The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-24
VOL. XLYI.--N0. 2G6.
THIS DONE IN BROADWAY |!
A TTRY BUST NAN ASSAULTED AND
ROBBED THTLE 4 ! ms DESK.

Broadway office OF the White Sewing Machine
Company. in broad daylight and in business
hours. The Office Of the sales agent. Mr.. John
Woodruff. is on the first floor OF the two-story
building. 233 broadway. Tho structure is n
narrow one. extending over 100 ieet back from
The street and is divided of into Offices for law
yers and other professional men. Mr.. Wood
rulf's Office is n good-sizcd apartment occupy
Ing the front OF the first floor on Broadway. and
opening out on to a large. square landing light
cd from above The adjoining Offices are rented
by professional men and others. several Of
whom are personal friends of Mr.. White. and
all Of whom know him by sight.
At few minutes before o'clock yesterday
afternoon Mr.. Woodruff sat writing at his desk.
which occupies sort ot angle in the northeast
corner OF the wall and ia partially screened
from the view Of those passing the door. Around
the walls Of the room were ranged rows OF sew
ing machines ready for shipment, and on tho
south side piled almost TO tho ceiling were
wooden boxes used by tho company in packing
and shipping their goods. On one of the lower
boxes a little apart from the others was a brand
new hand axe. with red label on the handle.
which had been used In the work OF packing.
Mr. Allen. one OF the company's employees.
who left tho room shortly before o'clock. no.
ticed the hand axe lying on the box. and thought
Of putting 1t away in the closet or in a drawer.
but Tor some reason ncGlecteu 10 40 so.
Mr. Allen had been gone only few minutes.
and Mr. Woodruff was busy with his writing
when he heard. MS he afterward said, football
on the carpet behind him. He turned. he says.
and saw two men, strangers who had entered
and softly closed the door behind them. Before
he had time TO rise say anything. the taller OF
the two sprnng forward and caught him by the
throat choking him so that he wus unable to
scream. The man raised his fist and beat him
over the head and face. while the second
grasped him by the other arm and shoulder
aud held him down on the chair. The chair
was o circular one moving upon pivot. which
had been broken a day or two before. Mr.
Woodruff. in his struggles. twisted the chair
and the iron work. making a creaking noise
which might have been heard outside the door
by person passing. 1t appeared to alarm the
robbers. for the taller OF them letting go his
hold for an instant. picked up the hand axe
which lay on the box few feet off, and struck
Mr.. Woodruff a slanting blow across the head
with it. The ruffians were careful not to use
the blade. which would easily have penetrated
the skull their idea evidently being TO merely
stun their victim while they robbed him. Mr..
Woodruff fell to the floor the blood running down
his face from a cut on the back Of the head. and
the robbers finished their work at their leisure.
They rned his pockets. taking his pocketbook.
and papers and rummaGed several Of the
drawers Of the desk. in hope OF finding more.
but without success. They then left. taking
care TO close the catch-lock Of the door behind
them, so that an outsider would have some
trouble in getting in. The footpads evidently
timed their visit 70 a nicetY. and II is sur
missed that they had third person on the out
side ready 10 give the alarm IA case Mr.. Alien
going on IN the front room persons were con-
stantly passing ana repasslng on the stairs; ana
the doors oi one or two offices al the back oil the
MT. Alien Ho% was M'Ts TssoB about twenty minutes.
He was surprised on his return 10 find the door
locked, and ratified and thnmpsed away at Il
until he began 10 think Mr.. Woodruff had
locked up and gone home. AT the last moment
he heard footsteps within and then sudden
noise ne Of some one falling against the door.
The lock was drawn back slowly. and be started
back in dismay at tho sight OF Mr.. " oodrun.
his face and hair cotted with blood and his
countenance pale as that of corpse. Allen
braced himself up and put out his arms 10 keep
Woodruff from falling. The latters first words
-" MY Cod John. I'm killedv Allen assisted
his friend into a chair and then hurried 10 the
office OF Dr. James on tho same hoor for AS
sistance Mrs sisson and her husband. who
was sitting in one Of the rear Offices. came up
and volunteered their services, While Mr..
Alien hurried out to get a policeman. Mr..
what he could toward relieving Mr. Woodruff,
Mr., Kinne said TO the sUN reporter: '' found
Mr.. Woodruff seated in chair near the Office
door his face bent downward and the blood
dripping from long thin cut on the right side
o. llls heal az lnf nack. ihere WIS ais2 nlg
bruise or confusion running parallel with the
cut bod was nearly four SSa, inches long
a powerful blow. The axe lay under one OF the
mnchines against the north wall OF the room
about five feet away. There was both hair and
BLADE. % On washing Dir. Wo5odrufr's head and
cutting his hair found that the axe had car
ried of u small portion Of the hair as sharply as
though i had been cut away directly with the
blade. He appeared greatly stunned AZ first.
and could with difficulty be Induced TO say any;
n hn fWn mi Ind
come Into the room unawares, crept up behind
him. choked him about the neck. and struck
unconscous and did not recover until he heard
Mr.. Allen Knocking a the door
Sergeant Gay Of the Broadway squad. with
Patrolman Leddy and one or two other police
men. arrived on the scene "A few minutes later
How much money did you have 2" asked the
Mr, Woodruf's head was still suffering from
the blow. He sat on the chair, with his head in
his hand. and great pain depicted on his coun-
tenance. he had apparently hardly recovered
from the effect of the bow and had some diff
Guilty IN answering. He felt in his pockets and
~ bad slOO had it in my pocketbook in
my left pocket. here tfeelingL
What did the men look uke2'
One was tall That was the one that caught
me the neck first and choked me. He had
n black slouch hat on. II WAS n good-sized
man. about my height. The other was shorter.
He wore faded cap, That was all | noticed"
Had you been drinking lately"
Mr.. Woodruff, somewhat surprised. said
quietly that tnat be had had glass OF ale that
morning Nuk lIhl WIS Al ne lollfe con-
tnued their inquiries trying to suggest some
solution TO the mystery. They appeared re-
luctaut to heieYr that a robbery could have
been committed. and the Sergeant in a whis-
per. cautioned Mr. Woodruff and Mr.. Slsson
not 10 talk about the affair.
BY this time a grout crowd had gathered at
the door Of 233, blocking up the sidewalk and
street, and muh ing II extremely difficult for the
ambulance which had been telegraphed for
from Chambers Street Hospital to drive up Dr.
George Il. Moore. tho ambulance surgeon who
arrived few minutes later. examined Mr..
Woodruff carefully lie also questioned the
patient the latter telling the same story that he
had told 10 the police sergeant. Mr.. Woodruff
seemed weared by the repeated cross -ques-
tonng. ana manifested some Impotence ~
the crowd Of police, doctors. reporters. and
Spectators who had elbowed their way into his
Office. He descended the stairs, his head bound
up and leaning on the arm Of Mr.. Sisson. When
De- saw tho dcnse crowd and ambulance drawn
up tp receive him. he cried.
Pm not going in that old dead cart. Take 1t
away"
Accompanied by Mr. Ssson and one or two
friends, the wounded man walked around 70
the hospital in Chambers street. whore his
bruises were dressed q second time. He then
drove AWAY.
Or. Moore the surgeon, says the injuries are
WOiDd. There was a confusion Of the paTietal
eminence on the right side The bump was a
large one and implied blow Of some force; II