Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-03-17
100000 IN
GEMS STOLEN
Biggest Job in Years In
New York.

New York March 1.-THE biggest
robbery in New York since the bur
glary Of the Manhattan bank more
than twenty-five years ago was dis
covered by the finding Of a strange key
In the lock of cellar door at 30 Ell
bridge street. The amount stolen Is
roughly estimated to be between $780,
900 and 100000. while half million
more in jewels and negotiable bonds
was not taken. probably because the
safe blowers could not carry the plum
der away.
The place entered and robbed is Mar
tin Simons & Sons pawnshop, at "a
Hester street. Simons is the largest
pawnbroker on the east side and with
perhaps two exceptions the largest In
the city. The property stolen for the
most part WAS diamonds and jewelry
set with diamonds.
In the southwest corner of the build.
ing is a Marvin safe vault. 1t is nine
feet high. twelve feet long and twelve
feet wide. The walls are brick, twen
ty-four inches thick. Railroad rails
close together cover the top Of the
vault Inside wood and steel finished
the construction. while great chilled
steel doors protected the front. In ad-
dition the place was wired by a bur
glar alarm company and the usual pre-
cautions taken.
Entered Through Cellar.
On Saturday night at the close OF
the days business the place was locked
and Mr.. Simons went to his home, 216
West One Hundredth street His son.
his partner. went with him to his
home Mt 502 West One Hundred and
Tenth street. Some time between the
hour OF closing the place and $50
o'clock last evening the cracksmen
looted the place. They entered the
Hester street tenement through the
Eldridge street door and walking to
the rear Of the ball opened the cellar
door with the key that was found last
night.
The part Of the cellar used by the
tenement IL separated from the pawn
shop cellar by a partition wall pro-
tected by wires. The men climbed
into coal bin and scraped away the
coal until they were three inches un-
der the wires and then made a hole
that admitted small man or boy or
two OF them.
This placed them In the pawnshop
cellar. A fight OF stairs from the cek-
lar to the pawnshop above WAS ignored
because 1t Is wired. BY standing on
In the cellar the men cut
hole about fourteen inches square In
the floor Of the pawnshop and were
then in the store.
The last girder Of railroad iron sup
porting the roof of the vault is almost
a foot from the wall itself. The two
feet OF mortar and brick were gone
through with ease and the girder
moved aside. In the southeast corner
Of the vault hole was made evidently
after several hours Of hard. silent
work. This aperture is nearly two
feet square. The inner part of the
vault was cut away. and the strong
box. fled with Jewels. bonds and cash
valued ut more than $4,000 was open
to them. In It. with gas light to see
what they were doing. the man or men
selected to make the entrance were ut
liberty to work at leisure.
Mad Choice Of Plundsr.
The vault contained $500 in cash,
81 400 in checks, S1SO.OO0 in negotiable
bonds and $4,000 In notes. The res.
Of the wealth WAS In pledgeA
In the safe there were 26o dra wers
three strong boxes and twenty-six com
partments. Twenty.four drawers tha,
contained diamonds and watches wer.
opened and their contents taken.
The burglars evidently decided to
see what they were getting. because
the packages were ripped open for
awhile and the Wrapping paper and
boxes thrown to the vault floor.
Then one strong box was ripped
open. In this were diamonds valued
at $1,000. Why these were nor taken
Is mystery. unless 1t was that by
that time the men were SO laden with
stuff they feared they might be unable
to escape or decided they had better
get away while they could A S3.5Uu
pearl necklace and necklace of dia
1ionds and pearls valued at $4,000
were left behind. but a diamond and
pearl necklace valued at $4,000 and
diamonds to the value of $2.OOO-the
property Of Mrs. Philip Rosenthal of
32O Manhattan avenue-were taken.
Mrs. Roseuthai is relative of Mr.. ST.
mons.
With loot enough to fll bushes
basket the men climbed out of the
vault and made their exit the sam.
>ay as they entered. 1t is presumed
they did this some tina before dayIigh,
yesterday.
Julius Fflzen. the janitor OF the ten
ement had occasion to go to the Gel
lar last evening. When be started tC
unlock the door he was aware Uf an
other key In the lock and. much sur
prised. went downstairs. He saw
where the coal had been removed and
the hole leading through the wall tc
the pawnshop cellar.