New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-19
ELUSIVE GUNMAN
SWIMS INTO NET
SET BY CHANCE
Sleuths Find "WaXie"
Gordon, Dopey Benny'S
Aid, at North Beach.
CAUGHT BY MAN,
BEATEN BY BOSS
Wanted on Old Assault lndict-
ment, Police Say He Can Re-
veal Many Gang Secrets.

Irving Wexler, better known as
! "Waxie" Gordon, first lieutenant and
trusted aid Of "Dopey Benny Fem
whom the police have wanted for SIX
months, was captured yesterday AT
| North Beach. BY a peculiar coincl-
dence the man who arrested him was
Detective Sergeant Patrick Sheridan,
/ for an assault upon whom Fem was
/ found guilty in January, 1914, end SEN
/ tened by Judge Malone to 1--WE years.
/ He was later freed and gave much IN
{ formation of the relations between the
/ garment makers union and organ -ea
| hugs.
The specific charge against Wexler
| is assault and robbery upon Jacob Sloto-
polsky, of 3S3 Grand Street. lie told
| the grand jury on February p that
"WaXie" and four other gangstcrs had
entered his stable, at 3o Ludlow street,
. held him up, robbed him of SI65 and
/ beat him. He was able to identify only
/ Wcxler Six days later the grand jury
returned an indictment for first degree
robbery as a second oqender against
/ Wexler
/ A number Of complaints of robberies
at North Beach and upon trolley cars
+ leading to that resort brought about
. the arrest. Detectives Sheridan and
Finn, Of the First Branch, started out
from headquarters yesterday morning
/ to investigate the complaints.
/ The two wandered about North Beach
/ FOR an hour, when Sheridan touched
Finn upon the arm, and pointed TO
bather disportng himself in the swim
Look" he said, there's 'Waxie' Cor
con. He's our man, and we're well re-
warded for coming here" The pair
watched the gang lieutenant and fol-
lowed him from the pool to a bath
house, The detectives stood outside
his room while he dressed, and when
he stepped outside Sheridan grasped
him, telling the gunman he was under
arrest.
you've got me-" said Wexler, "but
it's a good thing ! didn't have a gun
on me or you'd be a dead man"
At Headquarters WeXler said he was
twenty-eight years old, laundryman,
and lived at 1856 Madison Avenue. The
records show that his criminal career
has extended over a period Of years
and embraced a number of misde-
. meanors and felonies.
The first Of these was a charge of
grand larceny, which took WeXler, who
| called himself Benjamin Lustig, to FL
mira on October s, 1905. He was re-
/ leased in January, 1903, and set out
| for Boston. Within seven months he
was again arrested, This time for pick
/ ing pockets. and sent to the House of
+ Correction for four months.
/ He kept clear of the police until early
/ in 1911, when he was convicted Of grand
4 larceny in Pennsylvania, and served
nineteen months at Holmsburg. Soon
/ after he was freed he was sentenced as
| Harry Burns to Elmira, this time for
/ being a pickpocket. Then came
period of liberation, and in January,
| 1911, he was arrested with his leader
/ and three others.
The quartet was charged with know
/ ing something Of the details of fight
/ in front Of Arlington Hall, in St
Marks Place. after ball. which re-
suited in the death of Frederick
Strauss. a cierI. All four, however.
were released afterward. But Wake"
was not to remain away from the au-
thorit.es long, for in June of last year
as Harry Brown he vas sentenced TO
/ the penitentary for assault.