New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-06
Make Desperate Efforts to
Wrench Bag Containing $1,000
in Diamonds from Wrist
of Brokers Wife.
HID IN M0RNINGSIDE PARK
One Member of Gang, Twelve
Years Old, Captured, Says
They Attacked Others in o.
Riverside Drive-Car-
ried a Flashlight.

Emulating the most brazen OF The
"gunmen" in the boldness Of their
methods, two small boys last night
held up woman at Hath street and
Morningside Drive, and made repeated
and desperate efforts to wrench hand
bag containing diamonds valued at 81
900 and other jewellery from her hand.
They were finally frightened off BY
the screams Of their intended victim.
The little highwaymen were chased
into Morningside Park by the husband
of the woman and one Of them was
captured When taken to the West
125th street station the boy said he and
other boys of his own age had tried to
hold up several women on Riverside
Drive earlier in the night.
Mrs. j. S. Olney, wife Of Wall street
broker, who lives in the Cathedral
Court Apartments, at 114th street and
Morningside Drive, appeared as the
complainant against the boy, who gave
his name as Otto Fruh, twelve year $
old, of No POI East 1l4th street. sc
said she had just left her home AMI
was on her way to meet her husband
on his return from his office, when two.
small boys appeared at the street en-
trance to the park and glanced up and
down the Drive.
Before she could divine their inten-
tion, the boys dashed up TO her and
one Of them made grab for the hand
bag, the cords Of which were wrapped
about her. right wrist. The boy began
to tug at the bag, almost pulling Mrs.
| Olney off her feet. She was so stricken
with surprise by the boldness and sud-
denness of the attack that she did not
think to make an outcry at first.
Little Robbers Scared Away.
The Drive was deserted at the time.
and this apparently made the boys
bolder. The larger Of the boys then
grabbed hold OF the handbag and start
ed to twist il from Mrs. OIneys hand.
while the other little highwayman con-
tinued his efforts. About this time
Mrs. Olney found her voice and started
to scream. Being unable TO wrest the
handbag from her. the boys scampered
back to the park wall and disappeared
among the bushes.
While Mrs. Olney was trying TO re-
cover her composure her husband cane
running up the Drive, having heard her
screams. Mrs Olney told him Of her
experience and said the boys had
hidden themselves i'm the bushes near
the wall.
Mr.. Olney then ran into the park and,
after beating about the bushes for Il
few minutes, found the Fruh boy snug
Cling close to the ground. He was
dragged out by the heels and taken by
Mr.. Olney to the hallway Of the apart
ment house. Word was then sent TO
the West 125th street police station.
and Detectives Traynor, Flynn and
Connor responded.
Riverside Drive Their Field.
According to the police, the boy ad-
mitted his part Of the hold-up and said
that two other boys and he made four
separate attempts to grab pocket
books from women on Riverside Drive,
but did not succeed in getting any
profits out of these ventures. They
then decided to roam in other fields
and adjourned to Morningside Park
and lay in wait behind a clumS VI
bushes.
Fruh proudly exhibited pocket
f'ashlight and said he had used II 10
flash on women's pocketbooks so ~ 70
determine if the plunder was worth
stealing. When Mrs. Olney stepped
out of the apartment house on Morn
ingside Drive, richly dressed and with
the handbag swinging at her side. ne
and his pals" thought 1t time to pull
off the trick"
The little highwayman proved true
TO the principles or MS kind ana
sternly refused to "squeal' on his con-
federates. The police learned enough
from him, however, to warrant them
in feeling confident that they would
arrest the other boys before morning.
Fruh was taken to the Children. So
ciety, charged with juvenile delin-
ouency. Mrs. Olney promised the police
to appear in court against the boy.