New-York tribune., 1915-02-21
Youth Smashes Window
of JeweIry Store to
Finance Jail Escape.
CRASH STARTLES
THEATRE CROWDS
Two of Band Escape from De.
tectives Who Had Trailed
Them for Hours.

ing to finance an escape from Sing Sing
Detectives who had followed the trail OF
the rowing stone from Delaney Street
{ TO Thirty-seventh Street arrested two
Of the men. Two escaped. but the
100000 window display was untouched.
] The prisoners said they were Michael
Schultz, eighteen, of 80 Henry Street.
and Joseph Brown. nineteen, of 27
| Catharine Street They were locked up
ir the West Thirtieth Street police sta
ton. charged with burglary. Letters in
their possession showed that friends in
Sing Sing counted on the pair to aid
them in escaping.
A week ago Detectives Merz and
Davis intercepted letter from pals in
Sing Sing which indicated that inside
efforts to break jail had been ineffect-
ual. Money was required. and it was
for those still at liberty to supply it.
From that day Merz and Davis kept
close tabs on the four. They felt some
/ thing would be doing soon.
( Yesterday afternoon the four met at
. Delaney and Clinton streets. Metz
/ and Davis were on hand. There was a
stealthy conference and Schultz picked
up stone lying near sn excavation.
All four scanned the rock closely
After some discussion il was discarded
and another, slightly larger, was Sc
lected. II passed muster and was
wrapped in a newspaper. Schultz
tucked it under his coat and all four
swung abroad Fourth Avenue car.
Merz and Schultz were right behind
them.
At Thirty fourth Street the party
got off and walked to Fifth Avenue.
Up Fifth Avenue to Thirty-ffth Street
the raiders took their way, swinging
carelessly through the crowd. Once a
man jostled Schultz. With a snarl that
vanished as he realized the collision
was accidental, ScnultZ turned and re-
adjusted his burden.
Across Thirty-ifth Street and up
Broadway to the southeast Corner of
Thrty-seventh Street the procession
took its way. II was just after the
hour when matinees and Offices dis
charge crowds into that part of the
city. Up and down Broadway surged
endless ranks of pedestrians. Motors
honked and ratified by the hundred.
For al hour and quarter Merz and
Davis kept their vigil. There was no
doubt as TO the shop that had been
selected. II was that of Frank and
Benjamin Schwartz, at 1870 Broadway.
The show window. which was about
Z feet by IL. was of extra heavy French
glass. Behind it glittered an array
of jewels, which the Schwartz broth
ers valued at 100000. The stock was
arranged in tiers.
Many in the passing throngs paused
TO admire the display. On the corner
huddled the four East Siders. who were
there TO aid their pals in Sing Sing.
They cast uneasy glances over their
shoulders for several minutes. At IN
tervals one Of them would approach
the window with elaborate careless
ness, reconnoitre and return. Then
there would be a conference and many
head shakings, and another would sally
across TO the jewel window.
Twice the detectives were sure that
the attack was about to be made. Each
time a group of men and women dallied
at the window just long enough to un-
balance the plans of the raiders.
Lights were glmmering with almost
the brightness of night and Broadway
was seating itself at dinner tables
before the attack was made. Schultz
darted from the little group, his hand
beneath his coat. AS he reached the
window he hurled the rock into the
middle Of the glass.
Hundreds halted at the crash. Brown
was right behind Schultz. and while the
former turned, as though to keep in
truders at their distance, Brown thrust
a hand and arm through the gaping
hole in the window. Just beneath his
fingers was 100000 in gems.
Davis grabbed the hesitating Schultz
and jammed him into a doorway. Merz
dashed in pursuit of the other three,
who were in full fight up Broadway.
Only occasionally did the detective
! catch glimpses of his quarry. SO con-
gested was the sidewalk that it was
impossible 10 use ais revolver. At
Fortieth Street he overhauled Brown
and hurled him to ths sidewalk with
football tackle. The other two disap-
peared into the hinterland which
Cr0WQS broadway on the west.
In front Of the demolished window
thousands of people had gathered.
Two traffic policemen kept the front
ranks JUS. clear of the treasures which
were there exposed. Davis and his
prisoner were jammed into the doorway
and could not get out.
MerZ was cut off from his partner.
He hurried 70 telephone and got the
reserves from the West Thirtieth Street
police station. IL was several minutes
before they could clear a space in
front Of the store. The two prisoners
were locked up as burglars. They had
several letters bearing an Ossinlng
post mark and written in prison. One
reads:
We've been seeing you boys outside
for some time while we were exercis-
ing. Two days ago We thought that
we'd make cur escape, and II looked
pretty good, but the man who has
charge of us is somewhat timid, and
after sounding him We found that he
would not take any chance. The best
thing TO do is to try it some Tnuggy
evening"
Other letters announced that it was
! hopeless 70 try 10 get away unless
money was provided. The recipients
we're urged TO do something at once
and send some money.
For hours crowd Of hundreds lin
gered in front Of the smashed window.
Police were on guard, and inside Frank
and BENJAMIN Schwartz had their whole
force at work taking an inventory. IL
Il Al. l. faE