The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-03-20
GET s25O,OOO LOOT .
IN A GOTHAM SAFE
New York Yeggmen Commit
Daring and Successful Rob-
bery-No Clue.

New York, March 1S.-Fifty de-
t~ectives were at work here trying to
run down the craftsmen who robbed
Martin Simon g. Sons pawn shop on
the east side some time yesterday OF
over s25o,OOo worth Of jewelry, one Of
the most daring and successful robber-
les committed in this city within the
memory of the present generation OF
policemen.
1t comes as a climax to a series or
safe blowing robberies which for more
than nine months has engaged the at
tention of a special safe squad of de-
t~ectives organized by Deputy Police
Commissioner Dougherty.'
Since January 13, more than 20 safes
have beer cracked n b b in the
lower east side section, where yester-
days big haul vas made. The police
believe that the robberies are the same
as those connected with many or the
previous burglaries, and in one in
stance they have a clue to this effect.
One Small Clue.
When Herman Shapiro's pawn shop
ON the Bowery was robbed OF $4,000
by cracksmen last Thursday night, the
robbers left behind them a pair of cot
ton gloves which they had used to
avoid finger prints. The robbers of the
Simons shop left behind two pairs Of
gloves like these. This vague clue
however, is the only one the detectives
are known to have.
The care with which the burglars
cut their way by a devious route from
an adjoining cellar to the Simon build
ing convinces the detectives they were
very familiar with the premises. The
men had carefully avoided using the
basement stairway. which was opened
to them, but had sawed their way
through two floors, apparently know
ing hat the stairway was wired with
burglar alarms. In like ann when
they reached the big vault in the pawn
shop they did not touch the great steel
doors or their locks, but attacked the
walls-two feet thick.
Store Of Riches.
They were rewarded by access to
such riches that the robbers must have
been stunned The Vaul contained val
uables worth S400, 900, according to
Simons: 5000. 900 in Jewelry and watches
on which money a been loaned;
$3.50, 900 in negotiable securities n
$50, 900 in notes as we'll as $4,000 in cash
and checks.
The thieves took the bonds and notes
but threw them away before leaving
the building. In the vault they took
nothing but diamonds and light jew
GlTN COutdl16u II ~ Ed"SI dlCIGS
and the jewelry of less value, packed
away II 260 small drawers and com
partments. were not taken. although
all the drawers had been pulled from
their places, and the jeWelry and
watches dropped on the floor until they
were a foot thick.
Work in Daylight.
The police are Of the opinion that
six cracksmen were employed on the
Job and that the tunneling required all
of last night and the greater part of
Sunday morning. 1t is their belief that
the actual robbery took place Sunday
afternoon while hundreds Of persons
were passing along the street in front
Of the pawnshop.
None OF the tenants in either of the
buildings from which the tunnel started
or that in which the pawnshOp was
located, heard any unusual noises. A
janitreSs peering through the window
Of the shop late in the afternoon no
ticed the litter near the vault and gave
h alarm. h police found that the
tunnel was begun in the cellar of q
house in Eldridge street, directly ad-
Joining Simon's place. 1t was driven
through the wall OF the Eldridge house
and into a wood bin in the cellar OF
the SimOns store. Then leading up
into the pawnbroker's shop is a flight
of stairs. They are wired for a burg
lar alarm, however, and the thieves
avoided them and sawed a way through
the overhead flooring at a spot direct
ly in front of the treasure vault. The
vault, which stands II feet high and
Is built into the wall. was entered by
Chopping away the masonry.
Ye9gs We're Seem.
The crackmen were seen in flight
with their booty by a woman, the po-
lice announced today.
This woman, whose name the police
withheld, lives in a tenement adjoin-
ing the pawn shop. She told the de-
t~eCtives that she was coming down
stairs about l o'clock in the morn
ing when strange nan came up from
the cellar of the tenement. He carried
an acetylene lamp on his shoulder. She
followed him to the street and saw
another man drive up in a light wagon.
Into the wagon the first man placed
the lamp. He then went back to the
cellar and returned in a few minutes
with another lamp and a parcel done
up in manila paper. He placed these
in the wagon and both men drove
away.