The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-12
EAST SIDE BANDITS.
Details Of Their Bold Attack
on Mr.. Lafetra.
PRECONCERTED ACTION
Singular Ignorance and Neg
ligence Of the Police.

The bold and successful raid made by east side BAN
djtti Third at the early hour Of half
past nine Monday evening has created the greatest
excitement among Tho residents OF mat section OF tho
city. Everywhere along the line OF tho Second and
Third avenues yesterday the unparalleled outrage
the great subject OF discussion and indignation. All
citizens agree that 1t tho ost bareiaced attack
made a public conveyance in the city Of New
York.
CORRECTED VERSION THE OUTRAGE.
The officials connected With the Third Avenue Rail-
road Company displayed most extraordinary energy
throughout the day IN endcavorng to ferret tho
miscreauts who assaulted and robbed their receiver
Laieta, and, relying solely upon tho efforts oil The
police, at once engaged private detectives who, In
conjunction with several employees OF the road, were
engaged in seeking the least possible where
abQpts OF tho brlgands. Tho police OF the Twenty
third precinct seeing tho activity OF the railroad
pany, also set TO toward the middle OF tho day
in placing three detectives the lookout for the
robbers. These latter detectives easily recog
nizable when they stood ut the corner OF Eighty
ninth street and Second avenue yesterday afternoon
that two gentiemen happening 10 pass by at once
pointed them out as charged with ierrotng out tho
great mystery. reporter Of the HERALD conversei
with the police officials Of tho precinct with The
wounded receiver, with the treasurer and other
poyes OF the road and as the various details como
moro and moro TO light the outrage wears sti
serious aspect than reported In yesterday
counts. The plan evidently concocted carefully
by the robbers, who know exactly the Mr. Lafctra
was to take. TOR tho wagon followed the car Gown
from the Harlem depot and contained only two of tho
! men.
ROBBERS FARES.
The three accom- piices. the assault, took
passage in tho the depot and paid their fare
In the ncighborhood OF Tooth street people 70.
turning from their P1ngstmontag festival accom-
panied by some soldiers OF tho Eleventh regiment,
who n Is SAID side arms entered the car
was filed up. Mr. Latetra had just collected tho
returns Of Of the afternoon the bulk OF
receipts having been taken away earlier In the day.
| He took seat 10 the cornor oil the car the
platform, Keeping book containing the pay
roll Of the employees al that division OF the road
wrap ed in sheet Of light brown paper his lap,
and resting hts satchel containing tho silver the
book, the strap of the satchs being sung
arm. Moving SIN closer up 10 the corner so Us TO
give all room ootanaoo to the numerous passengers,
his attention somewhat directed 10 very hi.ari-
Gus German, who made y great deal OF noise. W milo
looking III that direction toward the centre OF the
he received the nrst blow the lett sdo OF
hoac. simultaneously with the blow some one opened
The front door and called out "Aii right" II
telling the conductor TO go ahead with his car.
Immediately alter n second blow struck, this
time with the muzzle ot pistol Mr. l.aietrl at
CONCEIVED that tho object Of his assailants was rob-
berry. He conductor, chung desperately
TO his satche but blows began 10 fall SO thick on his
w naon nat ra n9 yoon 0s.
ductor. whose name ID Charles Aud, In the front
part OF the car at the time collecting iarea He at
tempted TO mako his way 10 where, Mr.. Lafotra
was already lying nscnsibe, but II was difficult Tor
him 70 get through the crowd, and whsn no reached
there ono fellow pointed pistol ut hun told him
not to Interfere. At Tue sumo moment another fellow
struck him on tho forehead. witnn thirty seconds
after the handful had lett the tho three had
come along as passengers iron Harlcuo Jumped into
tho wagon that had closely followed The and tho
mad fhnfr NJ.
