Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1921-01-24
METUCHEN HAS
SOLVED TREFTS
Arrest Of Two Negroes Cleans
up Series of Robberies in
That Vicinity, Police Say.
ONE ADMITS CRIMES
Other Denies Taking Part in
Thievery--U Unique Trail is.
Followed by Police Officers

BY STAFF Correspondent.
METUCHEN, Jan. PAS re-
suit of effective work on the part of
county detectives and the police of
Piscataway township and Metuchen,
two arrests have been made of
negroes. one of whom has admitted
more than half a dozen robberies
committed in the vicinity of Metuch-
en- since early last November. The
two men are Emanuel Hall and
Nelson Tate. both colored, who have
been boarding in Pearl street, Me-
tuchen. Tate denies having had
anything to do with any of the rob
berries, although he was arrested last
Thursday by Chief Mccarthy of the
Piscataway police in company with
Hall. The two men were locked up
in the Piscataway Jail and will be
| charged with breaking and entering
and grand larceny today.
Following the numerous robberies
which were being committed in the
vicinity of Metuchen, Prosecutor
Joseph T.. Stricken held a conference
with his county detective force and
the Metuchen and Piscataway chiefs.
1t was decided to devote their entire
attention to clearing up the robbie
ries and in a short time investiga-
tions had connected many of the
| robberies, showing that they had
been perpetrated by the same man
or men. In one instance pieces of
silver stolen from one house were
left in another home entered by the
thieves.
The arrest of Hall and Tate was
! the result of Chief Mccarthy fol-
/ lowing unique trail-that of po-
| tatoes. The nome of former Judge
| Hiram A. Steele. in Park avenue,
| just outside Metuchen, was entered
on Dec. 81 and considerable loot
/ taken including tuxedo suit, whis-
key wine and twenty bushels of po-
tatoes. Doors and locks were brok-
| en- and damage estimated at $1,000
was done in the house which was
/ closed for the winter.
According to Tate's story a return
trip was made for the potatoes he
| having been, told by Hall that he
| (HalD had bought the potatoes and
! needed Tate's assistance in moving
the potatoes from the house. Hall
and Tate went to the house with a
wagon, loaded on the potatoes and
carted them away. As the wagon
rum bled along. it is said, a potatoe
occasionally dropped off, making a
trail which the Piscataway chief
followed into Metuchen where Hall
and Tate were taken into custody
charged with theft.
Hall. who boarded with a Mrs.
| Ethel Clemmons, colored. in Pearl
street, admitted the theft in the
Steele home.
According to the police a house
occupied by a family named Melick,
located in Woodland avenue, Pisca-
taway, was entered on Dec. "a, the
day the family had left for Europe.
and a $500 set of furs stolen. These
furs were later discovered in New
Brunswick in a badly mutilated con-
] dition. The police were told they
had been bought for Sc. Hall ad-
mitted this robbery.
The home of Henry Campbell,
near Oak Tree. was closed for the
winter on Dec. 21 when the family
left for Florida. A caretaker was
that date it was entered three times.
Hall admitted the thefts. A $3.50
i victrola was stolen on one occasion,
which was found in a New Bruins
wick store, where it had been pur-
chased for $50. A clock. stolen
from the Campbell home. was To-
Gated in Halls boarding house. A
full dress suit, taken from the
Campbell home. was also found in
Il Hairs possession.
The home of Frederick Smith, in
Plainfield avenue, was entered re-
Gently and robbed of jewelry, CLOTH
ing and toilet articles. Some of the
| silverware stolen from the Camp
bell home was found in the Smith
home by the police. 1t is the gen.
eral belief that the robbers had
| come to the Smith home from the
Campbell robbery, having in their
possession at the time some of the
| Campbell loot. Unable to carry it
all they decided to leave some of
the silverware. There is a possibil-
ity that they were heightened away
/ however and in their haste to
escape left the silverware.
A parlor suite valued at s275. was
stolen by Hall from home of Mar
tin Paine in Plainfield avenue on
Dec 20. The suite was owned by
i Ezra Force, a son-in-law of Paine
and was recovered in Halls board
ing house. Mrs. Clemmops. the
boarding house mistress. said Hall
had given her the suite as a Christ
mas present and as a means of pay
| ing some back board he owed her.
In addition TO this parlor suite, sill
verware. clothing and other articles
stolen from the vicinity were found
in the boarding house.
Although efforts are being made
to connect Hall with the assault
upon Philip Ruegger. at his home
here in Metuchep about two weeks
ago, the negro denies having en-
tered the house or attacked Rueg-
ger. He also denied having been
I implicated in the attempted rob-
berry of w. A. Crowell's feed store
/ last Nov. %. A safe was dumped
down the elevator shaft at that time
by the burglars in an effort to break
| it open but their efforts failed. Hall
was employed by the Crowell store
at the time.
1t is believed that other negroes
are implicated in the robberies. and
more arrastz are ernecfed