New-York tribune., 1919-01-20
Two Policemen Wounded
Detectives Coat Pierced.
Arnold Rothstcin HELD
Soldier Prevents Escape
Prisoner Admits Shooting.
Authorities Say, Believing
Raiders Were Robbers

Arnold Rothstein. said to be Il.
nerviest big stake player in New Yo,l
resolved to try leaden bullets early yes.
terday morning on the "'jinx" that hs,
been on his trail for two years. ps
wounded two policemen and drilled
hole in the coat of third when the
police surprised crap game 1T 20,
West Fifty seventh Street.
John Walsh and John McLaupb,;r
who were hit, were in a squad Of H.
spector Hcnry's detectives, one of whom.
had followed a storm petrol of ths
green table from Ninety second Street
to the West Fiftyseverth Street house
confident that big game was On
when he had verified his suspicious hs
summoned half dozen other men of
Inspector Henry's staff. They sur.
rounded the house.
Thousands of dollars were changing
hands on the roll o. the dice and .
score of men were gathered about the
tables. Only one of the crowd n,s'
served an alert and slightly detached
manner. He was Rothstein, who L.d
lost $4,000 to masked hold-up men. ;r's
similar game at the ST. Francis Hotsl
court year ago in an effort to coIlsrt
$4,000 won in a Partridge Club gau,.
who had been robbed OF $1,000 ip.,
game in Hudson Street within wesk
Fired Through Door Panels,
His caution was bred of these or.
periences and of tip that hold up men
again were on his trail. He had moved
from house in Ninety-eighth Street to
the West Fifty-seventh Street address
But for all his keenness he did not
hear the police whistle, which WAS the
signal that the detectives outside were
at their posts. The clamor of knocking
and shouting at the door meant Just
one thing to Rothstein-his link" had
found him out again and familiar
masked figures presently would burst
in.
That, he told Inspector Henry later,
was the reason he fired through the
door panels as fast as his finger could
press the trigger. The first shot hit
Detective Mclaughlin in the back. The
second bored the right arm of Detec-
tive Walsh as he yanked at the door
knob. The third ripped through Detec
tive divers coat. The door gave with
crash and the detectives tumbled in,
the wounded Mclaughlin in the van.
The raiders entered with drawn guns
or raised "billies" and a crowd from
the street was pushing at their heels,
while Captain Mckinney and the re-
serves from the West Forty-seventh
Street station were laundering up the
stairs.
GO easv with them. boys!e Nc
Laughlin yelled. "They can't get away
from u.s."
Detectives clambered in through the
windows they had been guarding The
rolice began satherng up hatfuls Of
money nearly $4,000 in all--from the
the dice that lay beside it and mar
shalIing their prisoners for the ten.
block ride to the station house
Sounds of new affray drifted
through one of the shattered Windows,
however, and Captain Mckinney sent
some of his men TO investigate. They
found muscular civilian putting Up
a losing scrap IN a welter of olive drab.
Sergeant ]. A. Hollaback. one of the
scores of persons summoned TO the
spot by the pistol shots, had seen the
man stealing down fire escape and
calling upon other soldiers in the crowd
70 ioin him. had collared the stcathy
fugitive as soon as his feet touched
earth. The sergeant's prisoner xbs
Arnold Rothstein.
He was then taken back to the other
prisoners and admitted. Inspector
Henry said, that the revolver with three
empty shells in it, which was found on
the floor, was his and that he had fired
the shots through the door. He also
told why he had fired them. Ne
thought, Inspector Henry said, that the
men at the door were hold-un men,