The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-17
BANDITS HOLD UP
BANK IN JERSEY
Continued from First Page.

little familiarity with Jersey routes, and
the detectives believe they were from
New York They beat the police alarm
to the Carteret ferry by only few
minutes, and assuming that the stolen
car will be abandoned on Staten Island
II will be ticklish Job for the indi-
viduals to get through the police guards
stationed at all points of egress from
the island. Had they gone directly from
Roselle to the Lincoln Highway. mile
and a half away, they would have been
able to obtain much longer start on
the police.
There were eight or ten customers
in the bank when the robbers entered.
These were in line in front OF the
cashiers window. Behind the window
was Percy H. Bennion, assistant cashier.
c. NJ. Applegate, cashier, was at lunch
con, as was one-half OF the stan, leav-
ing only Bennion and the three young
women in the building.
Tailor Saves His Money.
Israel Borisof., tailor, was doing
business with Bennion. Borisoff had
$40 received from Bennion on check
lying at the cashiers window when he
was pushed roughly to one side by
| man who showed a revolver at Bennion
and ordered the cashier to put up his
hands. AS Bennion put up his hands
Borisoff grasped at his twenty dollars.
Tho man with the gun pushed him away.
Let your money stay there" Borisoff
said the bandit exclaimed. at will be
all right. We don't want it." Borisoff
claimed his money after the bandits had
gone.
| The man who covered Bennion was
the leader. He was older than the
others and was readily remembered by
those 10 the bank In telling their stories
by the fact that he wore a derby hat.
The others wore soft hats or caps.
| There were four or five bandits in the
| first rush. One man remained at the
wheel and kept the engine going and
two others walked Chestnut street In
| both directions as lookouts.
The man in the derby hat called his
directions while he kept bennion covered.
He mentioned no names In addressing
the others
Hey. you" he shouted to one. pull
down those shades" And to another.
Watch those girls. Line them up
against the wall"
| The leader had assigned to himself
the particular Job of robbery. The task
| OF the others was to prevent interior
| ence by customers or employees.
Leaving one man behind to keep the
customers covered with his revolver, the
man with the derby hat and two others
passed into the banks main office. A
gate lock troubled them so they jumped
It. During ell the time the leader kept
Bennion covered, though for few feet
n glass partition separated him from the
assistant cashier.
Money Swept Into Bag.
Once inside Bennions cage the man
Ia.ix.-
his coat. Into this he swept the piles
OF coin that lay on all sides and threw
the packages of bills he found in the
| drawers. Altogether the robber got
$4,000 in coin and bills Of small denomi-
nation. 1t was all the gang got in the
bank.
Now show me the vault and keep
your hands up" the man in the derby
said to Bennon.
Ter.
mo remarks" said the bandit.
Bennion led the way from the cage
tc the Sear of the main office, where the
vault sets into the wall. The heavy
outer door was open. In the vault a
short passage, lighted by electricity,
passed between rows of safe deposit
q. boxes to the safe.
At the end of the passage, before the
Sehic 10 10 u silOlle HOn
bars. This was unlocked Bennlon
pushed II open. AS he did so a bell
rang. 1t was just light tap that under
the circumstances meant nothing, but II
alarmed the bandit and apparently un-
nerved him.
Bell Alarmed Bandit.
What does that connect WITH" he
asked Bennion. and pressed the pisto
against the assistant cashiers vest.
Nothing" answered Bennion, which
was the simple truth.
IF l find it connects with something
I will kill you" said the bandit. "Get
out of here"
Eennion walked out OF the vault The
bandit, who had held the girls under
cover against the wall, assembled them
with Bennion and led them to the direc-
tors room on the same floor, though
entirely separated from the main office.
, In this room, the patrons had also been
assembled. The party OF ten or twelve
waited under guaurd of one OF the ban
dts, who calmly smoked a cigar
. Miss Agnes Burney Of Roselle, who
had come to the bank to deposit $40 for
: the coal company by whom she is en-
} ployed, began to cry. The bandit as
, sured her that no harm would come to
her II she continued TO keep her hands
S170 hidden In her waist.
t The bandit remained on guard unit
q summoned to leave by one OF his COM
! panions Immediately afterward the
Y group in the directors room heard the
first pistol shot.
Small Coins Not Touched.
The man in the derby hat did not re
main in the vault long after Bennion left
Apparently he tinkered little with thu
handles of the heavy door of the manga
4 nese safe and recognized the futility o
attempting to open It, On shelves di
rectly above the safe were bags contain
ing $4,000 in small coins. They wer
a untouched. Bank officials believe the,
=, were left because the bandit though
= them too heavy to carry.
:, Two policemen were in headquarter
when the banks alarm sounded The,
were Sergeant keenan, and Sergean
George Wright. The latter was dom
: desk duty
Pretty little Roselle and its siste
l. borough across the Jersey Central track
a never have had an important robbery
The thought that he was about TO d
a battle with a gang of boldly dangerou
J. men was probably the last thing 1
II kennan's mind as he climbed the stair
d from the Office and started across Chest
d nut street to the bank. He is As year
h old, has been long a policeman and ha
wife and three children. He was mad
y a sergeant two weeks ago.
h AS Keenan, crossed the street he sal
n the big automobile in front OF It wit
It man at the wheel and another stand