 get out and wait fer
their companions 70 return. They die
SO, and when Lang and his wife drove
up to them again the former is said
TO have remarked: Now you and she
can go and get that car"
Sweeney and the Smith woman went
to the garage. the police say Sweeney
told them. the door Of which they
found unlocked. There were FIVE cars
inside, and the one they are said to
have been instructed to steal was close
to the door. Sweeney is said TO have
told the police that they backed it cut
and drove away.
Lang and his wife denied the accusa-.
tions made against them in the state
ments Sweeney and the Smith woman
are said 10 have made. Rrady's car
was found in garage by the police
with it's license plate and engine nurl-
ber changed. Lungs brother John is
in Ludlow Street jail awaiting trial on
q charge of stealing an AutomobiIc