New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-17
BOLD ROBBERS ON A FERRY
A PASSENGER BEATEN AND HIS WATCH
TAKEN IN SIGHT OF MANY.
BYsrANDERs FRIGHTENED BY THE BoLDNEs1
OF THE CRIME-THREE OF THE GANG OF
FOUR ARRESTED on THIS SIDE
AFTER HARD FIGHT,

AFTER HARD FIGHT.
While the ferryboat Manhattan Beach.
crowded with bicycllsts and Sunday -outng folks
of all sorts. crossing from Long Island City
to East Th!rty-fourth-st at little after
o'clock last night, a quartet OF ruffians held
up and seriously injured one Of the pessen-
gers The crime occurred the forward
part OF the boat. and was witnessed by hundreds
OF people. who. on account Of the desperate char'
acter OF the robbers were afraid to interfere.
Almost a panic followed the robbery and murder
attack and the shouts Of the scared passen.
gers attracted the attention OF the police on
shors Three bluecoats responded to the alarm
ard Jumped aboard the Manhattan Beach as she
was coming into the slip. Then fierce fight took
place between the police and the thieves. who
were endeavoring to escape with a gold watch
which they had stolen. II not until re-
volvers drawn that three Of the robbers
surrendered. The fourth man. however managed
TO get away. but detectives expect to capture
him before morning. The victim Of the thieyins
onslaught. Frank Hoffman. is now patient
at Bellevue Hospital. suffering from contusions
of tie body. with dozen cuts on
his head and one Of his eyes completely closed
He is twenty-eight years DID, the driver OF
butchers cart and lives at No. 33l East Forty
sxth-st
HOW THE ATTACK WAS STARTED.
Hoffman and two companions, named Charles
Kramer and Adoph Siegel, yesterday went on
an outing to North Beach. Long Island. The
trio on their way home boarded the Manhattan
Beach on its o'clock trip across the East River
from Long Island City. The ferryboat was
crowded with other passengers. and Hoffman
and his companions stood on the forward deck
with hundreds Of others also returning from
days outing. AS the Manhattan Beach was ap-
preaching this side Of the river, four rough
looking young men, who had been acting queerly
on the way over, suddenly attacked Hoffman
and attempted to steal the drivers gold watcn
from his waistcoat pocket. He made an elort
to save his timepiece, and this apparently an
gered the thieves. Then the cowardly and des-
perate assault followed. While one OF the rob-
bers who gives his name as James Carney. but
refuses to tell where he lives. was taking the
watch from Hoffmans pocket, confederate
describing himself as James Fagan, Of No. II
Rutgers-st choked the driver in the style OF
professional stranger. After the robbery had
been accomplished, third man, and the most
desperate member Of the gang. threw Holman
to the deck Of the boat and kicked him ABOUT
the face head and body until he became !nsensi-
BILE.
Neither Kramer nor Siegel nor any of the other
nassengers or the crew of the ferry boat attempted
TO interfere to save Hoffman. They all seemed
TO be thoroughly frightened at the crime whlcA
| they had witnessed Still they set up the cry OF
| Murder. watch. police while Carney fasah
| and Jeremiah Reardon, the fellow VINO hao last
| attacked Hoffman. kept lodging in the excite
nnent from one part Of the beat 10 another. Inc
| fourth member OF the gang had not taken any
active part in the assault and robbery, put ia'er
on he was seen erdeavoring to take the "a'e"
which Carney had stolen.
POLICEMEN CALLED TO THE BOAT.
The shouting and excitement on the Manhat-
tan Beach attracted the attention OF Acting
Roundsman McHugh. who was on duty at the
Thirty-fourth-st ferry-house. He realized that
n crime Of some sort had been committed on the
trim over and blew his whistle for help. and
Policemen Miller and Sick responded; Mehugh
and his associates eaped on the ferrypodt III '"e
slim before the gates were opened. ana IN a
| twinkng learned that HOFFMAN, VINO was
stretched on the deck, had been ropDed anu
beaten The boat was not run up 70 the laiiu-
| ne-stage and this allowed the policemen 70
| make hunt for the robbers. McHugh caught
| Carney after a chase about the vessel, put tne
| rohber did not surrender untll re!oIssr ~as ~
| nointed at his head. Fagan was captured after
| a fight by Policeman Miller, and Reafdon, altsr
| an exciting struggle. surrendered to SICK HoI-
| mans stolen timepiece was found IN army =
| hand and then a passenger sald that ne hau
| seen the prisoner attempt to pass the watcn 10
the fourth member Of the gang, VINO succeedeo
| in getting away l., 49,. r,
| rhirtv-Afth-st station. Carney gave his age as
! twenty-one. Fagan said he was nineteen, and
! Re,rdon described himself as being twenty ana
gave his address as No. 151 East Ninety-sev-
| entbst The police believe that the trio In GUS
| tcdv ere desperate young criminals, and VIII
| endeayor to have them identified. The names
and addresses given by the prisoners are prob
| ably fictitious. A.. -.
After the arrests had been made, the boat
| made its landing, and Hoffman was removed 10
I,oua,,,a Uosnital for surgical treatment He Is
badly hurt.