The Washington herald., 1921-10-05
ARREST CLEARSUP
SERIES OF GRIMES
LONG UNSOLVED
Prisoner Tells of Other
Robberies Though
Memory Fails.
HAUL NEAR $4,000
Taken on Minor Charge, He
Confesses, as Fingerprints
Cause Suspicion.
HAUL NEAR $4,000

At least twenty-four apartment
housebreaking cases and the theft
of jewelry and clothing which in
the opinion of police will aggregate
$4,000 were cleaned up yesterday as
a result OF the arrest of a lone
negro on a minor charge. During
the day articles which the negro
confessed to have stolen and which
were recovered by police totaled a
value of nearly $4,000.
The negro. Ernest Johnson. 81
years old, $50 Florida avenue north
west, was arrested Sunday by
Headquarters Detectives Jones and
Jackson He was picked up on the
suspicion of having received stolen
property. Finger prints taken at a
number of recent apartment house
thefts coincided with the prints Of
johnson. After being grilled by
Inspector Clifford L Grant and De-
tectives Jones and Jackson. the
prisoner confessed to as many jobs
as he could recall, police say.
Twenty-four cases were related up
to o'clock last night. although
johnson told police there were
many more.
Sought for Nearly Year.
Johnson is the man whom police
have been seeking for nearly a year.
During that time at least fifty
housebreaking csses, all of a sim
liar nature. were reported to police.
In every case the intruder either
entered the rooms by climbing up
the fire escape or by unlocking the
front doors with duplicate keys. A
jimmy was never used.
Practically every detective as
signed to headquarters was inves-
tigating cases to which Johnson has
now confessed. Every man on the
force is gathering In the stolen
goods. When arraigned at head
quarters, Johnson. told police he
worked alone making a profession
of his talents. None of his stol IN
articles was sold to dealers. bat
were peddled by Johnson along the
streets among his friends.
Very little of the stolen goods
were fonud at Johnson's residing
place. In many of the cases To
which he has so far confessed, he
informed police as to whom the
goods were sold. Johnson was con-
fined to the First precinct station.
No bond has yet been set
Arrest Gave Clue.
The arrest of the negro is consid-
cred by police to be the most import
ant made for some time. Police Sc
cured their first line on Johnson
when they arrested GLOVER Davenport
roIored. % years old, at his home in
Chester, Pa. Davenport was wanted
for the theft of two tires. While
searching the room occupied by
Davenport on wilberger near
street northwest. police found g
locket. which had been stolen by
johnson. The locket was at first
believed to have been received By
Johnson.
Johnson told police he came Il
Washington from Pittsburgh shortl!
before Christmas last year. Officials
of that city, were W red and infor'
nation relative to apartment house
Jobs in that city was requesed. John
son told police he had not obtained
employment in this city but spen
All his time stealing and disposint
of the goods.
stole Much Jewelry.
Among the victims in Washington
which police say johnson has con
fessed to having robbed are: Judg'
Fred II. Barclay. apartment 314, Th'
wyoming. $3.50 in jewelry and cloth
ing. July 2: w. d. Hoover, presiden
of the National Surety Bank, res d.
ing at the Highland Apartments. 1
diamond ring worth $500 and $40
worth of other jewelry, latter par
Of August: S. G. Duran, 2700 Con
necticut avenue northwest, jewelr,
valued at $3.50. early part of Sep
tenber: william ]. Seringeous
anartment IS. 1882 Columbia road
$3.50 in jewelry. July %; Harry Tur'
per. apartment Al, 1882 Columbi;
road. $3.50 in jewelry. March 3; Will
liam p. Helm. 1917 Belmont street
ssoo worth of clothing, Septembel
e ss. lanes P. sylvester, the Mendoza
sIsn in jewelry. October 1; Carl D
Rnth. 1852 Mintwood place, 500
tav.Iry, August 10; Jessie Haas
II17 belmont street, jewelry/ wortl
ssoo: Fred j. Pierce, 1871 LAME
nIace, $3.50 jeweIry, early part o
Sentember: Miss Margaret Evans
ISi2 California street, jewelry wortl
$3.50, September 81; Helen Billmsn
,Io1 w street northwest guns wortI