New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-02
DECOYED AND ROBBED.
A PHYSICIAN AND AN ACTOR THE VlCs
TINS OF BOLD THIEVES.

LURED TO PRIVATE ROOM AND THEN Az
TAcKED-ARREsr OF THE CRIMINALS.
Detective Hugh Quinn, Of the East Twenty
second-st station, arrsigned two wel-dresseo
young men in Yorkvi.le Court yesterday on
charges Of grand larceny and robbery. The pris-
oners described themselves as Harry Leonard,
twenty years old. Of No. 252 West Thirty-sixth-
ST. an actor and William Clark twenty-ons
years of No. 527 Hudson-st, a bartender.
On Monday evening last, at about $3.50 O'clock
Dr. Lawrence Coffin, OF NJ. 473 Bedford-aves
Brooklyn, entered the East Twenty-second-st.
station In a state Of intense excitement and said
he had been robbed. He had dined at SIXTH
ave- restaurant at abou. O'clock and on paying
his bill placed his money, two 30 DIS ana - ~
In change in hip pocket Tnen ne sauhteIeo
down Sixth-ave. He had not proceeded far wnen
a well-appearing young man accosted nlni repr~
senting himself as a former patient or the doc
tor. The latter did not recall MN, out .nousms
he must have forgotten him. when the young
man mentioned the names or some persons
whom the doctor did know. Therefore ne waiKeo
and talked with him for short distance. .,d thu
Come up to my room, it's close by. SAID the
young fellow after a little, and the doctor went.
He was taken to a comfortably furnished room
on the second floor, rear OF No. l4' East i"shty-
second-st DR.. Coffin mad scarcely sat down
when the outer door flew open, and in rusned .
strange young man, who snatched the Doctors
gold watch from the pocket Of his negligee shlrt
and twisted OH CHILL ~ LINN
forward to rescue his property, and as he ala 50
he felt a hand in his hip pocket, where nis
money was. He turned half around. wnen ne
was seized on both sides and hustled INTO =
corner. After a brief struggle the men threw
the doctor off and darted out OF the ROOM
DR. Coffin FASTENED to the street, but the men
were not to be SEEN He then went TO the ponce
station. o,. 40
Soon after the doctors visit George Crater. an
actor twenty-eight years old, OF No. 90 west
Twenty-first-st., hurriedly entered the station
and related an almost parallel story 10 the uoc
tors He had been met at Fourth-aVe. anu
TVenty-second-st. few minutes before py -
young man who. as feilow ACTOR, prolesseu ~ "
know him and nveigled him to his room on the
pretense of showing him form OF contract OF q
theatrical company. Crater was attacked Dy d
newcomer as the doctor had been, and then the
two men ran out and left him. He found mat ne
had heen robbed of upward OF 500 in cash ana
negotiable paper, together with ms professionals
sorvice contract Crater chased after the men,
but they had made good their escape.
Cantain Smith al once put detectives at work.
The house No. 147 East Twenty-secondst, only
two blocks from the station-house Is leased oy
Mrs Rose Free who let's rooms to lodgers She
said that Leonard and Clark hired room on
TuIv "a for one week. that they were In and out at
all hours, but she knew nothing as TO their ous.
ness The place WAS put under surveillance, pus
Il was not until Wednesday evening that the
Young fellows were to enter. Detectives
Immediately swarmed around, and the men, "ho
were met In the hallway. were taken into CUSTODY.
They put on a bold front at first. but finaiiy
weakened and gave information that led 10 inc
finding OF the property lost by the compiainants
in Third-ave. pawnshops. Inc money oi cur ses
could not be identified
When the men arragned before Nasls'
trate Simms yesterday they were committed IN
81. 500 bail each to answer