New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-23
DIAMOND THIEF
SHOOTS JEWELLER
ESCAPES IN T44IC4B
AFTER STRUGGLE.
Stranger Makes off 5cith Gems from
Lexington AUeue Store, Fol
Iozced by Proprietor.

Morris Tannenholz, jeweller. of NO 40 Lex
tngton avenue was shot twice in the aodorne"
while attempting to capture man representing
himself to be a friend of Constant A. Andrews
president of the United States Savings Bank
who made off last night with several diamonds
Tannenholz chased and caught the man in East
soth street and struggled with him ten minutes
before he shot
a taxicab. said by witnesses to nave pee"
red one followed the man as Tannenhoiz chaseu
hin, and after the shooting the unidentified rob
Der climbed into it and escaped. Steam pulleu
from the exhaust pipe in the rear of the ma
chine and prevented any one from seeing the
number The jeweller was taken to the PresDy-
+a,.io, t4osn;+al in a critical condition.
Shortly, after o'clock a we'll dressed stranger
walked into the jewellers store and presented
,.++ers of Introduction signed with the bankers =
name md saying that the bearer. George n.
eonold" had So. 900 to invest in diamonds A
trav OF diamonds was brought out. among theH
a pair of diamond earrings worth Sl'4oV ana
ring valued at $500 The stranger struck ran
nanboIz a heavy blow with his fist, grabbed the
ring and the earrings from the tray and started
for the door Tannenhoz's mother tried 10 stop
Tho man but was knocked down. A salesman
was also brushed aside
Tannenholz recovered quickly from the blow
-A-
ing in front of No 151 East Goth street His
ooI1s for helm were disregarded by number OF
nersons near by. and no effort was made to stop
tho +axicah when 1t whisked away after he had
been shot.
The police of the East 9th street station be-
1ie,-e that the robbery had been carefully planned.
A derby hat with the initials cut from the
sweatband was found near the scene OF the
fight. and the paper upon which the letter OF
introduction was written was from the Hotel
cadillac These are the only cews which the
rolica and the Central Office detectives have to
work on.
According to the police, the thief evidently
feared at first TO shoot and attract a crowd.
when rrannenholz's outcries became louder the
man drew his revolver and fred. After the jew
ouer fell the man lifted him up and placed an
other bullet near the first He fired thlrd shoI
toward Tannenholz as re stepped into the cab
Mr. Andrews said last night that the letter
was undoubtedly a forgery. He said that ne
could not recall any of the persons named. Mr..
Andrews gave the detectives sample of his
Handwriting. which was not like that in the
letter.
-TannenhoIz was taken directly TO the operat-
ing room at the hospital, and one of the bullets
,,,as removed. The Coroner was called to take
his statement
directory is George F Leopold, a wealthy real
estate dealer, whose home is at No. 40 East
10th street Mr.. Leopold said last night that
he could not think of any person who would
have cause to use his name in such transac-
tion He said that he formerly kept restau-
rant in William street, where he employed a
number Of men, and also had a great many
en1ploves in his building operations. Some OF
these may have been discharged and decided
to use his name in revenge. He said that lie
knew no one at the United States Savings
Rank having transacted his banking business
at the Knickerbocker Trust Company
In his ante mortem statement to Coroner Ac-
ritelli Tannenholz Said that he realized When
the man presented the letter that he was an
impostor but, having been in the jewelry busl-
ness for many years. he felt certain that the
man could not get away with any of the gems.
He said the man looked like Westerner' but
he could give no more accurate description. Inc
hospital authorities said late last night that
r-,,pepboIz's chances for recovery were poor.