The Washington times., 1914-12-14
BURGLAR, CAUGHT IN
ACT, ESCAPES SHOTS
Second Housebreaker FeIIs Man
and FIees When Discovered
at Work.

Since November l there have been
twenty-six hold-ups and purse-snatch-
ings in Washington. and only four of
tie cases have been cleared up by the
police Ten of the most daring cases
nave occurred within a little over a
week, and, although n number of sus-
poets were rounded up. the police failed
to get evidence to hold anyone in any
of these last cases.
Major Richard Sylvester, Superin-
tendent of Police, positively refused to
comment on the crime situation today.
Nothing to say" the major replied,
when asked whether he could assign
any cause for the outbreak of rob
berries. I'VE are working. and some
thing will turn up" he added, dismiss
ing the subject.
The hold-ups eliminated Saturday
night with one of the most daring cases
Of the kind that has occurred in this
city in years, when colored man
snatched a pocketbook from Mrs.
Louisa Bergholz, cashier of a stand in
Center Market. and escaped, after hold
ing a crowd of 900 persons at bay. A
suspect was arrested in this case. but
he was later released. The description
of the man Is the only thing the de-
tcctives have to work on so far.
Two More Burglary Cases.
Instructions were given to the central
office detectives. as we'll as the police
of all the precincts, this morning to
make every effort to apprehend the
purse-snatchers ana hold-up men.
Special details of detectives are de-
voting all their time to the cases.
| In addition to the hold-ups and purse
snatchings of the last few weeks there
have been a number of housebreaking
cases, two occurring early today. Cliff
ford NJ. Woertendyke. 405 Fourth street
northeast, discovered colored man
making away with the table silver from
the dining room. After a tussle.
Woertendyke was felleu by the colored
man, who jumped out OF a window and
escaped.
Another colored man was discovered
in the act of breaking into an apart
ment at Twenty-frst and g streets
northwest. He was chased by a po-
liceman. who fired several shots at
him. The bullets failed to stop the
man and he escaped.
ONLY two of the twelve pocketbook-
snatching cases have been cleared up.
Mrs Pauline =. Sabins, i3O Fourth
street northeast. was walking In ID
street, near Fourth street northeast, on
the night of November u, when col
ored youth snatched her purse con-
tanning SIS.
Recover Stolen Money.
Policeman Ben williams. of the Ninth
precinct, rounded up six colored youths,
and from one OF them obtained part OF
the money alleged TO have been stolen
from Mrs. Sabins. The police had
hoped that this gang might have knowl-
edge of some of the other pocketbook-
snatching cases. but they falIed 10 TX
any more cases on them.
Edward r. Cooper. young white
man. and John Henry. colored. who
were brought to Washington from
Havre de Grace. Md, by Detectives
Hewlett and Vermilllon. on charge
OF stealing an automobile. confessed.
according to the police, that they were
the motor bandits" who snatched a
purse from Mrs 4. y. Friedrich, OF 400
East Capitol street, at First street ana
Massachusetts avenue northwest, on the
night of November %.
A colored man giving the name or
William J. Lewis, who is alleged To
have held up and robbed Mrs Bessie
Karninkovitz OF g in her grocery store
at IS y street southwest. and then at
tempted to hold up the proprietor of a
store at l235 Half street southwest. was
arrested by Policeman Harvey. Of the
Fourth precinct. and is now under
bonds for the action Of the grand jury.
Bulk of Robberies Unsolved.
In all the other cases the police have
failed to get any trace of the robbers.
In several cases the hold-ups and purse
snatchinss were committed in well
lighted. prominent thOroughfares, tho
hiEhwaymen getting away after being
pursued by the police.
The highwayman who on Friday night
held up Arlington Wylie, clerk in a
cigar store at 50S G street. northwest,
escaped by firing several shots al po-
licernen who had cornered him in an
alley and jumping over a fence. In
this case a reward OF $50 has been
offered for the arrest of the man.