The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-07-18
STILL At LARGE
Police Tell Why che Man
Who Robbed Miss
Riekerich Got
Away.
CHIEF HURPHY'S STATEMENT
He Thinks the Crime Was
Not Committed BY
Professional.
HOW.THE THIEF ESCAPED
At One Time a Trolley
Car Saved Him From
Capture.

Chief of Police Murphy and his efficient
detectives were busy all day today try
ing to discover some clue to the man who
robbed Miss Laura Rickerich at the en-
trance to the Hudson County National
Bank yesterday and escaped with $1,000 in
cash and over $500 in checks. The police
are chagrined at their failure to catch the
man yesterday, and this morning Chief
Murphy issued this statement
THE police are not at all pleased with
their i'll luck yesterday in not capturing
the thief who forcibly robbed Miss Rick
erich in the vestibule of the Hudson
County Bank. In long time they say
they have not had so many Ifs" stand
in the way of capturing criminal. The
patrolman who covers Washington
streets and streets south of York was on
leave; had he been on duty his reporting
time at signal box would have placed
him on Warren street. just at the time
the thief was seen 10 pass south on that
street after coming out of fhe fiat on
Morris street.
IF the young men Outwate- and Her
bert, had cried out Stop theft after the
thief had escaped them by getting over
the fence into the yard of ST. Matthew's
street, would have nabbed him as he saw
him going over the fence. The police are
of the impression that some panhandler
or other such class of thieves did this job;
bank sneak and thieves who work such
games are hardly ever alone.
Last evenings mail carried to the po-
lice of all principal cities a postal card
describing the criminal The Chief says
the only chance he sees of getting this
man is that he may be picked up with
lot of money in his possession and held
for Identification
This is copy of the postal the chief
sent out:-
Wanted:--For larceny of a satcheI
containing aoout a thousand dollars in
casn and about three hundred and
thirtys IN checks. The money was in
Us los, 5's and other small bills.
I he checks were made payable to the
PI4asnlal insurance Company or +.
T. Reilly, superintendent. The satchel
was an ordinary alligator leather one
ana had Mr.. Reilly's name on the in
side. A pocketbeok containing S.
gold piece was also inside the satchel
rms saelel was forcfbly taken from
a young lady while in the vestibuIe
OF a bank nthis city at 1:30 o clock
this afternoon The thief is described
as about p years old, feet in, dark
complexion, looks like an Italian or
Jew, smooth face, dressed in a dark
blue coat and trousers, black derby
hat and cheap black and white
striped shirt. The thief was alone and
it is thought he is not professional
We have several who can identi-
fy if arrested
Kindly arrest and notify.
BENZ. MURPHY.
Chief of Police.
There appears to be many versions Of
the robbery and the course the thief took
in his flight. As far as can be learned
from those who actually saw the occur
renee, these are the details:-
Miss Rickerich, a slight young woman.
of % years, and attractive appearance. is
the cashier of the Jersey City office of the
Prudential Insurance Company on the
ground floor of the Fuller Building. IT is
her custom to go to the Hudson County
National Bank every afternoon to deposit
the receipts of the office About 80
o'clock yesterday afternoon she started
for the bank as usual She carried a
small alligator satchel in which she had
$1,000 in cash and $3.50 in checks The lat
ter were all made payable to the Pruden-
tial Insurance Company. She walked I'D
Montgomery street to Washington street
to the bank without mishap, nor did she
notice that anyone was following her
The counting room of the bank is situated
on the second floor of the building and
is approached from the street by a flight
OF stone steps which end in a sort of
vestibule just inside of the building
From this fight of about ten steps leads
to the hallway of the counting room. Miss
Rickerich had passed up the stone steps
and was crossing the vestibule when the
thief seized her arm and gave it a wrench
which caused her to vince with pain and
relax her hold on the satchel The thief
then snatched the bag out of her grasp
and bounded down the steps two at a
time. Miss Rickerich RELAXED at once that
she had been robbed and began to cry
for help.
Directly across Washington street from
the banks the secondhand furniture store
of A. Newman. On two of the chairs
which stood in front of the store sat
George Outwater, of No. 98 York street.
and Samuel j. Herbert, of No. i07 York
street. They heard Miss Rickerich's cries
and saw the man dash down the steps.
They Immediately started after the flying
thief, who turned west on Grand street.
with Outwater and Herbert close at his
heels. A big Bayonne trolley was coming
down Grand street and at the risk of his
\ life, the thief dashed across the street,
the fender barely missing his heels as
he cleared the last rail. His pursuers
were compelled to stop and let the car
pass, and when they resumed the chase
the thief was far in the lead He con-
tinued UP Grand street and when he came
TO the old Reformed Church he nimbly
scrambled over the high iron fence which
separates the church yard from the street.
He ran through the yard around the
church building to st. Matthews Episco-
pal Church, which is built up against the
Reformed Church, and faces on Sussex