New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-10
Frederick Ruckert, Manu-
tacturer, Pursues Thief
to Street After Fight in
Apartment, Then Faints
Fiancee's Brother
Gives His Blood
undergoes a TRANSMISSION
Operation in Effort to
Save the Wounded Man

After attacking bare-handed an
armed burglar he found in his apart
ment at 1927 Washington Street, Ho-
boken, early Yesterday morning, Fred
erick Ruckert, thirty-six. vice president
OF the White Metal Manufacturing
Company, now lies in St Mary's Hos
pital, making an even more desperate
struggle for life.
There are five bullet wounds in his
body, all from point blank shots fred
by the burglar, who was finally forced
to flee before the assault of the un-
armed man. Physicians said when
Ruckert was brought to the hospital
yesterday morning that he had not
a chance for recovery. Last night they
thought it possible he would win out.
The burglar has not been captured
and Ruckert was able to furnish the
police with few clews, further than
that he was short and stocky and
carried two revolvers. The mans face
was hidden by black mask cut from
a woman's silk stocking.
Is Engaged to Be Married
Ruckert is engaged to Miss Elsie
v oidtH, VI loO@ OdIUen street, HOBO
ken, and they expected to be married
some time in August. Saturday night
ne took his fiancee to the theater IN
Manhattan and to supper afterward He
returned to his bachelor apartment on
the fifth floor of the WASHINGTON Street
house shortly after / o'clock His valet
August Hothan, was taking night off.
He turned on the water in the tub
took off his coat and vest, and then
n 10 Il
magazine he had left there AS he
switched on the lights he looked into
the muzzles of two revolvers and a
voice muifled by mask ordered him
to throw up his hands.
The burglar was standing on the
other side of the dining-room table
huckert, who is athletic and quick,
pushed the heavy piece of furniture
aga nst him, hoping to knock him over
and sprang for him.
Follows Fleeing Burglar
- But the burglar was even quicker.
He leaped back and fired twice. Ruck-
ert did not drop, but continued to
charge the intruder, who dogged about
the room, firing again and again At tbe
man who would not drop but kept bor-
ing in.
At last the burglars nerve gave way
and he fed down the four flights Of
stairs to the street. With five bullets
IN his chest and abdomen, Ruckert fol,
IoWeu unsteaGfly after. His quarry, on
reaching the ground floor, continued
| downstairs to the basement and got
away through the back yard. Ruckert
staggered out of the front door to the
street and collapsed on the steps.
Three men who were passing picked
him up, put him into taxi and took
him to the hospital. There yesterday
afternoon Henry Norath, brother of his
flancce, gave a quart of blood in an
effort to save his life. A. $. Mischo
another friend, submitted to a second
TRANSMISSION operation last night Re
suits of these have been so satisfac-
tory that physicians say Ruckert has at
least a fighting chance.
$500 Is Found Intact
Detectives who hurried to Ruckert'8
apartment Immediately after the CRIME
say the burglar had apparently entered
by the dining-room window about the
time Ruckert returned. He had gone
to the roof Of the building, and there
spGced four pieces of none too strong
clotheslnc that he made into make
shift rope ladder, fastened this to a
chimney and lowered himself over the
face of the building six floors above
the street down to Ruckert's dining
room window
On the stairs outside Ruckert's
apartment the police found the black
mask the man had worn. They also
picked up at Castle Point Terrace and
Ninth Street revolver with one loaded
and four empty shells. These ase the
only clews they have.
Fifteen hundred dollars that Ruckert
had intended to use for trip to Gin
cinDati this week was fOunI intact