The New York herald., 1921-06-16
BANK CLERK LOCKED
.NVAULT NEARDEATH
Watchman Hears Tapping,
Gives Alarm Fearing Robbery,
but Cop Is First in Rescue.
VICTIM rs UNCONSCIOUS
Efforts Made to Avoid Public
ity of Accident at Metropol-
itan-Officials Silent.
VICTIM rs UNCONSCIOUS

John Connolly q watchman,, making
his rounds in the Metropolitan Build
ing, Fourth avenue and Twenty-third
street, last night. was completing an
inspection OF the offices of the Metro
politan Bank, on the first floor. when
q tapping sound reached him. He
listened for moment, and drawing
his revolver and a flashlight,. ap-
preached stairway leading down to
the great vault far below the street
at the northeast corner Of the build
ing. The tapping sound was palmer
now, and by resting his ear against
the big steel door. Connolly discovered
that the noise was the click of steel
against steel. He rushed from the
vault level, rang the alarm bells that
call the watch force from every part
of the building in time of trouble, and
then telephoned for the superintend-
ents
Like fash the news spread. through
the building that robbers we're at work
on the Metropolitan's big vaults Pres
entity policemen entered the building
and were led to the bank and then down
TO the vault door, They listened as the
watchn,an had done. One of them,
Parolnan Darcy of the East Twenty
second etreet station. spent little
longer time with his ear against the
vault door and then turned to the others.
There's some one inside the vault
he announced. Listen yourselves and
you'll notice that the noise is becoming
fainter and fainter Whoever's in there
is dying for lack of air."
Darcy was right. The rat-tat-tat on
the door had become faint AS they
listened there was a dull crash as IL a
weight had dropped to the steel floor.
Absolute silence followed
Realizing that some person was dying
inside the vault, Connolly and the super
intendent began telephoning for Angus
tus c. .Corby Of 215 West 101st street.
second vice-president and treasurer Of
the bank. Mr.. Corby was known to be
the only bank oficial in possession Of
the combination Of the vault. He finally
was reached after two hours effort.
Mr.. Corby notified Police Headquar-
ters that man was locked inside the
bank vault and that an ambulance sur
geon would be required when he was re-
leased He jumped into his automobile
and hurried to the bank reaching It just
before 0 o'clock.
Every effort was made by Mr. Corby.
the police and Bellevue Hospital. from
which an ambulance had been sent. to
prevent reporters from obtaining infor-
nation concerning the opening of the
vault and the release OF Frederick J..
Schweer, 20. one of the banks junior
clerks who was found inside.
It became known, however. that young
schweer, whose home Is at 1o9 Chestnut
avenue, Jersey City. was unconscious
by the time the vault doors were open.
II was said he had collapsed against the
doors and that under him was found
a paper weight with which he had been
hammering out his appeal for help. But
no explanation whatever has been made
Of the circumstances under which he
was locked in the vault.
Schweer was so near to death. 1t also
became known. that DIR. McManrs Of
Bellevue Hospital had to work over him
with a pulmotor for moro than an hour
The surgeons efforts to revive tho clerk
were made behind the locked and shaded
windows OF tho bank office. News came
from inside finally to the effect that
Schwcer had begun 10 breathe strongly
once more but that he had lapsed from
Inconsistencies into hysteria, and that
apparently he thought he still was locked
In the vault He was too weak to be
carried even the short distance TO the
ambulance that stood waiting in Fourth
avenue. and II was understood that he
was still being attended in the bank at
a late hour