ono OF tno passengers .intcriercd; In Tact only
thuso sitting near Mr.. Lactra were at all
the passengers pleasure seekers under the In
nuence OF beer, tho Impression prcvslsd tnat there
throug hout tho day. Tho soldiers present did not
even s.ir. Some OF them did not know what
going on, while offers, IN this instance considered
discrcton perhaps, rho better part OF lhclr valor
Tno fellow VINO pointed tho pistol at Conductor
Aud. when the latter cndcavorod to the roo
pcrs, Is thus described by him IN his statement IS
made u, tho Twenty third street police station: = Ito
seened about twen!y-eign' years 81 age. Ave ieet
high check boncs, straight nose, email cyes. the
wagon an ordinary vendsrs wagon, with one
horse, which kept behind the all tho way down
IRON the depot. The three men jumped into tho
wagon aitcr the affair was over and drovo CT with
than
As already stated all this occurred on Thru avenue,
between Ninety third aud Nlnety-.ourh Streets al
about halipast nine O'Clock, aud the resJsns Of tho
neighborhood, who were crowdpg In largo Numbers
10 front oil tho drug store, ACKNOWLEDGED that NOT
policeman DO seen IN tho nclghborhood. A
messenger employed Ia tho clerical department
Of ,ns THIRD avenue ,s., Railroad nlns Company
time aud curiosity led him To inquire
into tho csuse o. the excitement, when he found Mr..
Ialetra In the drug store bleeding. or course
NAMED with him, but was OF opin,on that tho police
hal already been notified ana were actively on tho
track Of the robbers. tue wounded
covered consciousness and with tho aid OF tho
sengcr repaired tho station house In East Eighty.
cighih street Sergeant sullivan, who In charge
OF tho dosk at tbs umo, said that II was twenty live
minutes OF eleven O'Clock r NJ. before Mr.. Laietra
made his appearance and told hts story.
.An hour had elapsed since the fearful outrage had
besu com mittcd In VI New Yorks public strcets y
.and the police within stones OF the scene
knew nothing Of the crime, and wcro hrst IN med
his story while bleeding. And this rs what you
newspaper men call the finest police IN tho woridn
rng sERGEASTs SLOW REPORTS
On tins subject tho reporter o the HERALD spoke
Sergeant suilivan yesterday, when The latter said
olcer Moriz, on that posi- was ut the station house
nj mo time having brought ia stray horse and
buggy which hc had found on the avcnac he was
compelled 10 leave his post, wnich extends from
Eghiysixth street to street along both
sides OF the avenue, uncovered for tho time beng
II was during hts abscocc that he al ,'r occurred"
'.Iou say u twontynve minutes TO ten O'Clock
r. NJ. at least when you heard Of How that
no word was sent TO Police Headquarters until near
.weIL" said the sergeant, .'you know II took some
time for MI Laetra 10 make his statement and for
10 wrlto IL out sent wore as soon as coula.n
.How many men have you IN your prccinctYn
sssixty-one officers and men,"
"And nothing was done TO pursue jhc robbers I'll
.'Of course We could do nothing I'LL we knew OF IT,
| TIM CAPTAIN THE rRKcIscr.
The reporter called Captain Robbins
commanding tho precinct. Ito was IN his private
Office.
Can you give any further inform alton about
last nights AFFAIR."" said the reporter
.Ali can say - that The police not 70 blame Tor
~
III dou't mako such an assertion. All desire 10
know IL whether you have any cisw to the robbers -
.No. have not Yes. German piano maker gavo
| some a dcscri ptiun OF the wagon"
"Hc told that 10 inc railroad company, did he not7"
'Ycs; have no other iuf Jrmation. Would DO glad
to give ~ TO youu had, but may gct turner
news to night have talked 10 gre a many pcoplc
but nobody give me anything OF interest a. yet
Wc arc working on tho case as nard AS possible
The Captain tncn explained mat tho Twenty. tai rd
precinct extended IRON seventy lion street
aud IRON Firm TO the las, River and thai thc
precinct was an good order" lie had been tour
| years In command OF the precinct
PRECINCT THIEVES