The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-16
Waterman Of Big Jewclry Firm
Pretended to Fall In
With Scheme.
DETECTIVES ON WATCH
Two Men Arrested and Amazing
Collection Of Safe Cracking
Tools Is Found.


10 retire from the safe cracking business
Stern Bros. a Co. diamond cutters. Of 13s
west Ffty-second street. last Thursday
nlsht were arrested yesterday.
They are Jake Rothman. 90 years old.
OF 9i5 Intervale avenue. The Bronx. and
Mike Sneiderman, IS years old. of 70 East
10Th street Rothman Is known also as
Philip Weiss. His number In the rogues'
| gallery Is ?4523. He was sent TO Elmira
Reformatory for thirteen months on De-
cember II. 1909. by Judge Rosalsky. be-
fore whom he was found guilty OF forging
orders for merchandise.
Seven men OF Inspector Faurot's stan
and supt Thornhill and Assistant Super
,n,endent Graham OF the Pfnkerton Detec-
tive Agency broke into Rothman's room
yesterday morning and surprised both
young men in bed.
with the men they took to Police Head
quarters the most complete outnt OF
burglar tools any one there has seen IN a
long time. From Jimmy to tweezers MOTH
!ne appeared to be lacking. These I'M
PIGMENTS were carefully packed in a new
suit case. two respectable looking trav-
cling bags ana a carpenters small chest.
Tip From Underworld.
The detectives had been trailing the
prisoners for a month on tip from the
Underworld. Inspector Faurot would not
say that the arrest and conviction OF
Thomas Connors for having burglars tools
ha t.,,s Il
Toes not doubt that Connors belonged TO
the same gang as Rothman and Sneider-
man. Both of them have visited c nnors
n tae Tombs and Rothman had "a receipt
from George II. Simpson. a lawyer show
ing that $50 had been paid on account
:of legal services In Connorss behalf.
CoaHors Was arrested for carrying a bolted
sectional Jimmy. one just like 1t was
oInd In i.othuan's room yesterday.
Detectives G!lday. Watson. oliver. Biz.
mngham, Ward. Fennel!y and German
were assigned 10 trail Rothman and
sHeIdernan. Some OF them were at the
aotk on February % when Sneiderman's
VIE sailed FOR Europe. They watched
them as t1ey sized up the j.welry store
0; L. '. Hurd at l26 West Twenty-third
street on March ! and 8. Mr.. Hurd had
$4,000 worth Of jewelry In his safe.
The prisoners said yesterday that they
d!dn', tfy that job because two women
remained IN an adjoining store that night
and a Waterman who passed every hour
always peeped over the window curtain
10 See that everything was all right.
Rothmdn and Snederman went to the
building at 1856 West Fifty-second street
Wednesday and proposed to the elevator
man tnat he assist them In robbing Stern
Bros. Co, On the eleventh floor. They
promised him $1,000 IL they succeeded.
The elevator man said he wouldn't have
anything 10 do with IL. He told the night
AaItnman about the OFFER. Rothman and
sheIIerman approached the night watch
mar that night, and he pretended to fall
u With the plan. He made an appoint
ment 20 have them come TO his house the
neat day to talk ii over
Detectives Listen to Plan.
IT, Waterman Informed his employers
Thursday morning and they called in the
rhHritons Assistant Superintendent
uaHam pent to the watchman's home
.nd concealed himself there Rothman
ana Sneiderman appeared and laid their
pan '"fore the Waterman. They told
Mn mere ought to be about $500, 900
worth of uncut and unset diamonds IN
'"e V're" safes AZ Stern Bros. * Co. They
s'l they lad engaged a room in Seventh
avenue hear flfty-socond street and had
'"'.' tools there. They offered him $4,000
-Or MS aid and paid him SEQ on account
1"e pan was for them to rattle the ground
MOO door Of the building three times at
"'So o'clock that night. The watchman
vas 10 let them in and they would do the
Test
phtn Rothman and Sneiderman
'a'h"d the door on Thursday night there
- seven detccti,e s and two pinkerton
as,h IN the Immediate neighborhood The
"1uN's were surprised when Rothman
S'a Shtilc'man appeared without their
,s tracking kit They were let into
:" o4'llins, but came out shortly after
az AR. Ihey went 10 their room In Seventh
"'Np" and slept ther. that night. The
s'sit'N"s VINO went To the rooms of
H BROS. CO.. found that the door
a1 'tTn iimmled. The Waterman said
- 'I' NO men had merely looked over
V" r'.,t and made "A sketch Of the Offices
81, ''.h'udn said yesterday that they found
s'Ies protected b. burglar proof
,-,'"' and that they decided II was to,
"' job, They moved the tools from
seventh avenue room back to their
WI .'ons some TO Intcrvale avenue ana
"' P" loIth street. The detectives hope,
x. kuthinan and Sneiderman and
,'.u 'r man all In one place, but the
s' '"n,ber of the gang did not appear
49,, wv '.rE decided Saturday Night 10 get
'.' ana let II so at that.
,t.' word Was given to beat In the door
N''h'ndu's room al Q o'clock yesterday
oIh'ng Both men were asleep While
10y we're dressing the detectives pulled
~" under the bed suit case and a
"hS bag, In Sneiderman's room
W.. ,"und small chest and another
rayellina bag.
J., I''" these repositories they took two
:" o''S hnl twenty-slx steel drills, two see
.Nh l0Wmles, four extra parts for a
az" Jimmy seven ordinary jlmmles two
- nacksaw. circular saw. screw
T'np'ss' two flashlights. ninety five
.Vhdt!ng caps three sticks Of dvnamite
NJ batteries, four ordinary revolvers and
nI'omatic pistol, two blackjacks and
- " pair Of hs6douf,s. wrench.