The sun., 1919-02-15
j. S. PAYMASTER
ROBBED IN TAXI:
LOSES $4,000
Driver, in Plot, Halls While
Armed Pals Jump on
Running Board.
FLEE IN STOLEN MOTOR
Three Men With Payroll IN
armed Through Delay in Get
ting Pistol Permits.


enth street, Brooklyn. a paymaster Of
the Emergency Fleet Corporation. left
the Sub-Treasury at Broad and Wall
streets yesterday about noon with his as
sstants. Harold Graham and Herman
I.efkowich, and walked down Broad
fteet to find a taxicab to take back to
Tebos yacht basin at the foot Of Twenty
n RI street, Brooklyn. the s12.034.55
lea they had just drawn. there was
one machine that was not at the taxicab
stand in the middle of the street with the
other cars. Instead it was drawn up
a'ongside the curbing in front OF the
Mills Building and about 100 feet down
Iroad street from the Sub-Treasury.
Sheftall was In hurry to get back
10 Brooklyn, because on this trip, for
the first time In several weeks, neither he
nor his assistants carried revolvers. and
-atUrally enough he hailed the first tax
nab in sight--and naturally enough, too,
nat was the taxicab near the curbing.
After few minutes bargaining the
,uauffeur agreed to take the three men
r Brooklyn for $3.50, and Sheftall.
Graham and Lefkowich climbed into the
machine.
Money in BnE on Floor.
Tho money, which comprised the
wcci,ly pay roll of the Fleet Corporation 8
employees az Tcbo's basin and which was
in $50. $50, SO. So, 50 and 81 bills with
shout $40 in half dollars, was in a small
black leather bag. Sheftall sat be-
tween Graham and Lefkowich and put
the bag on the floor Of the taxicab under
lis feet. The chauffeur was ordered to
take a route that led across Brooklyn
rridge and through Clinton street and
Th'Id and Hamilton avenues to the yacht
ias.n. route that Sheftall had learned
was the shortest and most direct.
The chauffeur drove his machine up
Broadway and across the bridge, and
followed Shettalrs instructions until the
car was within a few yards OF Carroll
street, when il slackened speed. The
next minute the machine turned sharply
into Carroll street and stopped just be-
yond the crossing, in block OF brown
stone houses. with a church at each end
This .s one of the quietest sections of
prim Brooklyn neighborhood. Sheftall
put his head out and asked the chauf-
feur why he had stopped.
There's something wrong with the
engine" the chauffeur replied. land l
turned in here TO keep out OF the way Of
the traffic. III have it fixed in a min
ute"
lie got down and began tinkering with
the engine, while Shettall. Graham and
Ietl;owich sat in the car and waited. In
two or three minutes two men came
running into the street, apparently from
doorways on each side. They leaped on
10 the running board OF the taxicab. one
on each side OF the machine. and flung
the doors open Before either of the
three men inside could offer resistance
they were covered by revolvers.
Get out OF there and leave what you
have :" ordered one of the bandits.
Sheftall, Graham and Lefkowich left
the car hurriedly, and the two bandits
.l!mbed into the machine and shouted to
tie chauffeur. who quit tlnkering with
his engine, leaped into the drivers seat
md dcote swiftly up Carroll street to-
ward Court street
Sheftall, Graham and Lefkowich were
too amazed to do anything for n minute
o Two. but then they began shouting
that they had been robbed and for some
body 20 call the police. Their shouts.
nowever. failed to disturb the quiet Of
the old Brooklyn street, and when the
police questioned residents of the neigh
borhood they could find no one who had
seen the holdup or the machine. The
frst intimation these had Of the robbery
was when Sheftall and his assistants
s-oused them in their efforts to summon
ne police.
Or. Lars P. Rogue, 40 Clinton street,
near the corner OF Carroll street. was
a. luncheon with his sister-tn-law. Mrs.
7. 4. Rogue. when there was a knock
A. the door. Mrs. Rogue answered it
and found two men standing at the
threshold. One OF them was weeping
and shouting he had been robbed. while
another was trying to console him.
Two men took the money" cried one
OF the men.
The other said he wanted to tele-
phone the police, and entered the house.
There was some difficulty about getting
connection, so the men ran from the
house and into the home of Miss J. E.
Roocock at 43l Clinton street, where
'hey succeeded in getting the police on
the wire. William Coleman. Acting In
spector: Thomas Murphy. Borough In
spector, and Capt. Dan Coughlin an
seNerd the call with twenty detectives.
but we're unable to find any trace of
'hs bandits.
Sheftall, Graham and Lefkowich went
- the Butler street police station with
he police inspectors and Capt Coughlin.
where they told how the robbery had
occurred. Sheftall said that he and
Graham had made the same trip over
tho same route every Friday for sew
eral months. Lefkowich had accom-
panied them only the last four or fve
'tneS ne said.
They followed their usual procedure
Yesterday. going from the Yacht Basin
n Brooklyn to the offices Of the Emer-
Eency Fleet Corporation at lis Broad
way and thence to the Sub-Treasury to
draw the money Usually each of the
Three men carried a revolver. but
Charles s. Dietz, an assistant superin-
'endent OF the Fleet Corporation. said
they were unarmed Yesterday because Of
delay In getting permits TO carry
weapons.
Cab Found Abandoned.
About two hours later Corporal John
Kennedy Of the Bergen street police sta
ton found an abandoned taXicab in
'front.' Of Giuseppi Mashulos saloon at
Sackett street and Fourth avenue. A
window in the car was smashed. The
machine was taken to the Butler street
station, where Lefitowich identified 1t
rs the one In which they had ridden
from Manhattan. Inside the cab the
police found two soft gray hats, one
bearing the Knox trademark and the
other the name OF Logue. Philadelphia :
loaded 80 calibre revolver three large
laper bags. a leather wrist strap OF
ne sort that Is used to carry heavy
iaegage and some cigarette ends.
The car bore "a State license number
g. la2-3iI, which was issued. accord
Ing 20 the police. to James II. Lane
"Gi East 16ith street. The Bronx, and
city license number 621. which was
ISSUED 10 Joseph Levine Of 1850 Madi-