New Britain Herald Newspaper, November 26, 1926, Page 16

“BUM” RODGERS, NOTED CRIMINAL AND PUPIL OF GERALD CHAPMAN, CAUGHT | Accused Gangster ‘ tured by Squad of Po- lice Who Trailed His| Wife and Found Where | He Was Hiding—Denies Any Part in Recent | Crimes. | New York, Nov. 26 UP—John J. Rodgers, nicknamed “The Bum" be- cause of his unkempt appearance, one of New York's most notorious criminals, was behind the bars again looking more of a bum than ver before in spite of huge sums he is alleged to have stolen since a spectacular escape last D while on the way to Sing Sing Rodgers was captured with shot fired by a score of police, with shotguns and tear gas surrounded his dingy tenement room on the upper East Stde just five min- utes before an alarm clock rang to warn him to get up to catch a train on which he planned to leave town. Police trailed him by shadowing his wife. Was Surprised Rodgers 80 completely sur- prised that his wrists were manacled before he could reach for a loaded pistol near at hand He denied at polics headquarters he had taken part In recent robberles with which his name has heen lin A search of his pockets disclosed only a penny and a button. No money or stolen goods were found in his room. “If T had all the money they said Cap- |1 made,” Rodgers remarked bitterly, | “I'd be a rich man.” Rodgers denies that he had concerned in any crime since escape last December. He said he had never left Manhattan or the Bronx and that for the last six weeks been his he had not been out of the room | where he was captured. Denies All Knowledge He insisted he had no part in the robbery of a-mail truck at Elizabeth, N. J. in which James “Killer” Cunniffe was the ringleader, nor in an attempted air mail robbery near New Brunswick, N. J. in which Frank Kearney and his young son were brutally murdered. Cunniffe was recently in Detroit in a quarrel division of stolen imitted to the s friendly with 1924, when the her convict, escaped but d that broke aw from ing from « prison hers, soon after he Cunniffe whom he distrusted as b 100 “gabby”. Rodgers confinement til he weighed only compared with 143 por escaped. He had grown ustache to aid him in his than Friend of Chapman a tall man w One ¢ d wasted away in the { a tenement room un- 110 pounds ds when he He looked 88 ¥ so mu cars as to he seare He is e face makes couted s Chapman, later ex- ndlt, was his mora prison a s 1y sehoolmaster in Da “T have been living in the dirost | | hiding place. {nection NEW BRITAIN DAILY HERALD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1926. poverty,” have any money. 1 lived because I eaid Rodgers, “I amnwiBflY ["ES UN[IER | got money from folks who could il | afford to give it to me." Denies He's Dope Fiend Rodgers resented with bittterness 1 charge that he is a dope fiend and striped off his shirt, challenging the police to find any needle marks on him. There were none. The capture of Rodgers was the result of a constant close police watch on his wife and friends. Wed- nesday night, detectives noted Rodg- ers' wife in a taxi-cab with a man known as a gangster. They ques- tioned them and let them go and shadowed them. The ruse had been employed before without success, An intercepted messenger was questioned and disclosed Rodgers’ Next morning a score and more of police surrounded it. Always a Gangster Rodgers born 32 years ago in Harlem and as a child entered into the gang life of the streets. Before he was 12 he had been twice sen- tenced as incorrigible and in his early twenties he led as tough a gang of rowdies as ever was known in New York. He served a reduced term in Sing Sing and later was sent back for 14 years on a robbery con- Gov. Smith released him on parole but twice he was sent kack for violation of parole though had to stay long in prison. Escaped Year Ago A year ago last June, Rodgers was convicted of an assault and se tenced again to Sing Sing. He faced rs in cumulated sentences when e was started back to Sing Sing in custody of an elderly guard. As the in reached the 125th street sta- two men in an adjoining sea cked the keeper senseless with an iron bar and Rodgers escaped with them. READ HERAUD CLASS| " WHEELS OF TRUCK \Hartford Driver Held in $1,000 Bond for Hearing | L | Held in bonds of $1,000, Thomas F. Rigney, 21, of 86 Vernon street, | Hartford, is awaiting a hearing in the New Hritain police court on De cember 1, on » charge of criminal {negligence, after a delivery truck operated by him ran over and killed Joseph Setear, ", »f 15 Star street Wednesda, afternoon at about 4:30 o'clock. Rigney is a licensed driver but at the time of the accident, he did not have his license with him. The truck was owned by the L Beckerman Wholesale Fruit and Produce company of Hartford, and