New-York tribune., 1910-07-21
.FEL[ED IN VACANT HOUSE
Owner EntertaIns AssaiIant Un-
aWares as Probable Buyer.
MYSTERY IN FIERCE ATTACK
If Robbery the Motive Man Not
Quick Enough to Get
Victim s Money.

Under pretext of inspecting a vacant
house for the purpose of buying If. a well
dressed man of about thirty-five years as
saulted Rudolph Burckhardt. a wealthy
druggist and real estate owner of Will
iamsburg, yesterday afternoon in house
at No. I251 Greene avenue. which is owned
by Burckhardt and is on the market. The
druggist IS couiped to his home with con-
cussion of the brain and numerous bruises
about the body. His assailant escaped.
The druggist was in his shop, at Broad
way and Greene avenue. yesterday after
noon when he was called TO the telephone
The person at the other end of the wire
asked about the Greene avenue house. pro-
fessed a desire to inspect it. talked volubly
of repairs, terms Of sale and the like and
said that he would be around in about half
an hour TO go over the house with Mr.
Burckhardt
AT the appointed time a man who aafd
that he was the one who had called the
druggist to the telephone appeared at the
shop and together they walked along
Greene avenue TO the vacant house. which
adjoins the house IN which Burckhardt
lives at No. 1e49. They went over the
house from cellar 10 garret: the would-be
purchaser expressed satisfaction with the
general arrangement of things discussed
improvements and terms with the owner
and said that probably they could get to-
gether on a deal
They were coming downstairs from the
second story, Burckhardt leading. when the
druggist suddenly felt stinging blow on
his head. Another blow. and he lost his
balance and fell 10 the hallway below.
Running down after him, his assailant.
i -,
stunned man with revolver Burcl1hardt
had Just consciousness enough left TO shout
al the top of his voice. His screams evil
IDENTIFY frightened mis- assailant, for the lat
ter threw the revolver into the vacant par
lor, hurled the blackjack into the hallway
of the second story and dashed out through
the door. Making his way to Bushwick
avenue. he disappeared.
Several persons rushing up TO see what
had caused his unseemIy haste found
Burckhardt crawling out on all fours.
blood streaming from two wounds in the
hack Of his head He was taken TO his
home, and the police Of the Ralph avenue
station were informed of the assault. The
reserves turned out and searched the
neighborhood, but could find no trace of
the man.
Detectives from Brooklyn Headquarters
also got on the trail, but their efforts UP to
a late hour last night had produced only
two prisoners young men about eighteen or
nineteen years old, who were detained on q
charge of vagrancy. They were standing
at Broadway and Greene avenue. appar-
emily with no object in view. and when
detectives approached them they said they
were waiting for man VINO had promised
to take them 70 ball game. Burckhardt
said that he had never seen them before,
but they We're held just the same.
The druggist had about $500 in his
pockets. and he wore a diamond ring and
carried a gold watch and chain when he
was assaulted If the motive for the at
tack was robbery the assailant was fright
ened off before he was able to get the
money and valuables.