The New York herald., 1921-01-23
NO CLUES ARE DISCOVERED

Boys Who Saw Car Can't Tell
Number: Victims HaZy
on Descriptions.
Four of the bandits who come and
go in motor cars burst into an auc-
tioneers shop at 237 East Forty-sec-
hand pointing a pistol and each left
arm crooked over the face as a sort
of mask, they covered with their
weapons seven men who sat at a table
playing poker after supper.
One poker player rose and threw a
chair at the gunmen. In return the
four pistols were fired simultaneously.
Two men dropped and a third was
felled with the butt of a pistol. The
robbers, without having got a cent,
rushed out, ran to Second avenue,
threw themselves aboard taxicab
which was moving slowly as if waiting
for them and disappeared down the
avenue.
One of the auctioneers who conducts
the shop was shot through the brain
and died in a Flower Hospital ambu-
lance. He was Emanuel Shields, 54
years old. of $50 West 10th street.
His partner, Henry Young. 40 years
old. of 40 St. Nicholas terrace, received
three bullets in the abdomen. one In
the right leg and one over the left eye.
He was taken unconscious to the hos
pital. The man knocked down was
william Abrams of 325 East 125th
street. His head was cut, but he de-
clined surgical attention and went
home.
Seven In the Poker Game.
The shop is small one. on the north
side of Forty-second street. between
Second and Third avenues The busi-
ness OF it's proprletors was the buying
and selling Of all sorts of bargain mer-
chandse. Between 5 and +. VI. on a
Saturday night the almost continuous
auction is suspended. Shields and Young
and five friends. Of whom Abrams was
one. we're playing seven handed poker
for small stakes at 5 as p. NJ.
The other players were Peter Hender-
son of 429 East Fifty-first street. Theo-
dore Jacobs of 535 West 16Sd street.
Hurry Howard of 429 East Fiftyfrst
street and James Henderson CT 1868
Avenue A.
The shop has two street windows. but
both are covered by enormous auc-
tioneer's signs. so that the interior Of
the place is not visible from the street.
When the door slammed open and four
men with drawn pistols dived in, the
poker party sat for an instant too
astonished for words. One Of the rob-
bers shouted stand up all, and throw
up your mitts !"
The two auctioneers and their friends
obeyed. but as the yarose one OF them
reached for the chair on which he had
been sitting and flung II toward the
intruders. Without a word the robbers
fired volley and then another. Young
fell Immediately, then Shields. One gun
man. getting to close quarters. raped
Abrams over the head. They then re-
treated backward. with their guns
pointed at the poker players. until they
reached the door. This they did not
forget to close.
Policeman Hears the shots.
When Patrolman Butler racing from
Second avenue at the sound of the shots.
reached the auction room the survivors
were too excited to give him any descrip-
tion of any Of the murderers. Two boys.
questioned separately. told him the same
story. They are George Barrett Of 3f5
East Fortieth street. and Joseph Zebrow-
sky of 326 East Fortieth street.
They said that small taxlcab came
up Second avenue and after letting out
four men turned around so that IL faced
downtown. The boys did not notice
where the four men went. but said
after the shooting they saw them again.
running along Forty-second street. and.
jumping into the taxi, which was on the
move, started south. Each boy gave a
license number which he thought was
that of the taxi. but the two numbers
were not the same and neither Of them.
the police said was one Of those as
signed to taxicabs.
The boys could not tell how the men
looked. except that one and maybe two
wore caps and the others soft hats.
Street cars. trucks and people are all
ways numerous In the streets OF the dis
trict in which the holdup took place and
were no less 20 than usual last night.
The shooting created a Wild stir.
The police learned that the partners.
Shields and Young bought out last week
the stock OF the Katz department store.
AT Third avenue and Ffity-frst stree
They advertised 100000 sale and
were TO auction the stun or all through
tho week. but when Friday night came
they had sold everything The police
suppose tha. the Eunmen know Of the
sale and thought tho money the partners
had got from it was likely to be IN the
shop, whom they raided