New-York tribune., 1919-03-13
Thief Opened Vault and
Escaped Unseen While
Watchman Was on Duty
$l3O,OOO Is Overlooked
Messenger for Jcwcllcr IL
Robbed of Gems Worth
ST 900 by Daring Footpad

$4,000 in cash carly Tuesday morning.
the police announced yesterday.
IL IL believed ii former cmploye of
the institution committed the crime.
Morris NJ Corwin, cashier Of the
bank, plnccd the money Monday night
IN ma "overnow" safe, used when the
banks strouRboX was full. Some ono
who knew the combination OF the safe
opened it and walked of with it's con
tents. The police believe the robbery
was committed on Tuesday morning
shortly before the bank opened.
This was the most important event in
the chapter which yesterday added to
the history of New York's crime wave
The day also witnessed the hold-up at
SO John Street OF Henry Bucek, sixteen
years old, messenger for Lambert
Brothers, jewellers, and the theft from
him Of 81 900 worth of jcwelry. There
were also n number of minor hold-ups,
thefts and shootings
The Cosmopolitan Bank robbery was
discovered by Ralph Greenberg, sew
enteen-y -year-old messenger, who noticed
u
the vault had been opened.
Police Notified Later
Greenberg Immediately notified Har-
old Steiner, vice president of the bank,
who put the Burns and Pirkerton de-
tective agencies on the trail, but did
not Immediately notify the police
Later Captain Andrew Wines, Of The
Bronx Detective Bureau, set to work
on the case with squad of men. As
late as yeste rday morning, however,
the bank officials denied money had
been lost. Mr.. Steiner said yesterday
the matter was hushed up TO avoid
alarming depositors. The loss IS COM
pletely covered by insurance, he said
Rudolph Steuher, the night watch
man, told the police he had tested
the vault in his regular rounds up
to i o'clock, and found it secure. Al
o'clock Charles Van Austin, the day
watchman, left his home across the
street from the bank and talked for
an hour and one-half with Steuber,
who is his son-in-law At $3.50, he
said, he returned to his house and
watched the bank from his front win
dow. Because of Van Austin's early
rising the bank was watched from
the time when Steuber went off duty
until it opened for business.
Next to the safe that was opened
was another safe, which, the police
say. contained S13O,O0O. This was un-
touched. The police say the combina-
tion of the safe that was opened has
not been changed in two years. al
though there have been number of
changes in the personnel Of the bank.
The downtown hold-up occurred at
90 John Street, where Bucek had gone
10 deliver package of jewelry.
Bucek told the police he went to the
fourth floor of the building to make
his delivery and was on his way down
stairs when on the second floor he
encountered man who had been wait
ing IN dark corner The man sprang
toward him, drawing Il revolver. and
said in a low tone, "If you make an
outcry III kill you! Give me that bag. -
The messenger, stunned with fear
dropped the bag, which contained lew
elry worth about 81 900. The gunman
kept the boy covered and, picking up
the booty, backed down the stairs to
the first floor landing, where he turned
and dashed into the street. Bucek
waited minute or two and then fol-
lowed TO give the alarm. When he
reached the sidewalk the man had dis
appeared The shouts of the messen-
ger attracted crowd, including sev-
eral detectives and patrolmen.
Detectives John KalbAeisch anc
James Flemming. of the Old Slip sta.
tion, searched the neighborhood. but
found no trace Of the hold-up man
Bucek said the gunman was about FIVE
Ieet eleven inches in height, twenty
two years old, and in need Of a shave
lie wore dark slouch hat. ligh-
checked overcoat, d dark suit and blacl
shoes.
Sarah Biransky twenty years old Of
1910 wilkins Avenue, The Bronx. wa.
robbed yesterday afternoon in the Pub
nc National Bank, 1923 Broadway. o.
s5sU IN bills, which she had lust draw
Tor her employer, the Fifth Avenu,
DFessmaking Company. The robbel
darted out Of the bank and ran TOWARD
Sixth Avenue
Burt Gould and Emanuel Seigel. EN-.
pioyes Of the bank, chased the robbie,
through the crowd on Broadway. As
me fugitive approached Sixth Avenue
ne dropped the money on the sidewalk
Seigel picked it up.
\ fa,roiman George S.edenbader al
4 me west Twentieth Street station ar.
II Fssted the robber The man said y,
was Morris Cewer,z, Russian ,,ne,t'' ,,'u ~
nine n years old. He told Lieutenan,
'siiagher he WAS out Of work
hen Gowertz was arraionod la.o,
IN Jefferson Market Court. he so;d h'
was a graduate Of Cornell Univors;t,,
and writer. II accuse the social s,s
I'm OF driving me into these advers.
eircGmstances," he said
why don't you write M sone -
your experiences, and pet MONEY !,
tnat way, 'nstead Of stealing?" Magis
trate Ten Eyck asked Gowertz, "i
good idea" was the reply. "perban
III do that."
Max Green, Of 1853 Vyse Avenue. TIL
Bronx, was robbed Of $40. damon,
fing, and a stickpin valued at $40
near his home on Tuesday night. AL
Green can remember is Il vision Of tw
men holding revoiyers against hi
. stomach. lie felt a dali pain in nj
mead, ne says, and when he recovere.