Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-01
CROWD CHASES
JEWELRY THIEVES

| N""sn""cu from FaGe One
TO a nearby department store. carrying
umbrellas
IL Is believed TIE men took advantage
! OF the rainy day to effect the hold-up
| The jewelry store, located at Drury and
ISth streets, Is owned by John ID. and
Sharles -. Kennedy. Charles Kennedy
had a premonition of robbery, and for
that reason had his eye constantly on
the window which contained jewels
valued at 10000
In the store at the time was Miss
Helen King. Of 962O East Lehigh avenue,
a stenographer. and John A. Covington,
! OF S4oS South SD street, a negro porter
Neither Miss King nor Covington saw
the intruders. Mr. Kennedy, however
saw hatchet welded through the pane
or glass and before he could reach the
street the men had disappeared.
Covington followed them west on Drury
! street shouting stop thief" one of the
gunmcn turned on him and fred a shot
which came far from It's mark. Within
a half minute the robbers were being puT-
sued by three mounted policemen, Albert
Hammer, Harry Hamilton and Michael
Gleason. all OF whom patrol that neigh
borhood. John Burnside. a trafic police
man stationed at 18th and Chestnut
streets. also entered into the chase, and
the crowd was soon augmented by store
clerks, messenger boys, wagon drivers
The two burglars turned at Juniper and
Drury streets, running south on Jun per
to Walnut At Juniper and Walnut one
OF the mon disappeared In the wither-
spoon Building. and detectives are now
searching vacant offices. believing that
ne may have taken refuge there.
BOY RECEIVERS LOOT.
Frank Tabasso, messenger for the
western Union Telegraph Company. was
delivering a death message In the build
Ing He was about to enter the struc-
ture when he became a part Of the NOV
ing mass. As the thief entered the build
Ing he dropped box containing 5000
worth of diamonds. The lad seized the
case, and member of the crowd tried to
take II from him. In n second, Joseph
liehermnn. superintendent OF the messen-
ger service In the Witherspoon Building.
came to the aid OF the boy.
The latter was then lost in the crowd
and might have disappeared with the
booty. Instead. he returned the Jewels
TO the shop. Mr.. Kennedy patted him on
the shoulder.
My son, YOU are honest and you'll be
great man some day." he told him.
Yes" replied the little fellow; IL hope
to be another Ed Ware"
The captured man gave the name OF
Nathan Heller and said he lived at 6Sth
avenue and Il street New York He Is
2S years old. None of the plunder was
found on him when he was searched by
Detectives Lynch and Timlin at City
Hall
Heller was held in s25OO bail this after
noon by Magistrate Boaton, in Central
Station. In course of the hearing, De-
tecttve Reilly testified that he had found
a pistol In the corridor of the Withcr-
spoon Building. He said there was no
doubt that 1t was the weapon discarded
htr oil - oil
cared.
The police asked that the prisoner be
held for further hearing. so that a
search could be made for criminal rec
ord which he may have had in New York
Magistrate Beaton declared however.
that no record was necessary and then
imposed the bail. Heller was unable to
furnish the amount and will be taken TO
Moyamensing Prison to await a trial in
the Criminal Courts.
The boy was taken TO City Hall to
identify the defendant When he re-
turned to the jewelry shop Mr.. Ken
nedy pressed currency note into his
hand.
"Therepl be more later. nv son." he
told him. The amount of money which
the youngster received as a reward was
not revealed. The apprehension of Heller
occurred at 18th and Locust streets. in
front of the building of the Pennsyl-
vania Historical Society. He ran east on
Juniper when his companion disap-
peared into the Witherspoon Building.
At Locust he ran toward 18th.
1t is believed that the escaped burglar
ran through the building, running west
on Walnut when the confused crowd fol-
lowed his pal.
The messenger boy was one of the
crowd almost struck by the flying bull
let's. AS far as the police could learn.
no one was injured during the chase by
the revolver shots, but several of the
pursuers sprained their ankles
RECORD OF RoBBERIEs.
Several startling robberies have oc-
CURED within the last six months in
jewelry stores in the central section of
the city. The most recent occurred in
the jewelry store of e. ]. Hertz, across
the street from the Kennedy establish
ment. At that time 81, 900 was stolen, and
Mr.. Hertz will face the arrested man to
see whether he is the same robber who
looted his store.
The jewels stolen from Kennedy
Brothers are not covered by insurance.
An important feature of the hold-up
that may have a bearing upon the crime
was the recent conviction IN the Mu-
niclpal Court of Michael McGrath. of
18th and Poplar streets. McGrath was
a trusted employe of the Kennedys. He
had taken about $4,000 worth of jewelry
from his employers during the term of
his service of Is months Mr. Ken |
nedv would not say whether he believed
that confederates of McGrath were in
volved in today's hold-up.
CoVington was able to furnish the po-
lice with a detailed description of the a
escaped robber. He said that he was FIVE |
feet six inches In height, weighed about !
15 pounds, wore a black derby hat, a |
a. .,.EN Il ak.A 1Ia