New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-23
THIEVES IN TAX|CAB
KILL EWE[[ER
Send Stone Crashing Through
Window, Seize Tray and
Escape After Murder.
SHOPPERS FLOCK TO SCENE
Police Seek Three Men and
Woman Accomplice Cab
Makes Off at High Speed
Number Unknown.

In sight Of crowds Of shoppers. Adolph
Stern, a iewery salesman employed by
Jacob Jacoby at No. $50 Sixth avenue,
was shot through the heart and killed
late last night by daring thieves whom
he tried to prevent making off with jew
elry valued at $1,000. The three men
who committed the murder and robbery
got away IN a tsXicab so quickly that
no one In the crowd had time 20 take
the number Of the cab. A large force of
detectives from Headquarters is search
Ing for the men and woman accom-
plice. who is said to have aided them.
Stern was behind the counter shortly
before II o'clock, when man sent
largo stone crashing through the window
Of the store The thieves waited unth
an elevated train was passing 10 break
The window. and the noise Of the flying
glass was scarcely noticed ny those who
were passing in tho street. The break IN
the window was large enough to permit
the thief TO seize a tray filled with Jew
elrv and run aCtoss the street with II.
His flight was covered by his two COM
panions. and he got into a taXicab on
the northeast corner of 18th street and
sixth avenue with the jevelry. stern
rushed from behind the counter, calling
for help. but as he reached the door one
of the men fired a bullet through his
heart There were no trains or cars
passing, and the sound Of the shot i'm
mediately brought biz crowd TO the
SPOT where tho salesman fell.
In the excitement which followed the
shooting the three men got away in the
iaxiCab. which went AT a high rate OF
sveed down sixth avenue Or. Keefe, of
st. Vincent's Hospital. who was called,
said Stern had been killed instantly. His
body was taken To the Charles street
station.
Persons in the crowd told tho police
they noticed that the automobile in
which the men escaped had five numbers.
but they could remember only the first
three-519
Hundreds Passing. Few Witnesses.
Although there were hundreds Of per-
sons passing the store and IN the neigh
borhood the police were a bic 10 find few
witnesses Of the actual murder. The
witnesses that were found told conflict
ing stories as 10 the details Of the affair.
TaCoby was so excited that II was some
time before the police could obtain any
thing like coherent statement from
him
The following facts were learned from
him, however. He was I'm the rear OF his
store. where he carries on an opticians
business. \ stout elderly woman whom
he does not remember TO have seen be
fore entered the store and told him she
wanted her cycs examined. He was eX-
amining her eyes when he heard crash
Of glass and Immediately after. it
seemed. a shot He ran out Of the store
and he said the man who had shot Stern
fred % shot at him. He was not hit. and
the man then rushed into the automobile.
which carried him and his confederates
away.
The store has two windows. with an
entrance TO the store between the two.
stern was behind the counter on the
southern end of the store. The opposite
counter was in charge of another assist
ant, James Farquhar. Of No. 2027 Web
ster avenue. the Bronx
Waiting until two elevated trains
were passing. one Of the miscrcants
broke the window that was Immediately
In front Of Stern's counter. 1t is not
known for certain whether he broke il
With a stone or not, but no stone was
found Some OF the police are inclined
20 believe that the window was broken
by a hammer or some similar instrument
which the thief took away with him
stern ran out OF the store. He got a
few feet from the threshold when man
stepped almost in front of him and fired
two shots One Of the shots went
through his right breast. Stern stag
gered and then wheeled around.
I'm shot" he cried. and stumbled into
the store and fell. lie was dead before
assistance arrived
Lifts Tray Of Rings from Window.
While the shooting was going on the
man who broke the window stuck his
hand through some iron protecting bars
that were about four inches I'm width and
grabbed tray Of diamond rings. II was
necessary for him to twist tho tray To a
perpendicular position to enable him tC
withdraw ii through the bars. but as the
rings were set with clasps he dropped
none
Jacoby ran out and was fired at What
happened then is not clear, but there is
little doubt that the men Jumped into an
automobile and got away Farquhar
was almost at the innermost end of his
counter ard Inc only caught a glimpse Of
the slayer Mr. Jacoby however and
the other witnesses seem to be agreed
that the man was undcrsized, probably
under feet inches I'm height, and wore
dark clothes.
The police believe the whole affair was
pre-arrsnged. They believe the men
drove up in the automobile. The men
left the chauffeur in charge Of the ma
chine and then went Immediately out
side the store and waited for an oppor-
tunity when the noise of the elevated
trains would dcadcn the sound Of break
ing the window. They believe the man
with the revolver was desperate enough
so place himself I'm the position where he
tould guard his confcderates while the
S,ntents of the window were being