New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-14
Gangster Slips Past Three
Detectives at Homo
eide Bureau.
LEFT WEST SIDE CELL
TO GIVE EVIDENCE
Called Often by Prosecutor
Witness at RubenStein
Murder Trial.

Friday, the 18th, was a lucky day
for Barnett Patlin, gangster and West
Side prison inmate, awaiting trial for
highway robbery. His particular piece
Of good fortune consisted in walking
past three detectives, who had been
watching him in the waiting room out
side the Homicide Bureau. on the top
floor Of the Criminal Courts Building.
Once beyond the door and out of sight
Of his guard, he sped down the long
corridor to freedom.
Yesterday lived up to its reputation
for the District Attorneys office as the
one time in an occasional month when
all superstitons pour down their hoo
docs. Patln had been brought down
to the Criminal Courts Building to in
terview Assistant District Attorney
Walter R. Deuel. and TO give certain in
formation about another case that had
no connection with his own crime. He
made his escape shortly after 2:30
p. m, while Mr.. Deuel. was at lunch.
Detectives searched the building from
attic to basement. Police Headquar-
tiers sent out general alarm for his
arrest.
Strangely enough, however, every
thing was sultry and placid at the West
Side prison, Ffty-third Street, near
Eighth Avenue, when a reporter for
The Tribune called at p. m.
Whats the matter with Patlin?"
asked the keeper with the key limo
Gently. Somebody just called up a
little while ago to know if Patlin had
come back. We told them no, but that
we expected him soon"
When Assistant District Attorney J.
Ward Toilette, a member Of the Homi-
eide Bureau staff, went out TO lunch at
1880 he noticed Patlin sitting in the
reception room. An hour later, when
Mr. Toilette returned, the gangster-
robbcr was sti!l there and three de-
tectives from Headquarters were with
him. Mr.. Toilette went into the inner
Office, closed the door and sat down at
his desk.
tectives rushed in with the news that
Patlin was missing. After ordering
the officers to search the building Mr..
Toilette notified Police Headquarters.
Every precinct in the five boroughs was
notified to be on the lookout for the
man. According 10 Inspector Cray, Pat
lin was in the custody of Detective
Weber, Of the 1st Branch bureau.
The prisoner is short youth of
twenty-three, dark compleXioned, with
heavy eyebrows, smooth face, and a
thick crop of black hair. When last
seen he was wearing a dark gray suit
and straw hat that was greasy with
dirt.
Yesterday was not his first trip to
the office where he made his getaway.
According to the West Side prison
keeper, he had been brought down so
many times in the last two weeks that
his departure in the custody of de-
tectlVes ceased to attract any atten-
ton. He figured conspicuously last
week in the trial of Harry Goldberg
and Isador Presser, jointly indicted for
the murder of Moschie Rubenstein in
March. After Patlin had testified that
both defendants had admitted to him
in the Tombs that they had killed
kubensteln, they pleaded guilty TO
manslaughter and were both sentenced
to twelve years. 1t was reported that
Patlin came to Mr.. Deuels Office yes
terday to give information relative to
another East Side murder.
Patlin's record shows that he ap-
peared in the Children's Court charged
with burglary eleven years ago. lie
was sent to the Elmira Reformatory
for the same crime in 1906, and two
years later Judge Rosalsky sent him to
prison for three years and nine months
In 1912 he was found guilty of grand
larceny in Brooklyn.
His most recent offence was COM
mitted on May 16 with the assistance
of his pal, John Stanley. They en-
tered the basement of Hyman Seigel's
carpenter shop, at 176 Avenue b, at
tackled Seigel and robbed him of $14.45.
Deputy Police Commissioner Lord, in
commenting on the case, said that in
the future, if the District Attorneys
Office wanted detective to escort pris-
oners to that Office, they would have
to use one Of their own staff.