New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-16
PRICE THREE CENTS.
BOLD DIAMOND ROBBERY,
SMASHING PLATE.GLAss TO STEAL JEWELS
THREE THIEVES FAsTEN STORE DOOR AND
SEIZE BOOTY WORTH si,5oo-AFTER

THIEVES EASIEN A STORE DOOH AND
SEIZE BOOTY WORTH sl,5oo-AFrER
HOT PURSUIT THEY ESCAPE.
daring and successful diamond robbery was
committed last evening at Fifty-eighth-st. and
Third-ave. in the presence of at least forty or
fifty people The burglars escaped with diamonds
and Jewels worth 81 800, after locking the door,
imprisoning the proprietors of the store and the
Clerks smashing the big plate-glass window and
shooting at the crowd that started in pursuit.
On the southwest corner of Third-ave. and Fifty.
eighth-St. is large double store occupied by
Lambert Brothers, jewellers. For weeks they
have displayed valuable jewels in their windows.
As early as o'clock last night the clerks noticed
three suSpIcious-looking men standing at the cor
ner Several times the men examined the show
of diamonds III the window, always walking back
again to their post. and those in the store paid
no particular attention to them. About S:l6
o'clock the store was well filed with people
Samuel Lambert, one of the owners was talk
ing TO friend, hardly five feet away from the
entrance Of the store, one of the doors of which
was partly open. One Of the three men standing
in the street suddenly walked rapidly toward
the store, as if TO enter It,. Instead of doing
this, however, he suddenly closed the door, and
running a short, thick piece OF wood through
the handle, prevented those in the store from
opening the door one of his companions drew a
short iron bar from his pocket smashed it through
the big plate-glass window, and all three men
seized upon the jewels before them.
Thrd-ave., always well thrOnged here,
crowded at the time, and within radius of 90
feet OF the burglars there were at least fifty
people, all Of whom saw tine daring act. No one
moved. The burglars separated Just as one of the
clerks broke open the door. Followed by
yelling crowd the thieves through Fifty
eiehth.st, one going east and the other TWO west.
The crowd ran for the latter rob
bers, and foremost among the pursuers
was Samuel Lambert one Of the proprietors of the
store The TWO men ran like deer, but Mr. Lam
bert was also fleet of foot, and at LeXington-ave.
was hardly fifty feet behind the thieves. One OF
them turned, and drawing a pistol, fired at Mr..
Lambert Mr. Lambert stopped for a second.
frightened at his narrow escape, and when hd
again took up the chase the thieves were far in
advance, and at SiXth-ave were lost completely.
During all this time not a policeman was seen.
No one pursued the third thief and he also sue
ceeded in getting away.
An examination Of the show-window showed
that the iron bar coupling pin used on
freight cars, and had to certain extent defeated
the purpose Of the thieves. The most valuable dia
moands in the wndOw hung from little shetland
this hit by the iron and its contents were scat
tered. Mr.. Lambert, after a short examination,
estimated his loss in diamonds and other precious
stones at 81 800. The police said that they
would have all concerned III the robbery under
arrest before morning.