New-York tribune., 1919-11-29
George Alexander, Poul-
try Dealer, Is Robbed
and Thrown Out of
Auto in Front of Home
Detectives Report
$4,000 Recovered
Merchants Chauffeur Said
To Have Confessed He
Helped Gang of Four

lhree men We're arrested last night
on charge of holding up George
Alexander, wealthy poultry merchant
in front Of his home, $50 West End
Avenue, yesterday morning and rob
bing him Of $40 900 in cash and checks.
One of the prisoners is Thomas Roch-
fort. Alexander's chauffeur. The other
two said they were Jack Handy, a
taNicab owner. Of 1877 West Ninety
sixth Street, and William Cunningham
who gave his residence as the Colo
nial Hotel
According to the police. all of the
men signed confessions. Handy and
Cunningham admitted they were mem
bers of a band of four who leaped on
Alexander as he was sitting in his
automobile, overpowered him, grabbed
bag with the $4,000 and drove off,
after throwing the poultry leader out
of the car. The victim identified Handy
and Cunningham last night.
$4,000 Reported Recovered
Fifteen thousand dollars of the loot
is said to have been recovered when
the men were arrested. Handy and
Cunningham were taken into custody at
the formers home. Cunningham. who
is tWenty-seven years old, was found to
have the money IN his pockets. Both
alleged robbers were taken by surprise
when a squad Of detectives, headed bv
Thomas j. Finn and Thomas Conklin,
burst in on them. They put up a
struggle, but were soon overcome.
The $4,000 recovered was in cash.
Alexander told the police he did not
know what part of the total loss was
in currency and what part in negotia-
BILE paper. Although he placed the
loss at $4,000, one of his sons said it
would exceed $5O,000
Rochfort, the chauffeur, was under
examination for more than three hours
by Detective Captain Thomas Walsh
nounced he broke down and told of his
part in the hold-up and robbery He
implicated Handy and Cunningham.
tie said, according to the police, that
he had known members of the band for
five years, but that he had been en-
ployed by Mr.. Alexander only five
months. On Thursday night, according
to the alleged confession, he met the
four men, and arranged with them to
be in front of the West End Avenue
mouse at O'CLOCK Yesterday morning.
Say Chauffeur Gave Signal
Rochfort knew, according to the con-
fession, that his employer had a large
sum of money on his person, as it was
his custom to take the days receipts
home with him and deposit them in the
bank the next day
The chauffeur according to the con-
fession, stood near the car when Alex
ander emerged from the house. He
then gave the signal, it is said to the
robbers by waving his hands to them
while his employer was hidden from
view.
According to prearranged plan the
motor OF the car had been left running
by the chauffeur he confessed so that
the escape could be made without a
hitch. Also, according to the alleged
plot, one of the robbers went through
the motions of holding up Rochfort, the
chauffeur, and backed him into a vesti-
bule, where both could watch the prog
ress of the struggle in the car. At the
last minute this man was to leave the
chauffeur and leap into the car as it
gathered speed.
Two Other Men Sought
The three prisoners gave to the po-
lice, the latter said the names of the
other two robbers Late last night
Inspector John j. Cray and a special
squad went out on the hunt for these
men and the remaining $4,000. Ar
rests and recovery of the other loot are
expected.
Alexander, according to the story he
told the police, left his house at $3.50
o'clock, carrying bag containing the
$4,000 in currency and checks, which
he had brought home on Wednesday
night after the days business.
The poultry dealer entered his car
and settled back on the cushions, he
said. The speed of what happened in
the next few seconds left him bewil-
dered. The door Of the car facing the
sidewalk was wrenched open and a
revolver was showed into his face by
one of band of four, roughly dressed,
and with coat collars turned up to hide
their features.
Not word, or III snuff your life
out the leader said crisply.
Before Alexander could utter a syl-
liable, he said, the three other bandits
mad piled into the car. Alexander was
overpowered in an instant. While two
robbers held his arms to his side a
'nlrd grabbed the money bag. Then
al an four united in hurlng him out of
the car to the pavement
stunned, Alexander heard the car
bcelng started and rose in time to see
it whizz down West End Avenue to
Ninety second Street, and then head
east
Soon afterward the car. a seven-pas-
senger vehicle, was found abandoned
at 105th Street and Fifth Avenue.