The Crittenden Automotive Library

SOLD CARS HE STOLE, THEN STOLE THEM AGAIN

Publication: The New York Times
Date: 10 December 1921

Philadelphia Prisoner Tells in Raleigh Court How He Robbed Alleged Accomplice.

Special to The New York Times.

RALEIGH, N. C., Dec. 9.—Harry Craig of Philadelphia and William J. Nolan of New York, testifying in the Federal Court here today against C. J. Kelly of Sanford, N.C.; A. W. Hoffman of the New York auto squad, and George Scott, Detective Sargeant of the New York police, indicted on charges of illegal traffic in automobiles, accounted for more than fifty machines alleged to have been stolen and disposed of through the defendants.

Nolan was brough here by habeas corpus this morning to supplement the testimony of Craig yesterday and to-day. Nolan, who is serving two sentences in Clinton Prison for grand larceny, testified that he had stolen fourteen machines and handled them through Hoffman.

Craig declared that he had delivered thirty-five machines to the North Carolina man.

Hoffman, who was a Major in the army, testified that he dealt in automobiles with Scott, and that when Scott warned Hoffman that these machines were stolen Hoffman paid Scott hush money in installments aggregating $500, one check for $100 being produced. Until Scott frightened him he said he thought the business was legitimate.

Craig convulsed the court. He ran the automobile line between New York and North Carolina and delivered cars direct to Kelly, he said. The North Carolinian told him to beware of North Carolina cars, they were too well marked, but the Philadelphian said he not only stole cars from North Carolinians, he stole one car in New York, sold it to Kelly in North Carolina, then stole it from Kelly. Becoming a little suspicious, he said he abandoned this car in a Raleigh garage, caught the number of another automobile as he ran out, went into the leading hotel of the city, called up the garage and ordered the car whose number he had taken and drove it off to Sanford, where he sold it to Kelly.

This ruse, he said, came to him as an inspiration, the garage owner having told him that the car in which Craig drove up was reported stolen.

Scott has not taken the stand, as the Government has not concluded its case, but the defense will introduce him as witness.