New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-21
Two BIueCoats Shared Loot OF
One HoId-Up, the Curran
Committee Is Told.
: WOMAN WAS THE VICTIM
Participant in Germania Bank
Job" Testifies That He
Discovered Frame
Up" Too Late.

legged 10 have been ponce iTdIhe-uP'
took the stand at yesterdays session OF
the Curran Aldermanic Investigating
Committee. This bit OF news may interest
Mr.. Dougherty Second Deputy Police
Commissioner, who last week swore that
he had detectives looking for Swee, high
and low. but that they we're unsuccessful
Here is a transcript from swees testi-
mony:
What is your name?'
Joseph Swee."
Have you been abroad since Marc"
1872"
No"
where have you been?'
at my home, No Ill East lo5th street
Never left the city?
No
Ever sec any policemen since
Yes, nearly every day.
You have been in the same haunts
every day.
Yes. sir"
Have the police molested you?'
No"
Then Emory r. Buckner, counsel TO the
committee. had Swee tell Of his acquaint-
, ance with Patrolmen Angelo CaVa ana
Laperio Gambedela, who are accused OF
framing up" the robbery TO gain pro-
motion.
lie said he had known both policemen
for ten years. since he was boy.
81 met them some weeks before the
robbery in Jones's cigar store on l4tn
street said Swee, "and Charley Rossi
said 70 Gambedela, meaning me: He
q good kid And Gambedela said; sure
7 know him from downtown.
you knew them TO be policemen!
Sure. every one knew it.
"Did YOU ever carry gum?
"Not until I met the two of them in
Ioness that night
What if you met detectives on tne
street when you we're going around with
Cava and GambedelaT'
.Gambedela would take the revolver
from me and put it in his pocket until
the detectives passed
Say Police Planned Robbery.
lie said that one night, in company
with Frank Paresi, Pietro Romaglio' VINO
are now doing ten-year terms for the
Ge,mania Bank robbery, and others OF the
gang. he went to a house In East ootn
street AT the instigation of the two police
men TO rob il. Cava and Gambedela went
along.
while we went in to rob the house
Cava and Gambedea stood outside" said
swee. The cops said they would show
were
chased"
Rossi, he said. told him that there was
a taxicab waiting for their getaway,
necessary.
But we didn't rob the house. IT looked
TOO dangerous. When we came out AL
CCava) said: oh, it's all right. Go ahead
and stick them up. But we refused to go
back"
The witness said the gang, at the
policemen's instigation again, robbed
Annie Sugar, who keeps weiss beer
stube on East 9Th street. He said CsVa
loaned his police revolver to Paresi when
II was learned he had none. He said each
received 50 30 as his share of the robbery
Of Annie Sugar.
What did the police say when they got
s. 30?" asked Mr. Buckner.
.'Cava said: I think these fellows are
doing me out of my money. That's not
right lie claimed he went to Annie
Sugar and she told him she was robbed OF
much more than was split up
Getting down TO the Germsnia Bank
robbery, he said:
II saw q lot OF detectives around and
] said to 'Pish' (Rafael Plsculo) and
Pete Pietro Romagiio) that thought
we we're getting done and it looked like
a 'frame-up.' But Cavs stopped the con-
yeryation. He said: They're all right
They're going away But l saw them
hiding in Railways and just es ParesI
was about to grab the woman's pocket
book put up my hands, meaning for him
TO stop, but he didn't see me, and II was
too late. Then ten detectives began
shooting. ! got away"
Hid an Hour in Water Tank.
He said he saw Cava and Gambedela
an hour or so after the shooting near
Jones's cigar store. They beckoned to
him 10 go over, but he motioned that he
would see them later. and he ran into
loft building and fed 10 the roof, hiding
in a half filled water tank for an hour
or so.
swee as he left the stand was told to
let the committee know IL the police
bothered him. He has received immunity
from District Attorney Whitman, who is
taking keen interest in the present phase
OF the investigation.
Rafael Rissulo, also known as Criscudo
and ''Pish," was the first witness of the
day. lie was arrested for the robbery
but the Judge threw the case out because
the ten detectives in the case had poor
memories.
After he finished testifying he said on
leaving the stand: Prom now on I'm
going to have my pockets all sewed up
so the cops can't plant a gun on me for
testifying against them"
lie said that he, like the rest of the
gang. knew Cava and Gambedela were
policemen.
why. they even showed us their
shields said "Pish." I'VE went all
over town with them, drinking. and TO
shows. When found out cops like them
were going to stand behind US in rob-
berries / said This must be great. I'll
take q chance.
GUNMAN IN BOROUGH HALL.
The Queens Borough officials were SUBJ