New-York tribune., 1912-03-17
BATTLE ON HOUSE TOPS.
Bold Attempt to Rob Jewel
PedIer is Frustrated.
PATROL MAN SHOWS PLUCK
Three Men Alleged to Belong to
Car Barn Gang in Plot
One a Prisoner.

The nerve of jewel pedler and the
quick work Of patroman brought 10 an
unsuccessful end a well planned hold-up |
on the roof of tenement house in East |
9th street yesterday morning.
Giuseppi de Luca. who lives at No. so
East 120th street and runs small store
at No 5015 Mulberry street, was passing
from the roof of No 213 to No 215 East
9th street, carrying leather bag con-
tanning about $1,000 worth of jewelry,
when he was set upon by three men,
savagely beaten and the bag taken from
him. His plucky fight and the prompt
action of Patrolman William j. Quaine,
of the East 104th street station, landed
one of the men in Jail and brought the
jewelry back TO its owner.
Most of De Lucas business he ex-
planned yesterday afternoon while nurs-
ing a battered head and bruised body in
bed, is carried on through his peddling
among the tenement houses of the East
Side. The climb 20 their top floors is
long, and instead of descending and
climbing the stairs of the next building
he goes one fight further to the roof
and crosses over. 1t was while he was
following this habit yesterday morning
that the three men sprang at him, one
Of them presenting a revolver at his
head.
De Luca, however, was more thought
full of his jewelry than his life. He re-
fused to release the bag, whereupon two
men set upon him with blackjacks while
the third, gun in hand, snatched the
precious satchel from his grasp and
turned to the stairway. The jeweller
yelled and followed, though bleeding
from several wounds.
When the pair reached the street
Patrolman Quaine was half block away
at the corner of Second avenue. The
gun man took one look at the blue uni
form and ducked into the hallway Of No
232. across the street In a flash Quaine
was after him. Up six fights to the roof
the two raced, the robber dropping his
swag in the effort to increase his speed.
Reaching the roof, he turned east across
the houses until he came to No. 236. Be-
tween this and No 1877 Second avenue,
the corner house, there was gap OF
about six feet. The man took 1t at
bound and Quaine was in the air before
he landed.
The next instant there was a tussle on
the coping and Quaine was IN mortal
danger Of being thrown to the pavement
below. Whipping out his revolver, he
applied its butt end to his opponents
head, bringing him TO state bordering
on submission. On the way to the
street, however. the prisoner tried to
throw the policeman downstairs, but the
attempt was Intellectual AT the station
house he said he was Harry Miller,
truckman, of No 80 Lenox avenue.
Taken to Headquarters. however, he
was identified by one of the detectives
there, Jim" Murphy, who recently gave
up the job of keeper at Elmira. as for
mer convict Murphy said the man was
committed to the reformatory in 1902
under the name of William L!ngsley for
stealing a United States mail wagon.
Detectives MCGOWAN and White, at
tached to the East 10th street station
said the three men were members of the
Car Barn gang and that they expect
ed to have them all behind the bars be-
fore morning.
Miller was locked up on a charge OF
assault and robbery, to be arraigned in
the Harlem court this morning. De
Luca was sent home after treatment by
Or. Francis Auetti, of No. 215 East
10th street Quaine was told TO report
at Headquarters tomorrow morning
which meant. Inspector Hughes said last
night. that he would be raised to the
grade of detective for his share In the
affair.