The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-16
THRILLING BATTLE
MARKS HOLDUP IN
THE HOTEL ASTOR
Two Men and Two WOmel
Clinch With Masked Trio
Who Invade Their Room
at Theatre Hour.
ONE BANDIT CAPTURED
Police Stop Long Struggle
After Wife Gives Alarm "
by Smashing Glass
With Hand.
JEWELRY is RECOVERED
Tables Turned When Husband
Knocks Pistol From Hand Of
Robber Relieving Him of
His Money.
JEWELRY Is RECOVERED

His Money.
Patrolman Thomas Tiffany OF the
Traffic 3 station heard the crash OF
broken glass last night as he was
directing pedestrian traffic at Broad
way and Forty-ifth street during the
theatre rush hour shortly after 8
o'clock He looked upward just in
time to see fragments of glass drop
ping from a window on the second
floor of the Hotel Astor, and the next
instant woman's hand, with diamond
rings flashing on her fingers. was
thrust through the broken pane ana
waved frantically up and down and
denly withdrawn, as if it's owner had
been ierked away from the window
Patrolman Tiffany wasted no time
in speculation. He let the traffic take
care Of itself and dashed into the hotel,
where he hurriedly found the house
detective, John J. Burns. He described
the location of the broken window and
the waving hand, and together the
patrolman and the detective ran up to
room 1872, second floor. on the Forty
fifth street side Of the big hotel. They
reached there just in time to help ring
down the curtain on one OF the most
daring crimes New York has seen In
many years-the holdup by three
masked men in one OF the city's largest
hotels Of two men and two women not
more than thirty feet above the roar
ing traffic and the pushing throngs OF
Broadway.
Woman Aids in Capture.
Two of the bandits had escaped
when Tiffany and Burns burst into
the room, but the third, who gave his
name later as Lawrence Handiboe OF
Richmond. Va, lay sprawled across
the bed, the handkerchief. which he'd
been his mask awry on his face. while
in his right hand he clasped a black
Jack with which he was attempting 10
strike H. L. Worley Of 12 Myrtle ave-
nue., Newark. chief draughtsman for
the Witteman- Lqwis Aircraft Corpora
ton Of Hasbrouck Heights y. J.
worley was sitting astride Handiboe,
one hand grasping the wrist which
tried 20 swing the blackjack, and the
other punching the bandit methods
cally in the face. Standing beside the
bed was Mrs. Worley, also striking the
PROSTATE bandit, and lying on the floor
was owen C. Linthwalte of 236 Broad
street. Red Bank n j.. president oc
the New Jersey Motor Sales Company
Of Keysport. y. j.. with his wife bend
ing over him. Linthwaite had been
struck twice by Handiboe's blackjack
and was still groggy.
Tiffany and Burns arrested and hand
cuffed Handiboe. relieved him OF his
blackjack and then took him to the West
Forty-seventh street station. where he
was charged with robbery and felonious
assault They searched him there also.
and in his pockets they found s57.lo in
cash. a gold bracelet a diamond ring
belonging to Mrs. worey and a dia-
mond lavallicre. diamond bar pin. two
diamond rings and a bracelet. the prop
flkh bl WIS AsAhAftff fltA's s7NAH' va NV
jewelry and the cash had been taken by
the three Bandits from the handbags OF
the two women. while others OF the rinss
and pins had beer wrenched from their /
fingers and throats one OF the bandits
who escaped carried with him ss2 in
cash which he had taken from tho !
trousers pocket OF Mr.. Linthwaite while /
he covered the Red Bank man with a
revolver.
Thought IL was Joke.
Tho police have records Of few rob- !,
berries that were az bold as the at |
tempt AZ tho Astor Mr. and Mrs
Linthwaite and Nr. and Mrs worley
were in the rooms Of the former couple !
preparing 20 40 10 tho theatre when
they heard q noise at the door Mr.
Linthvaic called TO know Who was
there and received no answer. He
stepped toward the door but before hs
could reach thcre Il was opened and
three rcu all masked with handker-
chiefs tied over the lower part Of their
faces, walked into the room. The fore
most OF tho three men held pistol IN
his hand. the second and third swung
blackjscks from their wrists. Linth-
waite and Worley stood staring az the
three mon iu amazemcut and the man
with tho gun pointed the weapon AZ
them
Put yqrr nMds NJ he amAnda.
"A 81 y4u NuicNr
Tainglnc ihe ahoie aJfsir niust ea a
Joke t'H fiNtNwalte smllud Ann$
stepued spt- lhe r er Hnt nAnA
man aitn snr ra sAyf .4m Uack.
IT ~ " az Joke" he cried. Put M
your hands or youll get hurt
The bandits stepped quickly over the
lhr-a shnlh and aIarnnnd Tho door hahinl