New-York tribune., 1905-02-06
WANTED To BE A RAFFLES
ONLY AFTER THE GLORY.
Woerz Robber Confesses Derfdes
the Polisemen-His First HoH-Up.

CHRISTOPHER Smith, alias sand Rock yester
day confessed in his cell 70 Acting Inspector
O'Brien that h was the ''hold-up man. whc
for weeks has created terror on the upper East
and West siGes.
According 10 Inspector O'Brien, he not only
admitted the bulk OF the hold-ups with which
he is charged. but also confessed 10 a daring
hoId-up. which. although committed last No
venaber. has ne1 er been reported 10 the police
he denies. however. any knowledge either of tho
entry into General aIcCook's home or Of the
Efh-ave. stage robbery.
He lisclaiTned any desire for plunder and as
serted that wish TO emulate w. T. Hornung's
.Rafies the Amateur Cracksnan," which he
had seen played. largely inspired his acts
AS PROOF that he was not out for the dough
hut mainly for the story. he cites instances in
which he ignored diamonds lying in plain sight,
and also the case Of the unrecorded "hold-up, "
IN which he SAYS he returned TO q woman a
naarauise ring worth several thousand dollars.
Inspector O'Brien estimates that Smiths
confession The value of the articles he has
stolen is only Sl20
Smith boasts that throughout his series of
hoId-ups he never once ran away. He derides
the utility Of certain policemen post duty,
declaring that on several occasions, after
emerging from houses he had held up" he
stood or walked in plain view within few
vas "easy" and that he could have held up
banks had he 50 wished.
It at his own instance Captain O'Brien
says, that Smith told the story OF his crimes.
He seemed particularly amused at the fears he
had excited. but expressed sorrow that Miss
Eva Shipman had been unnerved and made i'll
by his visit TO her fathers house. He said he
had tried 10 emulate the exploits OF Western
bandits in addition to those of 'Raffies.'
Captain O'Brien says he is having Smith
watched day and night, when he taken
TO Headquarters he said when asked if ne
wanted something to eat that he would prefer
carbolio acid.
Smith began by saying that he wanted espe-
cially 20 clear up inaccuracies that had ap-
peared IN the published accounts of his ex-
ploits- He boasted that he could hit a 5o-cent
piece at fifty yards ninety-nne times out of
hundred with a revolver.
At the house of Mr. Woerz, he said, after he
went into the house he had backed Miss Hoff-
man. Mr.. Woerz's niece. upstairs into the room
where the other women were. and had de-
fnanded money.
They were all SO frightened" he continued,
''that they had TO sit down. I sat down, too
had 10 turn my face away SO that they would
not see that I was laughing. 1t was very
funny. Miss Hoffman said that she hadn't any
money. and told me to wait until Mr.. Woerz
came downstairs He came in, and told him
what I wanted. There's the safe he said
don't you want that?' I told him that didn't,
that wanted some money, and then he tossed
oesr the roll.
s-There were thousands of dollars worth Of
tezvels on the table which I could have had, but
Z didn't want them. I took the roll and then
backed out Of the house. I saw the people look
ing out Of the window al Iae/ 1 went away
walked over to the park and entered at 9th
st At the Arsenal entrance there were two
cops standing chatting. I took the L at
56th-st. and rode down to 9th-ave. and 34th-st
Then 7 went and got in boys hotel
sn S5tf-st near 7th-ave. There was SS5 in the
roll. They could have got me easily IL they
had been watching.
At DR.. Talbot's house l asked for the doctor.
When the girl opened the door I didn't fash
my guns. When she was going upstairs she
noticed one Of them in my pocket and screamed
The doctor came down stairs. There were two
young men with him dressed in bathing suits
One Of them had rifle in his hand. I didn't
get anything and backed out Of the house. The
girl followed me trying TO scream but she was
so frightened that she could not be heard.
didn't change my cap as she said It blew Off
and put IT on again. She followed me to with
IN twenty-five feet of the corner Of the street
Around the corner there WIS bike" cop talk
ing to another cop but there was nothing doing
Ihls was the only case where I was followed
Tney We're so frightened that I had to turn
away so that they would not see me laughing.
AT the Delta Phi Club the coon at the door
VS. so frightened that he went all to pieces
'Fo Gawds sake don't shoot and I'll do anything
yea want, massa,' he said When L left the
hoase after got the dollar and Beighe's watch
I .-alked M he street A. 1O+hsya
7lIth-st- 1 saw cop talking to another man
fAat thought a planclothes man. No one
followed me and there was no shouting"
HIS FIRST "HoLDUP"
Then he told Of his first experience One
Stormy night about Thanksgiving time when
fae sidewalks were slippery he called at d
l-oWnstone house or the south side OF 76th-st
fztz-een Central Park West and CoIurnbus-ave,
'Ceaed by handsomely gowned, who
Ee--1ed TO be the mistress Of the house
= flashed the gun on her. O'Brien says the
cc-ssssion went on, "and she got awfully fright
e..c-- l told her that wanted money, but she
~ that she didn't have any. Then she took a
'so-king' ring of her finger. It was a marquise
:.-d must have been worth STO0 or $500 She
cCs5red it 10 me- but said that she valued ii
apart from its intrinsic value. If 1 would not
TIE it she said that she would forward TO me
w'arever said just as much money as
w--ted- l aad the ring by this time but she
s1e:lec 50 much in earnest that I gave It back
. her- She wss awfuly grateful; said that 1t
vas a stormy night. and asked me if dicn't
vc4t something 10 eat. At that she pressed
f-s button. I said ,aat I didn't want anything
irt money. Then The butler appeared. but she
soi3 TO him that he not wanted. Then he
ed ont NJ