The New York herald., 1922-01-18
MAN SLAN,6SEIZED
AS FUR THEFT GANG
Detectives Trail Suspected
Persons for Hours Before
Burglary Attempt.
EXCITING 5TH AVE. CHASE
EXCITING 5TH AVE. CHASE
Police Bullets and Automo-
biles Figure in Episode in
Big Loft District.

detective w. Reilly OF the safe and
loft squad from Headquarters fired five
shots last night at man whom he
found jimmying the lock on the door
OF the Import Fur Company's office in
the basement Of the loft building at
13 West Twenty-ninth street. near
Fifth avenue. He thought he hit the
burglar, but the man escaped in an
automobile which another man had
waiting at the curb.
About an hour later, however, Will
lam Butler of 4o1 West Thirty-fourth
street. said by the police to be son
OF Richard Butler, formerly member
OF the Assembly and now head of one
Of the longshoremen's unions, ap-
peared at the New York Hospital with
Francis McArdle, a laborer, of 25S
West Twentieth street.
McArdle was suffering from a gunshot
wound and was unconscious, but it was
said by the police to have been the man
at whom Detective Reilly fired. He was
hurried to the operating table. but died
without regaining consciousness at II :35
o'clock. Later the police arrested
Butler.
Close In on Men.
When Detective Reilly fired at the
man trying to get into the door of the
fur company's basement Detectives
Hoffman. Moriarty. Foray, Daley and
Schauss closed in on six men who had
got out OF an automobile few, mo-
mcnts Lefore and who were posted at
Twenty-ninth street and Sixth avenue
as lookouts while the car went up the
street TO the fur company's place.
The men ran. pursued by the detec-
tives. across Fifth avenue and to Madi-
son square. and then UP to Thirty-sec-
ond street, where five Of them were
captured. They gave their names as
Charles Boylan of 454 West Thirty
fourth street, John J. O'Mara of 3e3
West Thirty-sixth street, John Dom
nelly OF AS West Eighteenth street.
John Gaire of 45s West Thirty-fifth
street and Timothy O'Mara of 414 West
Twenty-ninth street.
Lieut.. John j. Stapleton, head OF the
safe and loft squad. said last night that
groups OF his men had been trailing some
of Buffers adherents for severar days
because they suspected some Of, the
crowd or having committed several petty
thefts in the loft district of lower Fifth
and Sixth avenues and neighboring
streets.
Several times the detective haye been
but few blocks behind gang that mas
committed q crime. but the fugitives al
ways managed to get away because they
had a larger and more powerful car
than that used by the police.
TraiIed Several Hours.
Last night Detectives Reilly, Hoffman.
Moriarty. Daley, Foray and Schauss
picked up the movements of certain men
and trailed them for several hours
Finally Butler drove his car into West
street. stopping at the
curb near Sixth avenue. This district
is entirely a loft section. and was vir-
tually deserted. All OF the men excep.
Butler and McArdle. the police say, got
out Of the automobile and stood on the
corner. while Butler drove the car
through Twenty-ninth street and stopped
In front OF the basement occupied by the
Import Fur Company. The detectives
got out of their car also. excepting
Reilly. who drove his car along behind
that of Butler.
heiiiy sdlu tnat McArule peg,rl PICK
ing at the lock OF the fur conipanys
basement door with a jimmy. but set off
the burglar alarm on the outside OF the
building. which began rining. McArdle
became frightened and ran. refusing 10
stop when Reilly shot at him Then
Reilly fired again and the detectives be-
gan to chase the other suspected per-
sons
Police Record of Men.
According TO the police, the criminal
-ecords of the seven men are as follows
Francis McArdle. March, II, 1916. bur-
ylary. suspended sentence April 4. 1916.
,rand larceny and congpiracy no dis |