The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-20
"a with the mask was playftully whaling 2


man with the mask was p~layfully w~igslins
bic, revolver under the nose OF Messerschmid
and advising him to fork over in a hurry a
there was no time to spare. Messerschmid
was game, however. He not only declined 4
fork over. but he reached for his own gun AM
might have got II and done some damage, bu
Tor the fact that Filters" hit him a blow with tn
butt end of the revolver and knocked him down
The hoy Aengle had meanwhile been thrown
out Of the buggy, and told to stay whore h
shot dead. When Filters" knocked his MAJ
down. Farrell sprang into the buggy and throw.
Ing the blankets right and left succeeded IL
getting At the hidden money. Like a fash h,
gave "A signal and Goodie and Filters" both
spranc bach, into the wagon. Filters grabbed
that II fell out OF his hand into the bottom Of
the buggy, and he didn't stop to recover it
Goodie WHIPPED ", the big bay and before
wagon with the thieves was a half block away,
1t didn't take 30 long for all this to happen
as takes to tell IL. The thieves had Their
work all planned and they did 1t SO systematic.
ally that few people on the street were aware
that Il crime was being committed Mes-er-
schmidt set up q great cutlery as the thieves
rode away and then began TO laugh as il dawned
on him how utterly impossible 1t was for, the
thieves TO get, away in their heavy wagon 80
long a. he had a light buggy and a good horse
70 IND pursue nr msr them he with LIE didn't snow what
A. he grabbed up the reins, he hit his horse with
the whip and the animal dnrted forward. The
driver tried 70 pull him in and almost fell back
patlng pursuit. had cut the reins and the horse
was now running away, Messerschmld was
stu game. however. and jumping from the
As he approached u. three shot were fired
In rapid succession by one of the thieves. II
was impossible 70 tell which man fred the shot.
az Farrell and Filters" were lying in the bot
tom OF the wagon, 1t was one Of these men.
however, who fired the shots. Messerschmidt
dropped to the sidewalk to avoid any more
around a corner and disappeared, That was
the last seen Of the thieves by the bookkeeper.
When he renewed the chase, the wagon was
sighted and had lost his glasses in the scufle.
he was unable TO pick it out.
This bold robbery created a tremendous
made every effort 10 find the men who had done
the job. Nesser, chmidt remembered the IL
cenSe number on the wagon. but when the
wagon entitled to this numb was found it
thieves, And 50 the three men escaped with
their plumber. although for weeks police and
amateur detectives, spurred on by the promises
OF reward. ransacked every corner Of the city
IN an effort To get some clue TO the men who
had done this bold Job.
Another, big piece Of work done by these
three leaders Of the Mackerelville gang. was
the assault and robbery of Luther Church
on Dec, 81. 1883. This was an almost equalll
bold crime, and in many, WAYS resembled the
robbert Of Mpsserschmidt Mr.. Church was
the superintendent for George Dwight 4 Co.
soda water manufacturers, at First avenue
and 18th street. He had been downtown
on the dav mentioned Ia get money To paw
on the hands AZ the soda water works and
az about noon got of an elevated train a, Sec
ond avenu" and nth street. He had in his
pocket s2,3O in cash. As he went down the
sweeping the stairs. He thought il was the
porter and spoke pleasantly To him a. he passed,
and the man grlmbled something back al
him. As soon as Mr.. Iuther'S back was turned
the man in tlp nlnlUnr irDpHpH ln. Ir,,r,
and hauling n piece Of lead pipe out of his
pocket, crept up behind Mr. Luther and struck
hun a heavy blow on the hack Of the bend with
II. Al the same time another man NJ the foot
81 IN" stairs ran no. and lac and the man in
the Jumuer worked over the unconscious Luz
ther until they found whore he had his money.
A. soon as they got the cash, they ran down
the street and Jumped into a butchers cart
that was standing near the curb about ten
yards away. Th" driver OF this cart whipped
up his horse and before anvbndv who wiz
messed the affair thought Ia stop them. the
thieves were ont Of sight. The driver was
GoOdie, the man who used the lead pire on
Mr.. Church was Filters" and the other man
waS Farrell.
| Unfortunately for the three thieves they
had paved thelr gam" once too often. They
had been under snspicion for several similar
crimes, and two women. who witnessed the
assault ~ Mr.. Luther, gave such accurate
descriptions of the thieves that there wa, no
doubt in the minds Of the police a. 10 who tie
guilty men were. Orders were Is-uad M once
10 arrest them on. s..ht. The three got the
tin in time and fed from the CITY. In less
than three weeks. however. all three we're
in the tolls. Goodie ventured back ITO mi.
CITY thinking that the affair had blown over.
and was arrested by "A Central Office detective,
and on Jan. Is. 1854, Filters" and Farrell we're
arrested in Philadelphia Filters" lost his
nerve when he was arraigned for trial, and
agreed To turn states evidence. His oNr-
was accepted and on his testimony Goodie
was sent TO Sing Sing for twenty vears. Far
rell was sent 10 the same Institution for fifteen
wears and he himself rot seven wear. and sy
months, This practicable broke M the Mack
e%relvllle gang For about a wear the other
members continued 10 hold m citizens who
v'nt'ired IN their .neighborhood. but there
was an end to the big. bold robberies after
the three leaders were sent AWAY --.Il>t what
has become of tioodie and Farrell t. not GEN
eralF known, but Filters" died shortly after
being released from prison.