Jersey Journal/1881/Four Burglars. Trial Of The Men Who Worked Bayonne

Four Burglars.

Trial of the Men who "Worked" Bayonne. Rather Strong Presumptive Evidence

In the Court of General Sessions yesterday afternoon the case of the State against Joseph Heins, Jacob Lindauer, Martin Smith and "Butch" Muller, was called. The indictment charged that these men with Fritz Schneider, who has not yet been captured, had broken into the residence of Martin Hubbe, at Bayonne, on January 11th, and stolen clothing and other articles to the value of $175. The men have been in jail for several months, and all looked careworn. When they appeared in court they were accompanied by their counsel, Messrs. Lippencott, Daly and McGrath. Each defendant was entitled to six challenges, and the persistency with which the lawyers challenged juror after juror, made it appear as though their effort was to exhaust the panel, but it transpired that they were merely picking the men on whom they thought they might rely, a fact not very complimentary to the twelve men who were chosen. In opening the case Mr. McGill said that at the time of the robbery at Mr. Hubbe's there had been many burglarious operations in New Jersey, and the police, in looking for other goods, found a place kept by Lindauer at 141 Mott street, where a large portion of the goods stolen from Hubbe's were found. Some of the good were found on the persons of the prisoners. The case is one of presumptive evidence, it being accepted that a person leaving stolen goods must be the thief. The following evidence was taken during the afternoon: Martin Hubbe, Jr., sworn: Reside on Huron avenue, Bayonne; in January last lived in Bay View place; my father is now in Charleston, South Carolina, but was at home at that time; our house was broken into between the night of January 10th and the morning of the 11th; the sash of the front window was cut and the catch was pushed aside; the articles taken were seven overcoats, half a dozen silver spoons, an album, the coats were worth $60. the album $8, the spoons $9; there was also a silver mug, a pair of gold spectacles, a butter knife, a pickle fork, a spoon, a table cloth, and half a dozen napkin rings. Cross-examined — My father recovered his three overcoats. Henry C. Keenan sworn - Am a detective on the Jersey City police force; on January 10th I went to the Courtland street ferry about 7 o'clock in the evening with detectives Bowe, Dalton and Doyle, and a man named Fred Lindauer, and waited there until 11 o'clock; then went to the Pavonia ferry, but saw none of the men were expected; on the 11th went to New York, about noon; went to Green's pawn shop in the Bowery, and asked to see some goods; saw a music box, and identified it as the property of Mrs. Barr; on the 13th of January went again to New York with Detective Bowe; went to the Fourteenth Precinct station house; got two officers to go with us; went to 141 Mott street, about half-past eight in the evening, and passed the house on the opposite side of the street; returned, and when in front of the house saw that the light had been turned down; stayed there until 11 o'clock; went to the Bowery and got the other officers; came back to the house and went in; went up stairs; Detective Moran knocked at the door on the second floor; it was opened by Jacob Lindauer; we pushed the door and went in; there was a man lying on the sofa; it was the defendant Smith; there was one lying on the floor; it was Heins. Lindauer's wife came out of a bedroom; we put the men under arrest and took them to the station house; Brennan and I remained at the house, and when the other officers returned, we searched the house and found several articles supposed to be stolen; there was a satchel containing several tools, knives, keys and candles; there was an overcoat, which was afterward identified by a Mr. Gier; found about fifty pawn tickets in the house and on the premises; one of the latter was for a coat, which was identified by Mr. Hubbe; we also found some silverware, and some melted-up silver. Cross-examined — There were two rooms occupied by Mr. Lindauer; the melted silver was in a closet in the front room; it was in a bowl; Frederick Lindauer, the brother of Jacob, went to the house with us, but did not go in. I had been in front of the house once before, and then accompanied by Fred Lindauer. The case will be continued today.