New-York tribune., 1922-03-27
Two Said to
Admit Capitol
Theater Holdup
Taken With Three Others
in Raid by Newark Police.
Prisoners Have Confessed
$4,000 Job. Police Say
Negro Planned Robbery
Suspect Arrested i'll killing
ofCrocery Store Manager;
Alleged Accomplice Held

Five men, two Of whom, the police
say, confessed participation in the
$4,000 Capitol Theater holdup on
December ls. 1921, were arrested last
night in spectacular raid by Chief Of
Police James NJ. McReel and twelve
motorcycle patrolmcn of the Newark,
\. J., police department.
The raiders made quick run from
police headquarters TO a house al 2l0
North Tenth Street, which had been
watched during the last ten days. 1t
was surrounded and Chief McReel. with
two patrolmen, entered. Five men
found inside were captured. Four
VINO were playing cards when the door
of the room they occupied was kicked
in tried to escape BY the windows, but
were seized as they emerged.
The fifth prisoner, Timothy Donovan,
OF $50 West Fifty-third Street, Man
haitian. was found hiding in closet
was found to be armed. All were taken
to police headquarters and questioned.
Planned BY Negro Employee
According TO & police statement,
Thomas +. Donovan. a brother Of
Timothy. and one Of the men under ar
rest. confessed having aided in the
Capitol Theater robbery. lie said the
rob berry had been planned by d negro
Employee, since arrested, but that he
did not know the names Of those who
had been associated with him in the
crlme.
Later questioning of Thomas J.
Buckley, another Of the prisoners, the
police say, resulted in statement also
being made by him confessing partici-
patton in the hold-up. He is alleged
to have said his companions in the
actual robbery were Thomas Donovan,
man named Whiteman and a negro.
The robbery was planned, Buckley said,
IN poolroom IN West Fifty-third
Street
Acc riding to Buckley's alleged state
ment, all those involved in the robbery
visited the theater the night before it
was robbed They watched the auditor
as he left the boxoffice with the nights
receipts and walked twenty feet to the
elevator, which he took TO his Office
CT an upper floor.
Traied Auditor to Office
On the night Of the robbery, Buck
ley say, he drove taXicab to within
block Of the theater, where the negro
handed him revolver. The gang
waited until the auditor was seen to
Leave for the elevator with = girl
secretary and negro porter carrying
tickets.
The robbers then mounted the stair
way, opened the door Of the auditors
oidce and ordered those present to
stard against wall Thomas Dono-
yan seized vaise containing the
money. They escaped by way Of q
window ard fire escape The police
say Buckley took his companions 70
is home. The negro was given $500
and the otner three split $500 be
tween them each receiving $2,T00.
When the men were arrested Thomas
Donovan mad 60 cents and Buckley 50.
1t WAS announced late last night that
Detectives Clarence Daley and Thomas
Clarity, or West Forty-seventh Street
police 81 alton had positively identified
40 Of the men under arrest as among
trose wanted for the theater robbery.
Application for extraditiou Of all the
prisoners was sent TO Albany last
night.
Held for Killing Grocer
Percy Denehan, thirty-one years old.
oy 229 East Forty-third Street, was ar