The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1912-02-21
HOLDUP TAXI,
Get $4,000
Bandits Rob Bank Messengers
on Busy New York Street.
ESCAPE IN AN AUTOMOBILE
Men with Money Beaten-Chaufteur
Forced at Pistols Point to Drive
Ten Blocks Past Three Patrol.
men-Police Are Puzzled.

New York.-The most daring and
remarkable robbery the city has
known in years was accomplished in
broad daylight on the margin of the
financial district by five automobile
bandits, who held up taxicab and
robbed two bank messengers who were
inside of $4,000 in $5 and SO bills.
The robbers escaped in black tour.
ing car that was waiting for them at
the corner of Park Place and Church
street, leaving no clew behind them.
After working all day on the case the
police confessed that they were puz-
zled.
The money was the property of the
East River National Bank, to which in
stitution, at No. $50 Broadway, it was
being transferred in the care of two
messengers, both unarmed, from the
Produce Exchange Bank, at Beaver
street and Broadway.
At the bank the two messengers,
Wilbur f. Smith, 81 years old, Of
Brooklyn, and Frank WoreL, IL years
old, of Paterson, N. j., presented
checks for $4,000 and received three
thousand So bills and one thousand $40
bills, some new and some old. These
they put into brown leather telescope
bag.
The messengers, with the money,
got into the taxicab, and the chauffeur,
Geno Mantani, drove away
In Trinity Place, between Exchange
Place and Rector street, were five
men. Four had no overcoats. Three
of these wore caps. A fourth wore a
soft SLOUGH hath The fifth wore a
gray cap and well cut brown over
coat.
They had been waiting there about
half an hour XiAerf the jaxicAb turn
ed the corner the five jumped into the
street and surrounded the taxlcab. The
chauffeur came to stop. y
All that followed was in an. eyts
twinkling, showing with what care the
quintet had studied. their parts. One
of the five jumped on. the chauffeur's
seat and stuck "a revolver against the
drivers stomach Two Of the remain
ing four threw open the Doors of the
taXicab, while the oGher two jumped
in. The two on the outside then slam
med the doors.
Put on speed and keep going as
fast as you can!" ordered the bandit
ON the seat alongside the chauffeur,
The chauffeur did as he was ordered.
Inside of the cab the two mes
sengers were being struck repeated
blows on the head with blackjacks.
They fought back, but the older man
soon fell in a daze to the floor of the
machine, and few more blows OF
blackjack put the boy hors de combat.
bat.
At Park Place and Church street,
after going ten blocks, passing three
policemen and hundreds of citizens,
Mantani brought the taxicab to stop,
being ordered to do so by the man
with the revolver.
There the man on the box jumped
from the chauffeur's seat at. the same
time that his companions in the taxi
cab opened the doors and jumped out
one of them carrying the brown bag
with its precious $4,000.
At the corner of Church street and
Park Place, right under the uptown
~" station, ON the north side, was a
black touring car, with its engine
throbbing, and chauffeur at the
wheel.
Into this the robbers leaped. In a
moment the car was speeding north
in Church street and was lost to view