New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-03-25
BIND AND GAG MAN:
LOOT SAFE OF S4,5OO
Four Masked Robbers Enter
Club in Broad Daylight and
Overcome Waiter.
BRING REVOLVERS INTO PLAY
Leave Victim SO Firmly Bound
That He Struggles Half an
Hour Before Being Able
Even to Call for Help.

Armed with revolvers and wearing
black masks that entirely concealed
their features. four men forced open
safe in the rooms OF the Saratoga cub
an organization occupying three rooms
on the second hoo~ Of No. 30 West nth
street. between 10 and II o'clock yes
terday morning and took jewelry valued
at 81 POO and $500 in cash, after which
they made their escape. The robbery
was committed after Alfred Luftgarten'
a waiter employed i'm the club, who was
asleep in the room where the safe stood,
had been gagged and tied to couch.
Half an hour after the departure Of
the men Luftgarten succeeded in remov-
ing the gag and shouted for help. His
cries were heard by two men who were
arranging stock in the clothing store OF
Ostreicher Brothers, on the ground floor
Of the building They freed him, and
Iuftgarten fastened to the street and
reported the robbery to Patrolman Con-
nell Of the Tenderloin station.
The cash taken from the safe was the
property of David Bernstein and Alfred
and Louis Soviner. proprietors of the
club The jewelry, which consisted Of
rings, earrings and stickpins with dia-
mond and other settings, was the prop
erty Of the Soviners.
About G:30 o'clock yesterday morning
Bernstein closed the restaurant Oh the
second floor and left the three rooms oc-
cuped by the Saratoga Club in charge
Of Luftgarten, who has been employed
there several months. After sweeping
the floor Of the front room and arrang-
ing the cooking utensils in the kitchen in
the rear, Luftgarten went to sleep on i
couch in a small partitiOned room be-
tween the dining roorl and the kitchen
Gagged and Bound to Couch
About 10 o'clock he was awakened,
and saw four men, all Of whom had re-
voIvers. bending over him. one Of the
men, who spoke with a Greek accent,
placed the barrel of a revolver close to
the walters head and told him to make
no oUtcry. The others took a sheet tore
1t into strips and securely tied Luft-
garten to the couch. His shirt was
twisted and thrust in his mouth. He
was also blindfolded with a strip Of cloth
tied tightly about his head.
Three of the men, Luftgarten later
told the police, spoke Hebrew. He heard
the safe being dragged from a corner of
the partitioned room and laid on pile
of bed clothing. He heard the men drill
a hole in the thin sheet Of steel that
covered the outer door. The thin steel
covering was torn away with a jimmy,
revealing a block of cement, with which
the interior of the front door was filed.
One of the men laughed
why, this job is So easy ! hate to
tackle it," he said.
Luftgarten heard the inner door of the
safe being drilled and torn away with
small crowbar. He then heard the clink
Of silver coins. After making sure that
the waiter was securely bound and
gagged the four men left the room, TAX
ing with them a plush covered box con
tanning the jcwelry and a canvas bag
containing $500
Slips Gag After Struggle.
Luftgarten heard the men close the
door leading from the restaurant into
the second floor hallway. He attempted
10 free his hands, but his efforts were
without avail. He then undertook he
task Of removing the gag from between
his teeth. He twisted his head and sue
cceded in loosening the knOtted rag.
After struggling for half an hour he re-
rs moved the sag sufficiently to call for
help.
When freed the waiter glanced into
the safe, and found that nothing of value
had been left in it by the robbers. Scat
tered on the floor were two jimmes
three feet in length, drills Of various
dimensions and a length Of pipe which,
lhe detectives believe. was used in con
junction with the jimmies as lever.
Commissioner Doughorty took charge of
the investigation.