Evening star., 1915-02-15
Two Masked Men Get Away
With Nearly $4,000 From
w, R, & E. Co.
CLERK AND HIS ASSISTANT
THREATENED WITH DEATH
Office at East Capitol and 14th
Streets Visited Early This Morn
ing-Thieves Make Escape.


pistol, visited the car barn Of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company at
East Capitol and 14th streets this morn
ing about AS o'clock. covered Jeremiah
Hagerty, night depot clerk. and Roy
Brady. his assistant, with their weapons.
helped themselves to nearly $4,000 and
walked quietly from the building. They
overlooked about $4,000.
Leaving the building. the robbers went
south on 14th street to A street south
east, turned east and disappeared. De-
tectives found their footprints in the mud
on vacant lot near 14th and A streets,
and the driver Of a bakery team saw the
men when they turned off 14th street. The
driver was unable to tell if the men were
masked when he saw them.
Depot Clerk Hagerty. 1887 North Caro-
lima avenue, and Assistant Brady, 1925
North Carolina avenue, were SO greatly
alarmed and excited over the affair, it
is stated, that it was with some difficulty
that they managed to summon the police.
Bicycle Policeman German of the ninth
precinct responded to telephone call and
utes after the robbery was committed.
being closely followed by Policeman Bat
son.
Detectives Hurried to Scene.
Maj. Sylvester, who was informed of the
robbery shortly after it happened. directed
number Of detectives to hurry to the
car barn and join in the investigation.
Detective Weldon, in charge of the de-
tective force at night, and Detectives Bur-
lingame, O'Brien. Vermillion, Mullen.
Warren and Evans were sent to the scene
of the robbery.
Hagerty and Brady had not fully re-
covered from their fright when the
detectives reached the car barn.
The depot clerk and his assistant
were the only persons in the office
when the hold-up men appeared. In
adjoining rooms. however, one the
poolroom and the other the conductors
lounSinS room, several men were
sleeping. but so quietly was the rob-
ing of what transpired until the mask
ed men had departed.
Then one of the men left the Iuild-
ing for the purpose of trailing the rob-
bers. He found them at East Capitol
and 14th streets. just outside the car
barn, where they esitated moment
as If to determine in what direction
they would CO., Their pistols were
man who started to trace their move
ments and the latter retreated in the
direction of the car barn.
When the men entered the office
through the door used by employees of
the company they made very little
noise. Hagerty arose. turned toward
the men and took a step in their direc-
tion before he saw the glistening bar
rel of revolver pointed toward him.
Commanded at Pistols Point.
"Sit down there or I'll kill you" COM
manded the robber who wore a white
mask made of a handkerchief, the
mask being over the lower part Of his
face and cap covering his forehead
Hagerty saw on the mask what he
thought were blood spots. suggesting
that the robbers face probably had
been cut or scratched.
The other robber wore a black mask
which completely hid his face Both
were Shabbily dressed, and one of them
had his coat turned to prevent the men
in the Office from getting an idea Of
the kind of garment he wore.
The robber who wore the black ma SIX
and took the cash. the police were told
wore gloves. probably for the purpose OF
avoiding the possibility of being tracked
by finger prints.
Closely following his order to Hager-
ty to be seated. the depot clerk stated,
the man wearing the white mask di-
rected him to hold up his hands and
stand on the chair at his desk. Brady
was made to stand nearby in order that
he might not give an alarm and upset
the plans of the two early morning
visitors.
Carrying a small sack in one hand
and revolver in the other, the robber
wearing the black mask rified the sew
eral drawers in which returns of con-
ductors are temporarily kept, display
ing a familiarity with the surround
ings. The cash contents of the drawers
sack the robber carried. and wnen the
drawers had been emptied the robbers
went to the safe in the room, taking
a quantity of car tickets from it.
Employe Pursues Robbers.
Having obtained all the money they
saw the two men backed out of the
office, their weapons still pointed at
Hagerty and his assistant, and left the
building. Satisfied that the robbers
were out of the building. Hagerty
sounded a bell to give an alarm. and
it was in response to this call that the
one eemploye went in pursuit of the
robbers.
Hagerty telephoned to the police. Be
cause of his excited condition he was
unable to give much Information over
the telephone, but did manage to say
enough to inform them of what had
happened. Bicycle Policeman German
made a quick response. learned of the
seriousness of the affair and notified
Detective Weldon at headquarters.
Mai. Sylvester was aroused and he gave
instructions as to who to send to the
car barn and what should be done in
the matter of notifying authorities out
side the city, directing that reward
/ of 5000 be offered for the arrest of the
men.
Lieut.. Charles Bremerman Of the
ninth precinct went to the car barn
with a detail of officers shortly after
word of the robbery was received. From
| the car barn several of the men went
| in the direction Of 14th and A streets
southeast, where the robbers were last
| seen. and managed to find the fresh
| footprints in the mud. They lost sight
Of the prints at the other end of the
( lot, however, and failed to find any per-
| were seen by the man on the bakery
| company's wagon.
| An examination of the company's
Office showed that $1.s67.s9. SIT worth
| Of car tickets and a relief check for $2l
| had been taken. From one drawer the
| robbers took package containing
| 81 O70 in cash, while a package in an.
other drawer contained 1894 in cash
The other money they took included
1922 in half dollars, So in dimes, $I.35
in nickels and four pennies.
Office Not Well Protected.
| Some Of the officers participating In
| the investigation OF the robbery said
| today that tho company's funds in the
Office at the barn were not well pro.