New-York tribune., 1921-11-03
Two Held I'm
Hunt for Mail
Truck Robbers
Jersey Policeman, Watching
for Car for Which Gov
ernnent Alarm Is Out.
Takes Pair of Prisoners
Hays Summons Morgan
Postmaster and Assistants Go
to Capital in Connection
With s., 600, 900 Hold-Up

Two prisoners, said to have police
records and several aliases, were taken
yesterday morning at Jersey City in
connection with the $2,00o,O00 mail
truck hold-up at Broadway and Leon
ard Street on the night of October "a.
The prisoners are said to be Michael
Arbesi, alias Rafaele DeRosa, twenty
nine years old, of IS Adams Street
Hoboken, and Frank Calabrese, thirty
two. of 623 Monroe Street, Hoboken
Just what connection the two have
with the case could not be learned
last night. They are locked up in Jer-
sey City.
Commissioner Bentley, of the De-
partment of Safety, Jersey City, said
that he knew of evidence against the
two, but that he could not reveal it
The men were taken into custody on
Hudson Boulevard by Patrolman Bouile
of the Jersey City force. He boarded
the running board of an automobile in
which they were riding to make the
arrest. Late in the afternoon the pris-
oners were taken before Judge William
Criminal Court, and arraigned on short
affidavits. They were ordered held in
$1,000 bail each.
A general alarm had been sent out
by Federal authorities for the car in
which Arbesi and Calabrese were rid
ing, it was said.
Hays Sends for Morgan
Postoffice officials admitted yester-
day that tabulations now show that the
loot of the robbers of the truck was in
excess of 100000. THIS information
became public after the departure for
Washington in response to a summons
of Postmaster Edward Morgan and
members of his staff.
1t was understood that Mr.. Morgan
and those who went with hm-Henry
Lippman. superintendent of registry
Elijah M. Norris, superintendent of
mails: Walter Mayer, superintendent of
the money order department, and the
present and former superintendents of
the Postofiice garage-were called to
the capital to hear the conclusions Of
Postmaster General Hays, based on
the investigation made to fix RESPONSE
bility for the loss Of registered mail
pouches.
1t is known Mr.. Hays feels that who
ever was responsible for the failure to
supply armed guards for valuable mail
transfers in New York ought to supply
of his written instructions.
Guard Shows Alertness
Before Mr.. Hays returned to Wash
iDgton it was learned he had letter
from Postmaster Morgan, saying that
his orders regarding armed guards had
been complied with. That letter was
written last May, but when the robbery
took place, nearly six months later
drivers of the registered mail trucks
still were unarmed and unescorted.
In final test of the story told of
the robbery by Frank Havranick,
driver of the looted truck postoffice
inspectors re-enacted the hold-up Tues
day night. Havranick's account stood
the test and, incidentally, the inspectors
discovered something about the alert
ness of the guards who now CONVOY
mails through New York streets.
Havranick's story was that he had
left City Hall station at 1922 on the
night he was held up and that it was
1O:35 when he arrived at the Beach
Street police station TO report the rob
berry. Using the same truck, postoffice
inspectors, working under the direction
OF Third Assistant Postmaster General
". Irving Glover. drove up Broadway
Tuesday night, starting precisely at
the same minute that Havranick had
left on October "a.
Three inspectors, posing as robbers,
followed in another car. One of them
leaped to the running board of the
truck while the cars were going thirty
five miles an hour and then, as Havra-
nick had done, the truck was turned
into Leonard Street. 1t was while five
sacks were being taken from the truck
that another truck returning from the
postofice with convoy passed.
Perhaps the guard had advance know
ledge of the imitation character of this
particular hold-up, but, however, the
driver of the truck certainly spceded
out Of danger and the convoy whizzed
up to the scene of the reconstructed d
crime and ordered "hands up" He was
obeyed, too.
George de Mango, of 12o Macdougal
Street, who surrendered at the Beach
Street station Tuesday night, was dis
charged yesterday by Magistrate
Thomas ]. Nolan in Tombs Court
Havranick declared he never had seen
De Mango before.