New-York tribune., 1919-03-20
3Hold Up Bank
At Freeport; |
Shot;3 Arrests
Swift Automobile Chase by
Policeman Results in Re-
covery of Most of Money

Three men robbed the First National
Bank of Freeport, L. l., of $4,000 yes
terday morning and sped away toward
New York in an automobile stolen for
the raid One was shot down and
captured by patrolman after a chase
in another carr Another was made
prisoner through the quick wit of
Abraham Sech, of 1863 Graham Avenue,
Brooklyn. The third escaped in a
hail of bullets to a patch of woods
near Jamaica, Queens. Last night
Henry Berman, of 1853 East Eighty
first Street, who was named by one of
the prisoners, was arrested near his
home as the fugitive.
The bank is on Freeport's main
street, diagonally across the way from
the railroad station. 1t was almost II
o'clock. More than score of persons
who had sought refuge beneath the
caves of the station from a sudden
downpour of rain were staring gloom
lily and aimlessly across the street.
At 1856 closely curtained, power
full automobile slithered to a welter-
| ing stop at the curb across the street.
Two men we're sheltering themselves
from the rain in the entrance to the
bank. The three in the automobile
glanced at them, hesitated for mo-
ment, then dashed across the sidewalk
into the building.
One Customer in Bank
There were only seven persons in
the bank when the three strangers en-
tered. Six of them, of whom three
| we're women, we're employees. The, sew
enth was woman who was standing,
handbook in hand, at the teller's win
dow, behind which was G. Edward Hem
ming. Dripping little rivulets of rain
water, the tallest of the three marched
over to the teller's window
Gimme change for $10," he said, ell
bowling the woman depositor aside.
Hemming turned to select the bills
and when he raised his eyes it was
to confront levelled revolver. From
behind him came the staccato rattle
of Katherine Goldwn at her type
writer, punctuated by Mary Davis's
adding machine. Nobody in the bank
save Hemming and the woman who
stood at the robbers elbow had seer
the revolver. Hemming could see
nothing else.
"Open up hcre!" said the bandit
nodding to the gate in the grating
then raising his voice: Hands up
everybody"
The rattle of the typewriter and the
adding machine ceased. In the sudder
silence the ticking of clock emerged
and the tinkle of rain on the windows
Then there came the rasp of stool
a click and Hemming had the gate
open.
Woman Starts for Door
AS the tall man went inside, tn,
woman whose place at the window h
had taken darted for the door. One o
centre of the floor coolly swerved hi
revolver toward her and pul Jed th
trigger.
The hammer snapped on sn empt,
chamber or defective cartridge. TIL
woman covered against the wall. II
did not try to shoot again.
The tall man had pulled out the tol
cash drawer and stuffed several pack
ages of bills into his pocket. Now h
shutting the gate behind him AM
swinging his revolver to threaten al
, the bank employees.
"Come on" he said to his fellows, "
got it,"
: 1t still lacked two minutes of |
when the stormbound group at the rail
| road station saw the three men emerg
> from the bank. They leaped into thei
automobile, the engine of which wa
running, and started off at pace whic,
flung water to either side like hydro
plane.
News Spreads Quickly
= News of the hold-up outsped eve
I the high-powered car, however Mis-
o Noon, the bookkeeper, and others ha
r noticed its make and appearance, an
e within ten minutes the telephone ha
S spread the alarm and descriDtion O
t the car all over Nassau and Queen
r counties.
: In opening the top cash drawer in
G stead Of the one beneath it the tai
robbcr had chanced upon bills of small
i denomination. The lower drawer con
J. tanned packages Of 500 bills, but h
a mad got away with $4,000, bank official
!. said, in the hardest kind Of money L
: trace.
: Within few minutes of the robber
9 scores Of volunteers and members O
8 the Frceport police force were speed
ing along the Merrick Road in pursui
Il At Mineola, the county seat, Sheri
Q Seaman was organizing similar pur
\ suit and warning outlying farmhouse
t by telephone to report the passage 0
!, such a car as that used by the bandit,
n From the Jamaica police station tn
3 alarm was telephoncd to every polio
booth and signal box. 1t was towar
Queens that the robbers chose to es
cape.
!. Wandling Commanders Car
On receiving the message Patrolma
: Charles Wandiiug, who was at boot
s at Hampstead Road and Jericho Turr
pike, in the village Of Queens, stoppe
r the first automobile to come along. rh
s driver WAS Abraham Scch, salcsnra q,
q Wandling told him that he might nee