The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-21
Daring H old-Up At
tempted in Schumann's
on Broad Street.
THIEF GOT AWAY
WITHOUT BOOTY
Disappeared in Crowd as Clerk
Screamed Wildly for Help.
Threaten TO Kill Halbleib,
+ Who Was Ordered to
Halt on Way TO
Door.

-'pHbf 'l F''nlC were
lns UP and down BronJ street and In
'front.' of the door II daring hold-up
was attempted at i2:ia o'clock ycstcr
day afternoon in tins Jcwelry ctorc Of
). Schumann. SCI East Broad street
Nalestine 4. Hnlbl"Th. yiNty-tv:o
years old. who is employed ~, watch.
maker In tn. jcwciry store, was be-
hind tho counter ana alone. when a
neatly dressed young man entered and
asked that some watches be SHOWN
him.
Mr.. Halblcib waited on him with all
attention and politencsa. Tho stranger
looked at several watches as IT, an
parcntly, unable to make up hiy MIND
which to purchase. y woman entered
Tho store To inquire whcthcr some re
pair work she had ordered had been
done.
Never mind nc" said the stranger.
Walt on her. I've got plenty of time
and III Look at some moro OF this
stuff"
Bctcro him was spread tray OF
5e"clry and several watches. But
some faint surpicion had entered tho
mind OF MIR Ilalhlclb, and he waited
on the young man. The woman. whose
order war unimportant. loft the store
showed Gun In III, Tncc.
MI iaiblcib said afterwards that hc
thought the young man was airing
TO fash Il false check on him. 80 no
Eevo him tho closest attention
NJ tho woman left. the stranger dug
down into his pockets. Mr. IIaiblcib
waited for the check. Tho watches
were lying Oh the counter, both valued
VI S22 As tho veteran clerk watched.
no noticed the handle o. revolver
and abbed tho watches. He ran to-
wards the swinging cato IN the cou.-
ter In the front OF tho store and at.
tempted to PaaS ny. \ pistol was
flashed IN his face. and tho man order
cd him to halt. pressing UP close
egeinst him.
IF you attempt to pass ~ me" he
eaid. I'M kin YOU
Chilled wildly for Help.
For a second Mr.. Tialhleib hcsttat-
cd the watches stil In his hands
Then he ran 10 the rear of the store.
behind the counter calling for assist
ance. y colorcd woman employed BY
Mr.. Schumann usually works IN the
shop. and the clerk called for her This
time. however. she was absent Up
stairs Mr.. Schumann lay seriously ILL.,.
There was no one to answer the shrilll
cries OF the clerk. AS he turned to
look back, the stranger had left. dis
tic CTO"O III tn9I
street. Mr. Halblieb returned, and re-
placed the watches In the sh .wcasc.
There was no one else in tho store,
and he remained Fifteen minutes
later William Zimmerman entered the
shop. and the clerk related TO him his
experience. Mr. Zimmerman at once
Informed Sergeant Ncisz, and the lat
ter reported the attempted hold-up 70
his station.
There was nothing else for me to
do" said Mr.. Halbleib afterwards The
man came SO close to me and thrust
his gun in my face that was unable
to get out OF the front door. ran to-
the back, ana then he dsappea red. 1t
happened so quickly that didn't
know exactly what to do | couldn't
leave the store. as there was no one
else here. But nothing is lost" and
he displayed the two watches as they
lay in their usual position III the
showcase.
Near Dusy Corner.
Mr.. EIalblelb said that he had just
finished rubbing the watches with a
piece of channels. and was preparing to
put them Into cases when he saw thu
revolver. a moment later, the would
BIO burglar might have gotten them.
The Schumann store is but Two doors
away from the corner of Seventh and
Brod Streets, where member of tho
traffic squad stood guarding the travel
ing public He knew nothing of the
attempted hold-ur. Hundreds of pco-
pie passed by the store. standing, Us
1t does, near one OF tho busiest corners
IN the city. None OF them knew what
had occurred
Mr.. HaIbIeib stated that II uaa l":l5
o'clock when the stranger entered the
store. The young man had been in
the shop on Friday. bnt had asked for
nothing, occupying himself with merely
looking a. the stock. When he entered
again yesterday. as he had promised
TO do. the clerk showed him every
courtesy, placing as many watches as
he wished to look at on the counter
and several trays of jewelry. None
seemed to suit his taste, and he hest
tated over all until the woman who
had come in TO see about some repair
work had left.
Well Dressed and Pleasant.
AS far as he could describe the bur.
glar, Mr.. Halbleib said that he was
about twenty eight or thirty years old
about five feet nine inches tall, dark
and clean shaven. He was neatly
dressed. and wore a dark overcoat and
dark suit. lie was of prcDossessing
appearance. said Mr.. Halbcib, and did
not excite suspicion until he told the
clerk to wait on some one else while
he looked at the watches and jewelry.
Mr.. Halbleib has been employed with
Mr.. Schumnna for forty-two years He
lives at 720 West Broad Street Ills
wife had not heard OF the attempted
hoid-up until q reporter for The
Times Dispatch visited the home and
inquired if her husband was in Sho
followed the reporter to tho store, and
was much relieved to find that Mr.
Halbloib had not been hurt