New-York tribune., 1921-12-04
River Pirates
Convicted In
6-Million Case
Freight Conductor, ,Drayman.
Former Saloon Man and
His Porter Found Guilty
of Stealing Worsted Cargo
This Loot w Worth 500. 600
Authorities Round Up Gang
That Operated in Jersey
Yards for Nine Years

Two ringieaders and two minor
members Of highly organized gang
Of river pirates. which is alleged to
have operated here fer nine years and
to have stolen goods valued at Sc ,O0o,-
900 in 1919 and 1920 alone, were con-
victed In the Federal district court
yesterday. The specific charge against
them was the theft OF ST5 bolts of
.worsted, valued at seo,ooo, while NOV
ing in interstate commerce on May
"a, 1920. Judge Van Fleet will pro-
nounce sentence Wednesday.
Forty-eight alleged members of the
gang were indicted in June, 1920, and
twelve already have pleaded guilty and
been sentenced to- terms of from one
According to Garrett w. Cotter, assist
ant United States District Attorney
handling the case, the pirates not only
maintained regularly fleet of three
barges and four launches on the river.
but had train crews in their employ
on every railroad entering the Metro
politan district. Conductors acting
under forged orders are alleged to
have dropped freight cars on lonely
sidings, where the gangs trucks were
in readiness to carry off the loot On
the river. it is charged, the gang either
bought the collusion of barge captains
and guards or forced them by threats
to permit thefts. In the latter case.
it is alleged, the victims were forced
to accept bribes to keep them from
reporting the thefts at some later
time.
IN the case in which verdict was
returned. yesterday freight car con-
taining SZ5 bolts Of worsted shipped
from the Cleveland Wooden Mills, at
Ravenna.. Ohio, to Hubschman and
Brother, 2s4 Fourth Avenue. was taken
from the Eric yards in Jersey City
and dropped on siding at Soho, N. j.
The contents were transferred immedi-
stely into trucks which were waiting
when the train stopped. and brought
to this city. After two days. the
worsted was taken to saloon in Thir
tecnth Avenue and stored.
The men convicted in connection
with this theft are "Matty" Donovan
the saloon keeper, who has been ar
rested sixteen times on charges, in
cluding robbery, felonious assault, and
receiving stolen goods; Nathan Zim-
norman. Of the 2. & X Trucking
oi'iPcuS, WHiCH is diieSSu 10 nave
done all the trucking for. the gang
here: George Barron, conductor of
the freight train: and Dominick Luci,
formerly q porter in Donovan's saloon.
James Carlough, brakeman on the
train, was acquitted,
"Matty' Donovan and Zimmerman,
with Jimmy" Donovan. now serving
a three-year term in Atlanta, are be-.
heved to have been the leaders of the
ring. "Matty" Donovan, besides being
regarded as the brains Of the combine.
is said 20 have disposed Of much of
its stolen property
Statements in court were that much
of the stolen merchandise handled by
the pirates was disposed CT in the,
South and affected the markets there.
Barron, the convicted conductor, was
linked up with the stealing of the
worsted because pieces ripped from the
crates that had held the goods were
left scattered along the siding where
he had halted his train.