New-York tribune., 1919-12-24
Pair Break Into Knicker.
booker Suite, Beat Man,
Choke Wife, Get $1,000
Miss $4,000 Necklace
Trapped as They
Climb Down Wall
Sailor Prisoners, Who Had
Registered, Believed To
Be Members of Gang

Two men who had registered few
hours previously at the Hotel Knicker-
booker yesterday jimmicd their way
into an adjoining suite, beat and bound
Mr.. and Mrs. Aloysius J. Broderick
and stole jcwelry valued at $1,000.
They were captured in the grill room
after an attempt to escape by clam
bering down two stories of the facade
of the hotel, humanity fashion.
The robbers told the police their
names are Adriano Alvarez and Raw
mond Rodriguez, and said they were
Spanish sailors. They were taken to
the West Thirtieth Street police sta
ton, whore they will be held for fur
ther examination. They were dcnti-
fed by several hotel men as having
been guests in places where robberies
have occurred recently.
Mr.. Broderick is a wealthy resident
of Dallas, Tex, where he is vice-presi-
dent of the Producers Oil Company.
He had suite SOP on the fifth floor of
the hotel.
Pair Registered Monday Night
Alverez and Rodriguez, according to
|,
had registered about 10 o'clock Monday
night and were assigned suite adj
joining the Broderick apartment
AT about o'clock Mr.. and Mrs
Broderick were awakened by the creak-
ing Of a door leading into the adjoin-
ing suite. Mr. Broderick got out of
bed to investigate. AS he approaches Il
the door it was suddenly burst opel
and man struck him over the head
with jimmy. He sank semi-con-
scious to the floor.
The other robber rushed over to
Mrs Broderick, who w&s sitting up in
him off, she was stabbed in the left
hand. After struggle the burglar
eventually got her by the throat and
choked her into Inconsistencies. He
then tore bed sheet into strips and
tied her to the bed.
Mr.. Broderck had by this time re-
gained consciousness and was on his
feet giving battle to the other robber.
During the fight one of the thieves
went through the apartment gathering
up whatever valuables he could Law
hands on.
Fugitives Seen Scaling Hotel
A bellboy, hearing the commotion,
rushed down into the lobby and gave
the alarm. Patrolman Martin Meyers,
passing the Forty-secon Street en-
trance, dashed up to the Broderick
apartment, where he was told the rob-
bers had got out of the window. Po-
liceman John Nussel saw them sealing
down the face of the hotel on the
Broadway side, and, pointing revolver
at them, threatened to shoot if they
did not go back. He fired one bullet.
~.
third floor
Meyers then took up the chase
through the corridors, where he was
Joined by many Of the guests who
had been aroused by the commotion
and were running aimlessly about in
scanty attire. The alleged thieves
finally leaped into an elevator shaft
ard slid down the cable to the grill
room.
Poking about with gun in hand,
Meyers found two men crouching be-
hind screen: A handto- hand bat
tie followed, in which the accused
men were subducd by several blows
over the head
Jewelry Found on Pair
When searched Alverez had in his
possession a gold mesh bag, with sew
enty diamonds worth $500; an octa-
watch with platinum
chains and pearls attached, gold
stickpin worth $4OO, pair of dia-
mond- studded cuff links and $3.50 in
cash. The Brodericks identified AL
verez and Rodriguez as the men who
had entered their apartment, and said
the jewelry was theirs. The thieves
also had in their pockets false and
skeleton keys, jimmy and blood
stained knife with which Mr. Brod-
erick had been cut in the back and
Mrs. Broderick in the hand. They
also carried many pawntickets calling
for rings and watches of various
value, and what appeared to the police
to be plans of numerous hotels of the
city.
Mr.. Broderck said he and his wife
had gone shopping Monday and made
many purchases of jewelry in the
Fifth Avenue section. Among these
was a $4,000 pearl necklace which he
said he had purchased as a Christmas
gift for his wife. With some other
these escaped the hands of
the burglars because they had been
placed on the dresser and lingerie
thrown over them.
Slid to Escape Hubbub, They Say
Despite the positive identification Of
the thieves by the Brodericks and
others who chased them through the
hotel. Alvarez and Rodriguez declared
they knew nothing of the robbery.
They didn't know how the jewelry got
into their pockets and said they slid
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