The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-04
TWINS STEAL $1,000
AND QUICKLY LOSE IT
11-Year-Old Brooklyn Boys
Hide Loot Behind a Loose
Chimney Brick.
BUT SOME ONE PEEPED
When Bank Manager Forces a
Confession He Finds the
Money Has Disappeared.

The Gross lads, Harry and David, are
, Brooklyn twins but IL years old. but
unless something is done Immediately to
| slow Up their financial yearnings 1t looks
as II Twin Harry and Twin David will
soon find themselves skidding down q
shoot the chutes that will land them in
the general strata presided over by Jake
Herzig. alias G. Graham Rice. OF fast
financial fame.
The troubles OF Harry and David be-
gan on Wednesday night and came to
complete and sticky tel yesterday be-
fore Justice Robert j. Wilkin in the
Children's Court, Brooklyn, when the
eleven-year-old twins pleaded guilty to
no less a CRIME than the grand larceny
Of $1,000 from the tellers cage of the
Public National Bank, $3.50 Graham
avenue. Brooklyn, late on Wednesday.
Then they hid the money, in three pack
ages containing $500 in each parcel, under
loose brick at the base OF chimney
on top of the building OF which the
ground floor Is used by the bank. But
when detectives. accompanied by bank
officials and the irate father of the
twins looked into the cache described by
the energetic Harry and David they
found the loose brick but no money.
when Teller Wasn't Looking.
The father OF Harry and David Is
John Gross. janitor of the bank. On
Wednesday night while Janitor Gross
was cleaning up the bank after the
outer doors had been closed Harry came
down stairs from the living quarters OF
the Gross family above the bank and
turned in to help pop clean away the
papers on the bank floor. At that time
three tellers were still at work in their
cages.
While Harry labored with his father
in sight-and reach--of much wealth
two OF the tellers wound up their work
and departed. Then came a moment
when the third teller had his back turned
to a bundle of bills on his desk and also
was looking the wrong way from little
Harry Gross. Up went Harrys little
hand through the bars OF the cage and
noiselessly Harry drew toward him his
$1,000 pile of swag.
For reasons of his own Twin Harry
decided promptly after that to call It a
resumption of business the theft was
discovered and reported by the teller.
Morris Meltsner. manager OF the bank.
who Immediately brought every one in
the bank who might know something
about the disappearance of the money
up on the carpet--every one that Is ex-
cept the Gross twins. For "A time the In
vestigation stood In the general neigh
hood Of where il had been started.
Traced by n safety Pin.
Sone one recalled that Twin Harry
had been seen near the place where the
money was last known to be. Harry was
also summoned to tine carpet Twin
Harry. s'elp i'm. didn't know nuthin
about nuthin'. But as the search went
one one OF the bank officials came upon
safety pin straddling cross bar of
the teller's cage. Little Harry Gross
1t was recalled. had a strong leaning
toward the same sort of safety pins in
the matter OF personal adornment and
Thereupon. on the suggestion OF De-
tective Tom Carroll, who. with Detective
Robert Ferries. had been working on the
theft, Twin David was submitted to the
OF being accused OF the theft
after the detectives had watched the
upon anything tending to show that the
twins had taken the money. David. like
Harry, was silent for a time, but finally
Yes cried David. with a sullen rush
OF contrition and oratory, Harry took
the money. ] helped him hide It up on
the roof under loose brick in the
chimbly."
To the roof scrambled the breathless
detectives. Sure enough there was a |
loose brick. just as Twin David had de- |
scribed II. But when the brick was |
pulled out nothing was found in the hole |
except Brooklyn atmosphere. And the |
twins found themselves in court yester-
day. where they were paroled by Justice !,
Wilkin after they had pleaded guilty to |
grand larceny. until August 16, when a |
disposition Of their case will be made.
Seventeen families occupy the apart |
nents above the banking rooms of the |
building The police last night were |
giving some attention to various apart
nent jewellers. 1t was intimated yester-
lay that a clue had been found which |
may result in the early arrest OF an |
adult.