The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-15
COLLECTED PAY With A GUN.
CANVASSERS FOR PUBLISHING
60. GET CHECK FOR S33.
Only Asked what was Due Them. say Two
Determined Brook in Men-One Kept
Man aser From the Telephone while the
Other Secured Cash--I3Oth Locked Up.

Two canvassers employed by the George
" Blaokburne Company, publishing firm,
appeared at the office OF the concern at
III Fifth avenue yesterday and held up
two occupants at the point OF pistol, fore
ing one OF them, it Ia alleged, to make out
q check for Ss3, which the canvassers de-
clared was due them. The canvassers got
the check and the money 1t called for.
They also got away, but they we're arrested
In Brooklyn last night by Tenderloin de-
tectives and were locked up In the West
Thirtieth street police station. They are
charged with robbery and assault.
The prisoners are James II. Gelabert,
32years old, of 1909 First avenue, and Charles
Gardiner, IS years old Of 100 Broadway.
Brooklyn. Gelabert, 1t is charged, welded
the revolver Both are determined looking
men and they cant see that they have
done anything wrong. They frankly admit,
the police say. that they are the persons
wanted in connection with the hold-up.
Gardiner says he went to work for the
publishing firm two weeks ago. Gelabert
followed him few days later. They were
not acquainted at that time and when they
compared notes they found, they say, that
the same bait attracted them both. Here
it Is as It appeared in the want columns OF
a local newspaper:
A CULTURED gentleman TO Introduce our mar
Hsl0G Of " crders Sp pa ' 6ee st. ii Fifth
avenue.
Gardiner and Geabert say they both
| worked faithfully and turned in many
orders for an encyclopaedia which they
were to sell They were hired, they say,
by man named MacDavitt who seemed
TO be in charge OF the Office. Both say
! they soon learned that the firm had another
Office at 80 East Twenty-frst street. where
Mr.. Blaokburne and Mrs. X. l.. Defossey,
| q woman member OF the firm made their
headquarters. They however, reported
ON their work at the Fifth avenue office
A little after noon yesterday Gelabert
| and Gardiner say they thought 1t was about
time they got the money that was due them.
| They both declare they were unable to get
cent before, although they had made fire.
t,llent demands for their pay. The pair
decided they would act together.
MacDavitt and bookkeeper were alone
| In the Office when the pair entered With
out wasting any words they told MscDAvitt
they wanted their money and they were
going to have it. The canvassers say the
office manager declared he had no money
and could not pay them. Thereupon Celia
bert whipped ont a .32-calibre revolver and
began to fondle 1t.
-We want our money and we are going
to get it," said Gardiner to MacDavitt. you
write out check for the SIS that Is due me
and the SIS that is due my friend"
MacDsvitt was slow about complying
with the request. according to the men. and
they showed the gun against his head
He filed out check on the Bath Beach
Bank for the sum demanded, but said
he had no power to sign II. MacDavitt ex-
planned that 1t would have to be signed
by a member Of the firm in the Twenty
first street Office.
"Oh, you sign it," said the bookkeeper
OF the Office to MacDavitt, "and then you
can telephone to the bank not to cash it.
The bookkeeper started toward the tele-
phone, but Gelabert's gun, he SAYS, pointed
his way and he went back and sat down
beside MacDavitt. Meantime the manager
made out the check. Gardiner took pos
session of it and scurried over to the Twenty
first street office. Gelabert stayed behind,
covering the two men In the Office with
the revolver so that they could do nothing
to hinder his comrade from getting the
check oashed.
In the Twenty-f1rst street Office Gardiner
asked to see Mr.. Blackburne. The head
OF the firm was not in, but Gardiner says
the woman member Of the firm was. He
showed her the check and told her Mac
| payitt had sent him over to have II signed.
| The woman signed it. Gardiner hustled
| away to the Lincoln Trust Company and
got the amount the check called Tor.
| 0elabert showed he had plenty Of nerve,
length Of time. Finally Mr.. Bisokburne
came into the Office and, as soon as he
realized the situation, shouted for the
| bert thought it time to retreat and he did.
When the coast was clear, MacDavitt
and the bookkeeper lost no time In getting
TO the Tenderloin station. They, Of course,
they lived Detectives Rheaume and Muir
tina were detailed TO find them, and they
went to Brooklyn and watched Gardeners
house. After several hours wait they saw
Gelabert enter the house. They noticed
| that he wore a mustache. He and Gardiner
but Gelabert was shy his mustache. The
detectives followed them to Palmetto
street and Bushwick avenue and arrested
them. Thev admitted their, identity and
declared that they thought they were
justified In what they had done.
"We would do the same thing over again
II It was necessary both said.
Both men had money when they were
searched in the police station. On Geabert
the detectives found the revolver he had
used earlier in the day. He had 1t In his
| trousers leg. He ia from Missouri and
| knows how to use gun.
In the Tenderloin station the men said.
I'VE decided we would not get the worst
OF the game. That Ia why we went after
| our money with gun. We demanded
only the money that was due us, and that
| La all we got"
William H. Denne the bookkeeper, went
around to the Thirtieth street police station
last night after the two men had been caught.
He said: These men were not to get any
salary 30 far as know, but commission
only, like any other book agent"
FRED AMES MAY TESTIFY.