New-York tribune., 1909-05-24
HIST! SAFE CRACKERS!
DESPERADOES At YORK
Bold Mike" Mccoy, the Watch
man, Leads Police to Scene.

Lewis Menschell. ten years old, OF No go For
syth street. and Louis Levinson. twelve years old
of No 30 Stanton street both small for their
behind prison bars yesterday at the West 10Th
street police station. charged with attempted bur
giary.
Behind these prosaic facts written down on
the police botter there is hidden the blood curdllng
tale of how two brave and reckless spirits. made
desperate by financial strinEency, determined to do
job Of safe cracking that would make the boldest
deeds OF the James brothers appear like the efforts
of burlesque toughs-and they did
The scene which the two desperate "cracksmcn"
chose as their field of operations was none other
than the department store at Sixth avenue and
18th street and the lure Of the safe which
led their intrepid footsteps to the quest But listen
to the tale Nick" Carter would unfold its
breathless pages:
It was the dark hour Of o'clock in the morning.
Outside came the ceaseless roar Of traffic Sixth
avenue; inside reigned the stiffness of the tomb
II a fit night for a deed OF violence and a
quick getaway. Michael Mccoy, the honest watch
man who guarded the property of the owners of
the great store, raised his above his head
yawned. and started to his feet. It was the hour
AT which he to make his rounds Of the
floors. and Michael the man to shirk his
duty. As he reached the seventh floor, which was
used stOreroom and commenced 10 whistle a
tune of the days he had spent in green Ireland.
suddenly the blood III his veins froze in cougealed
chunks. What that mysterious sound so
faint vet sinister? It must De true-the great
hour Of which he had often dreamed had come 10
pass There were burglars in the house.
The honest watchman brought his right hand
around TO his hip pocket, and there he felt his
trusty shooting IRON But as If reading his very
thoughts. again that dread sound from
the gloom, Hist and the walls re-echoed "Hist!'
Mccoy crept silently to the telephone. between
the clicking Of his teeth he notified the head watch
man that there were burglars on the floor: he had
heard them and he knew. Back came the reassur-
ing tones Of his chief, telling him to stick to his
post until help was summoned In a marvellousIv
brief space Of time the buzzer at Police Headouar-
ters 'buzzed' and there waited voice that
demanded Immediate help. There were burglars on
the premises at Sixth avenue and 18th street
The machinery of the law got busy In a hurry
and soon the lieutenant the West 10Th street sta
uon received orders to send his bravest men 10 the
scene. Up bounded Policeman Cogan and saluted
his superior; he ready do and die While
his friends wrung his hand turned aside 10
stihe their sobs Cogan went out into the night
Another brave man gone 10 his DEATH" was the
thought Of every man in that house
Cogan gumshoed to the street entrance of the
great store There he was met by the head watch
man. who led the way into the elevator II took
only moment to land the seventh floor and as
the two stepped out of the elevator they were met
by Michael Mccoy Cogan. in the lead flashed his
dark lantern in all directions Yes there behind
the large cotton bale protruded hand and in the
hand Clenched Colt a, trogan drew his own
gun. closed his and prepared for sudden dea tn
Suddenly, from the cotton, came forth voice
It's all UP. We Yield and with the words there
cattered to the floor the wicked looking gun
Don't shoot. mine amt loaded mister continued
the voice.
When their eyes became accustomed to the light
COEan and his aids small and badly
frightened boys standing from behind the bale
with folded arms and looks Of sorrow depicted on
their faces Cogan gasped and demanded TO know
where the Of the band were. He was assured
that the two present were the whole gang The
march the station house begun in glum
silence
When further examined the Two boys said that
the had determined 10 rob the safe on Saturday
night and entered tie store that evening. They hid
themselves on the seventh floor. and did not vent
ure forth until after dark They could make no
impression the steel with their burglars kit Of
two nairpin tueezers screwdriver and two
kn,es. and they fell asleep the job They were
awakened by the watchman. After being fed al the
station house the Bold Two were sent to the chill
drcns Society.