The New York herald., 1921-10-26
NO TRACE OF MAIL BANDITS
OR OF MILLION IN LOOT

the robbery Will be made apparent To-
day One OF tho inspectors said yester-
day that the wagon carried mail from
all the downtown substations, including
the City Hall station and the Custom
Honse station. and that he understood
that mons of the stolen mail was des-
tined for points outside OF New York
State.
II has been years since a mail wagon
has been robbed by the holdup method
In New York. Occasionally a sack OF
mail has dropped out of sight at ter
minals or has apparently been lost
In transit. But never within the recol-
lection of Postmaster Edward NJ. Nor
gan. which runs back many years, has
there been an attack by highwaymen.
This clean record having been srnpdgsd.
the post office inspectors are especially
eager to catch these bold adventurers.
The Inspectors, as is the custom in
Federal cases, took full charge OF the
investigation yesterday, superseding the
police. To the police was left, however.
the job of running down the ownership
of the green touring car in which the
bandits rode. Here they have little to
work on. They have the description of
the machine given by Havranick. the
mail truck chauffeur, but it was of
common type, and there are many green
ones. The license number would, of
course, be the prize clue. but Havranick
In the excitement failed TO get IL.
Havranick was pretty sure that the
first three numbers We're either 200 or
2o7. But according to the police Havra.
nick is not sure he's right. He thinks
the car was Cleveland but is not GER
tain abou. that either---or if he has ex-
pressed himself with any certainty the
police have not repeated what he told
them. nor have the Post Office inspect
r re who have had Icno saaciopo With f1,a
chauffetr.
Driver Gives little Light.
Havranek was under questioning all
OF Monday night after the robbery and
up TO nearly noon yesterday. Then he
went home to 396 Webster avenue. Long
Island City, where he has wife and
children, and took nap, after which
he returned TO New York and went over
his story again with the Post Office in
spectors. IL did not vary from his orig
inal story.
1t seems that all the registered mail
received at the City Hall station be-
tween and T.. NJ. on Monday was
| aboard Havranick's Ford truck. The
loading from the big platform at the
north end Of the Federal Building was
finished at 1925 p. NJ, the lock of the
cage was$ snapped shut and tIavranick
started off At that time of night Broad
way is deserted and he was making
pretty good time ON his way 10 the main
| post Office at Seventh avenue and Thirty
second street, when the green touring
car containing three mer pulled along
side OF him. Havranick says he
! thought at first that they were going to
| pass him and he paid little attention TO
| them. But when he was about opposite
Worth street one of the men shouted
and Havranick saw that revolver was
being pointed at him from the touring
car just abreast.
The man with the gun shouted, "Slow
up or Wen fill you full of lead. Quick,
now Don't get gay or you get this
indicating the revolver. BY that time
this bandit and another one had jumped
from the touring car to the mail truck
and two revolvers were pressed against
Havranick's side. Mavranlck threw out
the clutch and put on the brake to slow
down. but the boss bandit raspcd "Go
ahead, but turn west into, Leonard
street
Havrahicls said he glanced up Broad
way. hoping to see policeman, but
didn't see soul.
Havranick. thus helpless. drove his
truck around into Leonard street and
westward to within about three hundred
feet OF West Broadway. An arc light
dispelled the shadows there. The boss
bandit croaked Guess this Is a good
spot Stop her." The mail truck
stopped; and The green automobile,
which nal been trailing. drew up
abreast again. "Give us the Key"
ordered the robber wLc did the talking
Havranic< says he swept the street
again with a quick glance, but seeing
no policeman knew there was nothing
for him 10 do but obey. One of the
gang unlocked the door of the cage,
which is at the rear OF the truck.
They then made Tiavraniek climb in
side, and two of them climbed after
him. One Kept Havranick covered with
a gun while the other paved over the
pile of twenty EIGHT pouches and threw
out five of them. Then he got out.
tossed the sacks into the automobile.
and. being rejoined by his companion.
the pair jumped into their car and,
driven by the silent third robber." off
they raced toward West Broadway.
Not "a Policeman In sight.
The driver says Eavranick, wore
leather coat. and he and his pals were
'stylishly dressed
fIavranick is civil aerv:ce employee,
has driven mail truck three years,
and has n good record
II was reported yesterday that he
had told the post office inspectors that
one OF the platform men at the City
Hall station said, as he threw one of
the bags OF registered mail into the
truck, Here's million dollars for
you" The inspectors had nothing TO
Say about this
Bags containing registered mail are
easily ,istnguishable from others. as
they have larger and more intricate
locks, with figured dials. something like