New-York tribune., 1920-01-17
'relIe1's Trap
Drug Fiend in
Bank Ho1d-Up
Lone Hunchback, Demand
ing $4,000, Met by Fusil-
ladc of Shots From En-
ployecs of Institution
Picture in Rogues' Gallery
Bullets Fly in Street as the
Bank President Seizes the
Covering Armed Bandit

With his courage reinforced by
drugs, a hunchback entered the Man
haitian Institution for Savings al
broadway and Bleeckcr Street shortly
before noon yesterday. thrust revol'
yer through the grating Of the paying
teIler's cage and demanded $4,000. In
stead of complying the paying teller
David Sands. shouted: "Guns, boys" as
he dropped below the level of the mar,
BILE counter. The employees of the
bank had been armed with automatics
for just such an emergency. Two, with
an unobstructed field of fire, opened q
fusillade and the malformed little man
who had essayed the role of lone bandit
dropped to his knees in surrender.
Constant NJ. Bird, president of the
bank, rushed into the aisle with pistol
drawn, found him with his hands up
raised covering under the muzzlc OF
Teller Sands's weapon and turned him
over to Patrolman John S. Stanley
who had abandoned his post directing
traffic in the street and entered the
bank at the sound of the shots.
Second Attack on Bank
The prisoner was taken to the Mercer
Street police station and there gave
the name Of James Stratton. He said
he lived at 1869 Cropsey Avenue
Brooklyn, but added that he came from
Chicago recently, although the police
reported to Mr.. Bird at the bank that
the man had police record here as a
drug addict.
They said he told them he had taken
shot just before essaying the haz-
ardous enterprise of holding up alone
Il bank lii the crowded wholesale gar
ment district at one of the busiest
hours of the day
This is the second time the Manhat-
tan Institution for Savings has been in
vaded by robbers. On the former occa-
sion. in 1873. half dozen bandits,
members Of the Jimmie Hope band. got
away with s2,757,700 in government
bonds, but all were subsequently cap
tured and sent to prison. while most
Of the booty was recovered
When Stratton attempted his exploit
Yesterday there were more than score
of customers in the bank. He dislodged
one or two from the line to get to the
paying tellers' window
Since the East Brooklyn bank cob
berry. for which Gordon Fawcett Handy
is now awaiting execution. the Institu-
ton for Savings had armed all the men
of it's staff and installed steel cages
for the tellers, with the windows
guarded by bullying frames of steel lat
tice. This lattice prevented Stratton
getting the hand grasping the revolver
within the cage.
Customers Run for Cover
81 want $4,000, and want it quick"
he announced loudly enough for all the
customers to hear and when Sands
shouted the alarm everybody scattered
for cover.
The paying tcller's window faces an
aisle which extends back the length Of
the banking room to the note teller's
cage, with a plate glass window giving
light from Broadway at the front end.
Harry j. Malloy, a bond clerk. was
in the note teller's cage. He saw STRAIT
ton at Sands's window, and on hearing
the latter's call whipped out his auto
matte pistol and fired four times. J. NJ
Stiles, another official, fired four shots,
and when Stratton went to the floor in
an effort to avoid the bullets the pay
ing teller rose, opened the lattice and
leaning over fired twice at the bandit
but missed.
One Of Malloy's bullets ricochctcd
off the stone tagged floor and went
through the plate glass front on Broad
way.
The street was crowded, and to pro-
tcct passers by on the thoroughfarc, as
we'll as the astounded customers within
the bank. President Bird shouted an
order to cease firing.
At the same time he unlocked the
steel gate. separating the public and
working sections of the bank, and
rushed upon Stratton, who had dropped
his revolver when he went to his
<ho% l@oJ H.; \ .
about the bandit. chipping marble
trimmings and boring into woodwork
seemed to have counteracted the effec
of the drug ne had taken just before
attempting the holdup. He appeared
to be too frightened to speak and wa:
obviously glad to see Patrolman Shan
ley. who appeared second later
Crowd Rushes Into Bank
The men and women who were il
the bank at the time transacting bus
mess had sought shelter in the angle
of the counters, behind diyans ant
tables and even in the revolving storm
door. One or two excited women wer
whirled round and round with th
door. as throng from the street, at
tracted instantly by the chorus O
cries and shouts, which followed tn
volley, crowded in in the wake of tn
poilceman.
One of the customers reported after
ward that he had seen one man entc
the bank with Stratton and sit on
divan toying with pistol while tn
latter tried to hold up Teller Sand,
But this divan was in Malloy's lin
OF fire. The clerk saw no one. an
President Bird said he was incline
TO credit Stratton's statement to tn
police that he had made the attemu
alone.
Stratton told Inspector Joseph Fauro
at headquarters yesterday afternoo
that he had not planned the robbery.
~ needed money" he said, "and tn
idea Just popped into my head when
passed the bank. I expected the me-
IN the bank to get nervous as 500,
as ! drew my gun. | thought woul,
grab the money, escape in the crowd
and board a Broadway car"
In Rogues' Gallery
Stratton's fngcrprints and photo
graph are in the Rogues' Gallery, ant
the records show that in 1916 he wa:
convicted in General Sessions OF as
sault and sentenced to six months.
When ne was examined ii was fount
that Stratton had scalp wound, ap
parently inflicted few days ago, bu,
he said he could not remember how
he received it, but recalled hazily hay
ing been in hospital, probabl,
Bellevue.
Traffic patrolmcn said they recoe.
nized the prisoner ar truck drive,
who frequently had driven past the
hxnk