New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-20
HARLEM'S BURGLAR PEST.
People Terrified by Robberies and
Police 4pathu.

Terror-stricken by a series Of daylight rob
berries of which they have been the victims,
residents Of the west side OF Harlem are COM
planning bitterly Of the lack of police protection,
and fear 10 leave their homes lest their
turn they discover that clothing jewelry and
silverware have disappeared. This week the at
tention Of the hathouse thieves has been CEN
tired on the section Of Harlem near Central
Park. in the blocks bounded by One-hundred-
and-seventh and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES SITS,
Columbus and Manhattan aves. Only two weeks
ago family living at No. II West One-hun-
dred-and- seventies. was robbed Of valuable
clothing and silverware. and numberless cases
OF clothes taken from roofs have been reported
to the police; but the thieves continue to visit
the neighborhood regularly. as If in duty bound
TO neglect not a single tenant
Mr.. and Mrs. j. II. Small. Of No. 80 Man
hattan-ave., are the latest victims and they are
mourning the loss of diamonds and jewelry
worth $500. Their apartment visited In
broad daylight Monday. Directly around the
corner at No Q West One-hundred- and seventh
St, at about 3:30 p. IN. the same day the fiat
OF Joseph Wilson was broken into and considers
able jewelry was carried of. The invader Of the
Wilson fiat was caught at his work by Mrs. Will
son. who was knocked down and severely bruised
by the desperate man. The thief chased.
but eluded capture by hiding himself in a cellar
Of the Lion Brewery at Columbus-ave. and one
hundred and -eighth-st, from which he escaped
later.
Mrs. S. L. Small is a grandniece of the Bedlow
who az time owned Bedow's Island. Several
herlooms were stolen. among them being the
large signet ring OF Bedlow. which his coat
of-arms was engraved Mrs. Small felt more
grieved at the lOss of this ring than anything
else, and yesterday went to Tiffanys and got a
reproduction Of the coat-of-arms. Prints were
made and the police Of the West One-hun-
dredth-st station sent them broadcast TO the
pawnbrokers
CONSERVATION reigned yesterday among the oc-
cupants of the row of apartment houses that
extends west from Lenox-ave for half block
on the north side Of e-hundred-and-fortiet
st, when they read The Tribune's exclusive
count Of how Albert Bangs. who lives on the
second floor of the corner house. had been robbed
two weeks ago Of a large sum of money Extra
preceution being taken TO prevent a repeti-
tion of such occurrence.
That locks Of the ordinary make and chains
are as playthings to the up-tO-date burglar
amply proven by the work of the clever knight
Of the Jimmy and bulls-eye who visited the
Bangs apartments; and from personal inyesti-
cation Of the premises by a Tribune representa-
tive, it would not seem very difficult for deter
mined cracksman 10 gain access to almost any
OF these apartments.
Inspector McClusky Of the Detective Bureau
said yesterday, after reading The Tribune's
story Of the robbery. Yes, there was rob
berry there, and have been working the
case. l do not care TO say anything more about
Il at present, except to say that the amount
taken was $4,000. instead of $4,000 as stated"
Residents Of the neighborhood have good
cause to feei alarmed. for the frequent depreda-
lions of sneak thieves and burglars have caused
many TO move away from the district.
TT IS a fact" said business man who lives
within block of the apartments where Bangs
robbed, that in the district bounded by
One-hundred- and thirty fifth and One hundred
and -forty-flfth SITS. and LenoX and Eighth
aves. for the last six months there have
been on an average two robberies month. The
apathy of the police has emboldened the rob-
bers, none Of whom have been arrested; and
one never knows when he goes TO bed but what
he may be confronted in the night with a
cracksman, wake to find his money gone, as
Bangs did. II is time the police woke up to the
situation It's up to them TO put more men on
post. else make those on post do their duty
better