The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
MOTOR HOLDUPS
ALL0VER TOWN
Nine Daring Raids by Automo-
bile Form Climax to Series
in Two Boroughs.
NUMEROUS OTHER CRIMES
$4,000 Liberty Bond Theft in
Brightly Lit Store in
Busy Street.
NUMEROUS OTHER CRIMES

A series OF nine daring robberies
reached a climax last night when auto
mobile bandits got away with $4,000
ir cash and Liberty bonds from the
store Of Harry Schmidt in the midst
OF tho busy early evening traffic on
Fulton street near Grand avenue,
Brooklyn.
This robbery. together with the dar-
ing holdups Of the night clerks of four
hotels and apartments In the central
districts Of Manhattan early yester-
day morning. Is attributed by the po-
lice to the same gang.
Their leader appears to be a red
headed rufYian who is drinking heav-
lily. as are his companions. All OF the
jobs bear the evidence of careful plan
ming and operation on schedule, never
theiess. They have been started with
ar attempt at gallant bravado, but
have sunk into the nasty language of
the gang at the first show Of resist
ance.
The hotels robbed were the Sher-
man Square, at Broadway and Seven
ty-frst street: the st. Paul, at Six
tieth street and Columbus avenue. the
Holland Apartments, at 66 West For
ty-sixth street. and the Madison, in
Twenty-seventh street near Madison
avenue.
Grants saloon at Tenth avenue and
Sixteenth street was robbed on wednes-
cay night by a gang in an automobile
which may or may not include those who
have so successfully continued their op-
erationsl
Arrests Made, hut Nobody Held.
Several arrests have been made by tho
big force OF detectives put to work on
the case from the West Sixty-eighth
street, West Forty-seventh street and
East Twenty-second street stations,
aided by men from Headquarters, and
by the entire detective force OF Brook
lyn. though 1t is believed that the
Brooklyn job was done by men who
urried back to Manhattan in a Packard
touring car OF 1912 model. the number
OF whose license is In the hands of the
police All OF the men arrested were
turned loose. however. when the victims
who got a good look at them in the St.
faul. Hotel failed to identify them.
The other robberies were carried out
by other persons in varying parts of the
city and varied between freight cars,
saloon cellars and private residences.
The police have made six arrests in
connection with the latter crimes. Three
of the men were taken after q tough
night as they were trying to remove a
barrel and several cases OF whIskey from
a West Twenty-ninth street saloon.
The raids have called forth from the
Mayor letter to Commissioner Enright
In which he urges that all automobiles
on the street after midnight and their
occupants be examined by the men on
post. II this scrutiny is not permitted
by the occupants Of the cars his Honor
sagely suggests that the officers call
Police Headquarters.
The robbery OF Harry Schmidt last
night was the most daring of the lot
II occurred Just after o'clock. when
Fulton street and Grand avenue were
we'll hlled with passersby.
Bond Dealer Taken by Surprise.
According to Schmidt, who IL a dealer
iE Liberty bonds and war saving stamps
and whose windows are brightly lighted
End decorated with samples of the bonds,
stamps and money, he was alone in the
store and just closing up. He was
kneeling before a safe, behind an old
fashioned high bookkeeper's desk, stow
ing away his cash and bonds when he
heard shuniing OF feet and looked up
into the muzzles of for pistols in the
bands OF two men with their caps pulled
down over their eyes
one OF them, apparently about 81
years old and feet 5 inches tall, with
reddish hair. did all the talking.
Got Into the back OF the store Aaa
get there quick" he ordered with an
oath. Leave those things there"
The men followed Schmidt as he re-
treated, tearing down a big green cur
tain which cut on the rear of the store
as they passed. This one of the men
tore into strips with which they bound
and gagged Schmidt and tied him to
the steel bar OF rear window.
We've been watching you for three
months and now we've got you" Schmidt
says the red headed bandit told him.
Another store Of scbmidts had been
oomtinssd on FVta PaOa