The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-28
WITNESS PICTURES
WHITE ASLEADER
OF ROBBER BAND
Man Who Turned States Evil
dence Accuses Masury
Co. Employee.
SwEAR RS HE ENGINEERED
ROBBERY OF OWN FIRM

cernedly in the witness chair as he ad-
United robbery to he one OF his trades,
told a story to Supreme Court Justice
Aspinall and jury yesterday in which
Philip T. White. the $4,000 employee Of
tho Masury Paint Company. Brooklyn,
figured as the guiding spirit in the hold
up and theft OF the company's payroll
last June.
Tho witness was Robert 8. Roberts.
the man who actually took the money
from the two messengers on the factory
stairs. and who turned States evidence
His tale, told dispa ISL onately but with
consideration for White and his friend
James F. Clinnin. auditor for the Hackett
& wilhelms Co. in Williamsburg, that
made the points against them seem all
the stronger. stood out as one of the
strangest ever heard in a court room.
II was an amiable, although Ill as
sorted quartet that Roberts told OF, and
the most curious figure Of all was that
OF every possible trick that fate might
play them. insisting that the children"
a. he called the bank messengers, be
treated gently. and then filching the re-
ports of Burns detectives that he and
the others might laugh over them in the
security OF the Elks Club, Roberts drew
a picture OF a trusted employee by day
and rascal by night that kept the
jurors eagerly alert.
Through 1t all White sat with his
counsel. making notes. rarely looking
toward the witness. writing away with a
steady hand as If at his office desk. His
wife at the back of the room was
equally unmoved. She spent most of her
time laughing and talking with a friend
Roberts's Story.
Robertss story went back to the day
when he first met White. year ago,
through Clinnin. A week later the prot
ect OF getting the Masury payroll was
first preached by White.
1T would be just like taking candy
from n baby" Roberts said that White
told them.
Then Roberts got a New Jersey auto
mobile license number, and the next
Friday they tried out their plan and the
first hitch occurred that caused them to
change their arrangements. White failed
TO give promised signal the first time.
and was roundly berated by the rest.
the witness said. He promised to do
better the second time. but there were
TOO many policemen around. The third
time everything went of perfectly. Rob-
erts got in ahead OF the boys and hid
on the stairs until he heard them COM
ing with White. Then he poked maya
Sine hashllght at them, took the bag OF
money away. and White hurried them
upstairs.
Moore had stayed below and the two
ran TO where Cllnnin was waiting In the
car with the New Jersey licenses. Rob
erts said. They did not stop until they
reached Nostrand avenue and Eastern
PARKWAY, where the licenses were
changed. Then Moore and Roberts took
the money to the Elks Club. New York.
Al the club. Roberts said, Clinnin d.
vided the money.
Moore got $500. Clinnin got 500
White was to get $500. and | got $500. "
said Roberts
Roberts did not see the money passed
TO White, however. but said thar the
next time he saw White he admitted
that he had received his share.
White later told u.s." said Roberts
that the police had no clue and tina,
Burns detectives We're working on IL
He showed us reports from the agency
and | remember that the detectives once
used the words all at sea-"
Roberts saw White often UP to Al
gust 7, which was the day that an at.
tempt was made TO rob the Sackett &
Wilhelms Company In Williamsburg
where Cl!nnin was auditor. The latte,
part OF that month the gang first Eel
Of In
them. One day Roberts got a telephon.
message from White to como right ovel
10 the Aston and be sure that no on,
followed him. Moore went with him.
Police on the Trail.
Then White told them. Roberts said
that Capt. Coughtn Of the Brooklyn
detective bureau had called him UP an.
asked where he had last seen Clinnin
White was frightened
They went later TO Central Park an,
talked over Coughln's disquieting re
mark until after daybreak The mex
day White told Roberts, he said, tina
C1innin was arrested and that he wante.
to make arrangements for bail. Tha
arrest was for the Sackett & Wilhelm
job. Clinnin was acquitted, and tina
day Moore, White and Roberts went Z
how he had been going around all da
with Detective Conroy on the Masur
case
Three weeks later they met agai
and Clinn!n told them, Roberts ga it
that II would have TO be their last NEE,
ing, an they were being followed
Finally White becoming desperate, ac
cording 10 Roberts, told Moore and ROB
elts that they would have to go Wes
He gave them money and they fnall
reached San Francisco, where both wer
arrested.
Roberts's examination by Assistar
District Attorney Allen ended Their
after which Mr.. Allen introduced regis
tew OF the Elks Club bearing the name
OF all the mon involved.
Al the morning session Harold Beel
clerk. and Arthur Barlow, the tw
boys who were held up, told OF IN
robbery and OF how White hurried the,
upstairs afterward. shipping clerl
Charles r. Hague, also corroborate
part of Robertss story when hs told ,
seeing White out on the shipping pla
form on the day of the holdup.
SAYS ROCKEFEIIER DODGES