The Washington herald., 1908-07-10
Captured, Tried, and Sem
fenced in a Hours.
RUNS AGAINST PLUCKY WOMAN
Gets Into Room of British Army Of
ficer and His Wife, and While
RHnsacLing Place Is Overpowered,
Arrested, Pleads Guilty. and In
Given Ten Years in Prison.

New York, July 9-Twenty-four hours
turned the world topsy-turvy for young
Nathan Levine. II this time he had at
tempted a burglary in the Hotel Belmont.
/ been captured, sentenced. and sent to
Sing Sing. TO serve a sentence Of not less
than ten years.
on Wednesday. Levine. neatly dressed.
! lounged In popular uptown cafes Before
Thursdays sun had gone down he had a
shaved head, a suit Of stripes. and the
run of "a seven-foot ceII-all because a
major in the British army and his wife
who are now sailing across the Atlantic,
happened to interrupt him in an occupa-
ton which the law deems felonious.
The young man appeared before the
desk of the Hotel Belmont at 1870 o'clock
on Thursday morning and asked for a
room. The night clerk assigned him to a
room on the fourteenth floor
About 800 o'clock he opened HIS win
dow and stepped on the narrow sill He
gained a broad ledge and opened a win
dow softly. The room which he had thus
entered was that occupied by Mai Mos
tyn Cookson, Of the First Royal Sussex
Regiment. England. and the majors wife.
IL happened that Mrs. CoOkson is not a
heavy sleeper. Some time not long after
Mr.. Levine had entered the room she
opened her eyes and saw one Of the lights
in the chandelier burning She got out
OF bed to turn it OF. and just then Levine
jumped from the shadow behind a table
and leveled revolver at her.
Hands up or I shall fire. said he. but
not before Mrs. Cookson had given
scream of fright. Maj. Cookson awoBe
and the burglar turned the revolver on
him and ordered him 20 put his hands
up. He said that II either should shout
he would shoot With the major and his
wife lying in their respective beds. hands
above their heads, the burglar seemed at
a loss how best TO proceed. First he or
dered both Of them TO turn over, face
downward. That did not seem to suit
him.
THE lady will kindly get into her hus-
bands bed and there lie face downward "
said the burglar. And, remember, that
viii have TO shoot If there is any
noise Mrs. COOkson moved over TO
her husbands bed. They heard the bur
glar moving about the room, and from
time to time he admonished them against
any noise.
Ion tle my uduQS- bon CnlOrO-
form me-" Maj. Cookson heard his wife
say. Then he heard slight scuhie and
turned to see his wife suddenly strike
the burglar full in the face with the
back of her head and knock him against
the foot OF the bed. Maj Cookson was
out of bed and on the mans back in a
minute Together they crashed 20 the
floor. the major on top. The police
were summoned and Levine was arrested
Later Levine was taken before Magis-
trate Wahie, and pleaded guilty TO bur
glary I'm the first degree and assault In
the same degree. Maj. and Mrs. Cookson
appeared before the grand jury and In
few minutes an indictment was re-
turned The prisoner was next arraigned
in Special Sessions. and the taking of
testimony did not last an hour. At its
conclusion Judge Foster pronounced SEN
teace. Levine said he was twenty years
old, and had no money.