The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-02-18

piioatien Of intestina, and liver troubles
The physician said the holdup mans
victim would not be able to leave his bed
for several days.
Horth was seen Yesterday by one Of
acting Captain Cooney's men and als o
by newspaper men and repeated to them
exactly the same. story he told to the
police Friday night, which was given in
yesterdays papers. He could add moth
ing further which would be OF service
to the detectives.
Commissioner Dougherty said last
evening that Wilbur $. Smith. one Of the
East River National Bank messengers.
was still confined to his home and in such
condition that the police had been unable
to get statement from him.
There was no concealing the fact that
Commissioner Dough erty and Inspector
Hughes were disappointed when Ross |
and Sobel were discharged in the Jeffer-
son Market police court yesterday morn
ing. Rossi's reputation as gun fighter
is we'll known to the police. and IL was
thought that there was some Significance
in his arrest when Paul Kelly's gambling
house in Seventh ave nue. near Forty
second street was raided by the police
on Thursday night. Kelly. VIII o has had
trouble with the police as a gang leader. :.
now owns three garages and Montani has
insisted that the man who pressed II
revolver against him on Thursday was
familiar with running an automobile.
The failure OF Beckerman to identify
Rossi in the police court on Friday did not
satisfy Commissioner Dougherty, who
had two other witnesses, Benjamin Sher-
man and Joseph Feltbrill, in court yester-
day. They were just as unsuccessful as
Beckerman in identifying Rossi and Sobel.
after having been dischared by Magis-
trate O'Connor he put on his hat. His
friends, who were jubilant at the failure
of the police, crowded around him and
made such a disturbance in congratulat-
ing him that the court officers interfered
One Of them. Walter Mclaughlin, told
Rossi to take his hat of. Rossi started
10 do so, but made a remark which angered
the court officer. Al the same time De-
tective Charles Carrao and Detective
Dondero, who had mingled with Rossi' 8
friends, grabbed him. They dragged
Rossi before Magistrate O'Connor. who
sent him to the workhouse for five days
for improper conduct in court.
The effort to identify Sobel as the driver
Of the black touring car which carried
off the men who assaulted and robbed
Beckerman amused those in court. A
man who said he was Harold Peck said
that no had seen Sobel driving an auto
mobile at Great Jones street and the
Bowcry about the time that Beckerman
was robbed But he did not see the rob-
berry Of Beckerman. nor did he know when
it occurred. When Magistrate O'Connor
heard this. after Peck had picked out
Sobel. he released him, Sobel got a re-
ception from his friends as enthusiastic
as that which had been given to Rossi.
bat he did not make the mistake Of put
ting on his hatin court, He hustled out
OF the court room as quickly as possible
and with several friends piled into a wait
ing automobile which honked joyously
40 Sobel got away from the police court.
II Police Commissioner Dougherty
had any idea last night that he expected
to get the men concerned in the Becker
man and Trinity place holdups and the
robbers Of Horth he gave no evidence Of it
We are working. on every available
clue. he said. The more We investi-
gate the more ! am convinced that the
men who robbed Beckerman had nothing
to do with the Trinity place taxicab rob-
berry. That ia not q theory alone.
have Information which would bear this
out. As to Montani, we will accuse him
OF being an accessory in the taxicab rob-
berry. The basis for my belief hat he
was an accessory cannot he divulged
now. OF course, after what happened
to-day in the discharge OF the two other
prisoners ! cannot say what the Magis-
tyate will do, but think In the interests
OF Justice Montani should be held"
The Commissioner said that Montani
had been questioned several times and
that his story stood in practically every
respect as it did on Thursday after the
holdup. He admitted that Montani's e
record Tor years had been looked up
and that there was absolutely nothing
had against IT,. He also said that the
detectives had been unable to disprove
the story which Montani had told. He said
that apparently Montani had endeavored
TO help the police, but when asked what
was the basis of the charge against Mon
TAM that he was an accessory the Com
missioner said: -On his actions" BEYOND
that Dongherty would say nothing against
Montani
There is plenty Of evidence that the
detective machinery OF the Police De.
partment, whatever il may amount to.
ls not being used to the best advantage
There are $50 first grade detectives who
get y. $50 year. They are supposed
TO get. this, salary because of superior
may get this salary if the Commissioner
thinks he is good detective. There is
no indication that the men who are en- joy
ing this salary have been doing any work
on the recent holdups. A police oficia
said yesterday;
w iObktt II tntTc dIV detective bureau
with detectives who are supposed to know
criminal. The first grade detectives
are distributed all over the city. Some
OF them are in Canarse. Unless they car
he used at such a time rs this there il nc
reason why they should be drawing theiI
salaries. Furthermore. under the presen,
police system detective il he has
reasonable ground to suspect a crimina
or a man with bad record. cannot arres,
him or even question him. Mayor Gayno,
has said that this must not be done. The
detectives who have been recopnizec
as men competent to deal with such Z
condition as now exists are afraid tc
take action because of the possibility
Of being censured by the Commissioner.
Burglary insurance underwriters sale
yesterday that the holdups he'd not a,
vet increased the rates on so-calledlholdur
policies. Nor has there been any increas,
in the applications for policies OF thi,
character.
An officer of the National Surety Com.
pany said that he had observed no effec,
from the recent robberies. Before tn,
holdups there was a change made In
classihcations ON different hazards,
1T takes people a couple of week,
20 make up their minds about insurance.
he said III serious robberies contin,,,
We will get many applications in about I
fortnight. 1t usually takes a fortniRh,
directly to affect our business. We ar,
not increasing our burglary insurance
rstee. Rates for residents or for messen.
ger holdup policies are the same as be-
FORE
James Barry, 20 years old, OF e2o Second
avenue. who says he is marble polisher
vas arrested yesterday by Detective,
lxyv1va nd Rttr in. oil