New-York tribune., 1919-03-17
Teller Held
In $4,000
Bank Theft
Continued from page 1

quenter of Levitt's saloon and that the
paying teller and the liquor dealer
were to all appearances intimate
Habitues of the saloon told Of having
seen the pair many times in close con-
ference in q corner of the barroom.
Saturday night Smith was summoned
to the bank by one of the officers of
the institution on the pretence that
there were some accounts TO be gone
over. When he arrived he found
Harold Steiner, vice-pres of the
bank, Captain Wines, Captain John E.
McGrath of the 46th Precinct, and De-
tectives Duane, Flynn, Armstrong, Wey
and McCarton all of whom had been
investigating the robbery.
Police Trick Succeeds
All night long the police officials
questioned Smith. Two Of them would
interrogata him at time, keeping him
on the carpet till they themselves we're
tired out when two others would re-
ieve them. For hours he remained
calm Under The grillng, denying all
knowledge Of the crime, But the de-
teetives had not yet played their
trump card.
1T was nearly dawn when Captains
Wines and MeGfath took Smith aside
and suddenly sprung on him their
knowledge Of his friendship with
Levitt, They coupled it with the old
police ruse Of telling the suspect his
supposed confederate had confessed,
Then, the police say, Smith broke
down and admitted share in the
theft.
According to Captain Wines, Smith
signed a confession in which lie states
that five or six weeks ago Samuel
Levitt suggested the possibility of
robbery by saying to him: "Why don't
you give US chance to turn off the
bank ?"
He didn't agree at once, the alleged
confession continues, but thought over
the suggestion for several days, finally
informing the saloonkeeper he was
ready to go ahead and outlining q plan
he had formulated.
On Monday nights the Cosmopolitan
Bank remains open till 8 o'clock for
the convenience Of savings depostors
On other nights the cash is placed in
the large safe with the time lock, but
on Monday evenings all that is held
out to do business with and that which
is taken in is deposited in the smaller
vault
Several days before the theft the
police say Smith admits he gave Sam
uel Levitt the key to the bank entrance
for the purpose of having duplicate
made. They add he also admits fur
nishing the saloonkeepcr with the COM
bination of the outer door of the safe
and key which would unlock the door
OF the inner vault.
Money All in Small Bills
Last Monday night, at closing time,
Martin M. Corwin the cashier, tied up
tho SIG, ,432.50, none of it in bills larger
than $40, in brown paper bundle, and
put it in the small safe. Corwn had
already told the police he tried the
combination and found it secure before
he left.
Smith, however, is stated to have I'D
mitted that after Corwin tried the safe
he quietly slipped over and unlocked
it, apprehensive that Levitt might for
get the combination. Then he followed
the cashier out. Rudolph Steuber, the
night watchman, was then already on
duty. Smith and Levitt met later that
night at Longwood Avenue and Hewitt
Place, it is charged, and laid final plans
for the morning.
While Smith was making this alleged
confession detectives were sent to
Samuel Levitt's home. They arrested
and informed him Smith had impli-
Gated him. At this, they declare, Levitt
confessed his part in the crime, agree
ing in every important point with the
paying teller.
He told them, the police say, that,
armed with the duplicate key, he went
to the bank at 6:45 Tuesday morning,
opened the Westchestcr Avenue door
and stepped within. He saw Steuber
sitting behind the inclosure, silently
backed out, locked the door again and
waited in the vicinity until he OBJ
served the watchman leave.
Actual Robbery Described
The coast clear, he reentered, ac-
cording to the police account of his
statement, found the safe unlocked
wrapped the bundle of money in a
newspaper and departed.
He is further declared to have said
that he boarded a downtown Third
Avenue az" train and went to the
cigar factory where his brother works.
gave him the package and told him to
keep it concealed for the present.
Smith and Samuel Levitt are alleged
to have explained they intended to di-
vide the money after the excitement
over the theft had blown over.
A search of the cigar factory prem
ises disclosed $4,000 of the loot, still
in it's newspaper wrapping, behind a
pile of old packing cases.
Abraham Levitt, who is shipping
clerk at the cigar factory, was next
arrested. He, as We: as the other
prisoners, deny having removed the
missing s3,400 from the bundle.
Reynolds, the former assistant
cashier. was taken into custody on the
strength of statements purported to
have been made by Smith and Samuel
Levitt that he had discussed plans to
steal the money with them and had
agreed to meet them Monday night to
arrange final details, but had failed to
appear.
This last accusation Reynolds denies.
The police say he admits having talked
on several occasions with the others of
the ease with which the safe could be
rlfled, but had considered it in the
light Of a joke.
Reynolds was discharged from the
bank three weeks ago, when his supe-
riors thought he was "faking" illness in
order to remain home from work. In
vestigation has proved, according to
the detectives, that he really did have
influenza at the time.
TT1> ID Cau W. ~