Rigney, in company with Murray Beckerman, 22, son of the owner of the truck, had driven into an alley way at 20 Star street to make a de- livery of potatoes to Mrs. Mary Ogantas who resldes in the rear of 20 Star street, According to Rigney's statement to the police the delivery of the po- tatoes had been completed and he followed Beckerman from the house, the latter standing on the running hoard to direct the driver as he backed out of the driveway. Rig- said that he had moved bac ward but a few feet when he heard | the screams of the child and brought the machine to a stop. Beckerman picked from underneath the right wheel. Rigney stated that he was positive that the youngster was not near the machine when he and Beckerman left the house. He said it might have been possible that the | child crawled heneath the machine | while they were in the place and up the child | front | he came from under the machine. The me drove to the corner of Main and East Main streets, where they told Policeman Michael Massey that the child had been struck. They took the youngster to New Britain |General hospital, where it was found |that he was dear. Medical Examiner John B. Purney, upon viewing the body, stated that death had been al- ~|most instantaneous. Rigney and Beckerman were tak. len to police headquarters, where [they were questioned by Detective geant W. P. McCue, after which {Rigney was released in bonds of 181,000, charged with criminal negli- gence and wi 't driving without a license on his person. In police court yesterday: morn- ing he pleaded not gujlty to the charge of criminal negligence. In Judge B. W Alling continued the {case untii December 1, when he will lappear again, He has secured At- torney David L. Dunn to represent him. George F. Glossop of 183 Wilcox street, charged with reckless driving. lorder that he might secure counsel, | court yesterday morning. A contin- uance until tomorrow morning was granted by Judge Alling in the case of Francis P. McGauley of 1564 Stanley ctreet, charged with reck- less driving. * Willlam Ryan of 104 Belden street pleaded not guilty to a charge of non-support and ‘vas granted a con- tinuance until November 27. The case .f Patrick McGuire of 206 McClintock road, charged with {assault upon his wife at their home Wednesday night, was continued un- ;lil December 31. The probation offi- cer will look after the case until |that time. {Mrs. Larson Gets $832 From Estate of Sister (Special to the Herald.) New York, Nov. 26—Mrs, Frida Larson of 15 Trinity street, New Britain, Conn., receives the entire estate of her late sister, Hilding | Hanson, whose will was filed for ‘prohate here today. Mrs Hanson | died October 10 and left an es- |tate that is listed at $832. Heleng Doane, a student at the New Jersey State College .for Wo- men at New Brunswick, is spending the ho|ldays_ with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Royal B. Doane of Fred- erick street. The annual Thanksgiving dona- tion of the Woman’s club of Maple Hill to the Newington Home for | Crippled Children and to New Brit- |ain General hospital were made Wednesday. Mrs. G. K. Spring and Mrs. Frederick Teich brought the donation to the home, which con- sister of about a bushel of apples, | several dozen oranges, 22 tumblers of jelly and 38 jars of fruit. Mrs. A. 8. Grant brought a very fine do- nation to the hospital of apples, or- anges, canned fruits and jellies. All schools in town are closed for | | the day. i est, | relations and prohibition will | discussed. Richard Erwin, Jr., son of Mr. and was caught underncath the wheel as (was fined 325 and costs in police NEMNGTON NEWS Mrs. Richard H. Erwin, is home from Troy Conference academy at Poultney, Vt, for a few days. Mr. apd Mrs. Clarence Hosford entertained yesterday Mr. and Mrs. Mills of Canton and Mr. and Mrs. F. Hart of Plainville. Mr. and Mrs. 8. D. Carpenter of | Plainville spent the day yesterday with Mrs. Nellle Eddy. CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING Washington, Nov. 26 (A—The executive committee of the federal council of churches will Minnea olls on December 8, 9 and 10 as guests of council of churches, {t was anpounc~ |ed today by the Rev. Samuel Mc< Rea Cavert, meet at the Minneapolis general secretary. Many questions of church inter- such as evangelism, religious be | READ HERALD OCLASSIFIED ADS FOR YOUR WANTS Mail Orders Filled Free Telephone Men’s Neckweai G.Fox & Co.lnc - HARTFORD Service to this Store—Call 3500. Use Your Phone to Buy Your Christmas Presents. eckwear for Phone Orders Filled [ FOR YOUR WANTS Christmas M. P. LEGHORN’S Going Out of Business Sale First & Floor BUY YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS NOW! Special! 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