New-York tribune., 1912-02-11
RIB MAN IN Street OF
5000; ESCAPE IN AUTO
piohwaymen Knock Clerk Down
with BIaCkjaCks in View of
BoWery Crowds.
lump INTO WAITING CAR
obaufeur Puts on Speed and
.ontdistances Pursuers-Police
Think Machines Number
Was Provided for Occasion.

Think Machine Huihper
Was Provided for Occasion.
g. r,l view of the thousands Of per-
~. burrving to their homes to spend
.bs half holiday yesterday two men at
.,,ked irving Beckerman a bookkeeper,
:, Great Jones street and the Bowery,
knocked him down and robbed him Of
r,ckage containing more than $500
which he had Just drawn from a bank.
vhue persons passing by were standing
.,eechless from surprise at the sud
5enness Of the attack the two men ran
scross the street and jumped into a
s,ovlv moving automobile The man at
ere wheel Immediately put on full power
and the car swept east through Sd street.
vent south in Second avenue, and was
,os, sight Of in the maze of traffic.
A man who had run after the auto
mobile after II had started off with the
birhwaynen told the police that he had
,sen the number 912S y. Y. on the ma
rhine. and that it was a erCe-Arrow
ear This number Us issued in the name
NJ lanes Stokes, Of No 40 Cedar street,
Sho lives at No. 6S Park avenue The
rolice believe the. mon in the car pre-
rsred the number for the occasion, as
Mr. Stokes still has that number at his
home nsthe original package as it was
received from the Secretary of State.
Mr stokeS's car for which the number
EAas intended has been in storage since
thrirst Of the year
As soon as the case was reported to
the police they caused an alarm to he
cent out sto all precincts to watch for
black Pierce Arrow touring car with a
black top carrying chauffeur and t~o
passengers. Many men were set to work
boxing for the car.
Beckevman who is a young man, is
employed by the United States Raincoat
Company. at No. 30 West 22d street. He
has held the place for about six months.
and has always been trusted with large
sums of the company's money. 1t is be-
ieved that the men who robbed him
Knew this and followed him for the pur-
pose of robbery.
II has been part of Beckermans duty
10 go 10 banks with checks every Satur-
Gay, cash the checks and return to the
sfice with the money. At 10 o'clock
yesterday morning he cashed A check for
1900 at Fifth avenue and 18th street.
He. took this money back to the office
md then went to the German Exchange
Bank, at Bond street and the Bowery,
where he received 1864 90.
Usually Beckerman was equipped with
heavy satchel in which to carry the
ash, but he could not find this satchel
When he received the money. therefore,
"a wrapped II up in a piece or paper
md fastened it with rubber bands. He.I
Kan left the bank and started back to
he office, carrying the package under
.is arm.
Beckermsn walked up the Bowery to
Sreat Jones street. He had not seen the
automobile standing at the curb near
ihe bank. AS the bookkeeper walked up
he street the automobile followed him
slowly. The chauffeur so manipulated
Bis car that he reached Great Jones
nreet just ahead Of Beckerman.
The two men in the street struck
seckerman at the same instant with
ssckjacks. and he fell TO the street like
log. The package of money was still
held under his arm. and one OF the men
sached down and grabbed 1t. He and
DIS companion then jumped into the car,
shich was of In moment.
The man at the wheel was a skilful
htver and dashed through the stream Of
mrface cars and other vehicles at high
peed, his siren horn screeching brazenly.
Two or three men tried TO Jump on the
'ear Of the car. but the men in the rear
'eat threatened them and they dropped
W.
IL ts supposed that the automobile went
"er the Williamsburg Bridge; therefore
very patrolman in Brooklyn was
warned to be on the lookout for the ma
nine The police believe that the high
'symen were provided with a second
pitomobile number, to be used az som
they got out Of sight of the crowd
sPeckerman lay senseless in the street
T several minutes before an ambu.
fnce from st. Vincents Hospital was
Inc surgeon treated him and he
vas iater sent to the home of a friend.