The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-30
nine FOR DIAMONDS In SNOW.
TENDERLOIN UPSIDE down OVER
PAWNSHOP ROBBERY.
frst Chased the Thief and PummeIied
Him and Then 3.OOO Of Them Went
Digging for Some s7O.OO Worth ~
Jewels He Cast Away IN Ills Flight.

Everybody in the Tenderloin or pretty
nearly everybody, was digging into Ten
derloin mud and snow for diamonds
last night as the result Of the stores told
about a young thief who smashed a big
window in Robert Simpson 4 Co.'S pawn
shop at la3 West fory-second street at
$50 O'Clock in the evening and Snatched "A
tray containing rings and other jewels.
said to be worth from $1,000 To s2o,OOo.
Only three of The jewels were found on
the thief. The pawnshop people said the
tray had contained twenty or thirty. The
police and the Tenderloin crowd hat chased
the thief said they saw the young man
drop some OF them and then everybody
went to work "to help make the rich poorer"
a. Big Chief Bill Devery said when he heard
Of il.
The robbery was a strenuous AFFAIR in IL
self. The thief, who described himself as
William Madison. a bellboy out Of work,
but changed that later to Angus Mcpherson.
wrapped some newspapers around a paw
ing stone, which he found in Forty-second
street and then tied his belt around 1t
With his under his arm, lie went up to the
eight-f plate glass which stood between
the passing throng and the jewels, which
the Simpson people say are worth Sl5OOO
iHeTt were iotS Oi pfople III tne street
a, the time, but that didn't bother the young
man. He took the end of the belt in his
hand whired the heavy stone around once
or twice and then let i, go through the
gas Then he dived into the big hole
in the glass. snalched the tray of ring.
and other jow,is, put it under his coat
ana ran.
The crowd saw him and followed
stop him." they yelled.
Others shouted T." the pawnbroler's
clerks inside. Several of them ran out
and urged the chase on.
Young Mcpherson. ii that is his name.
was lecglng It for all he was worth toward
SIKH avenue. The crowd was upon him
there and he pulled revolver from his
pocket.
Get hack" he yelled Sect back or
The pursIers wavered and NcPhor son
turred around again and made for a : xth
ave ue car man pulled him OF and
anothe hit him on the head with beer
bottle, he ran to Fortieth street and west
70 Eighth averu' detective Reed and PO-
liceman Sheridan Of tn. West Thirty
seventh street station joined in the lase.
Alfred Plumpton. one of the pawn brokers
clerks, was in the van of the Chase b. that
time.
He was about to nab the thief when
McPher ,on turned and drew the revolver
again. He swung IL around half the points
Of the compass until he got little better
breath and then ran again.
He doesn't dare to shoot yelled Plump
ton, "Csl hilnis --------.'-.- -------
Plumpton showed his nerve by keeping
~ front The thief ran through Fortieih
,'roet on the north side Of the street. At
Eighth avenue he made sharp turn to the
otncr side and tried to double back. lie
was met with a shower Of missiles which
the crowd had been thought fully collecting
of "a nd At M ne1
second later half dozen men pounced
on him, knocked him down. took away his
revolver and began 10 rommel him, not
because they sympathized with anybody,
hut Just for the fun Of rommelling fellow
Ncn-
His head was bleeding in streams when
Policeman Sheridan and Detective Reed
rot him away. and they hurried him over
20 the West Thirty-seNenth street police
station
There he said ne was formerly employed
~ tellboy at n house in West Forty
fourth street, but had been living since that
~ one Of the Mills hotels. He had go, no
money recently, he said, aud had grown
hungry and desperate
Three of he rings. winch N. police
say are worth 81 800, We're found on him
The pawnhrokers Inter said hey had found
Two or Tire" more that had fallen from
tho tray into the window shelf.
But whar had become of the rest'
To get an answer the poc" Went to
work on The prisoner and finally got him
,o the break king down stape Thel he
.,id tb,, rs he p,sscd the Nct ronoIi,nr
onern TIo,re ho had picked ON three of
he largest rings from the tray ard had
mn, them in his Docl;at and Then had thrown
The r. st-tray and all-into "A bank of mud
and snow in thn short hl,rk ON ForfiSth
"a reot me. wcen Rrondw,.v md Seventh
avsn,e- mort side OF he bloc.
Tho news spraad like wildfire through
,hc Tenderloin A. 6 o'clock there were
hundreds OF peopIe-peweboys men and
women Of The street crowds policemen.
. traeesrncn. pedlsrs and all searching for
the ring4 When the mans story got to
wero som TO INN, that bonl of NOW and
mud in Fortie,h street The police found
,brro ni her nolice who had been sent out