The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-01-29
2O6 YEARS TOTAL
SENTENCES FOR 20
ROBBERS IN BRONX
Judge Gibbs Designs Heavy
Punishment as Message
to the Underworld.
THEFT In CITY HALL
Queens Public Works Com
missioner Despoiled Of
Overcoat at Meeting.
NEGRO DENIES MURDER
Man Who Confessed Killing
Miss HOxie Recants First
Story to Police.
NEGRO DENIES MURDER

Story to Police.
While County Judge Louis D. Gibbs
of The Bronx was sentencing twenty
robbers for a total maximum of 206
years and a minimum of 81 "a years
yesterday, a sneak thief got into the
City Hall and stole the overcoat of
Frank X. Sullivan, Commissioner of
Public Works for Queens. Judge Gibbs
characterized his sentences as mes
sage to the underworld, but 1t did not
reach its destination in time to save
Mr.. Sullivan his coat.
There was considerable consterna-
ton in the City Hall when Mr.. Sulli-
van made the announcement at a
meeting of the Board of Estimate.
The coat, which Mr.. Sullivan valued
at $50, had been hung In the COM
mittee room, which thus far has been
considered safe from thieves. Its doors
lock automatically and it is not more
than twenty feet from where the
Mayor sits at board meetings. The
thief overlooked the coats of Deputy
Comptroller Smith and Borough Presi-
dents Curran, Riegelmann, Bruckner
and Connolly, which hung alongside
that Of Mr.. Sullivan.
~ intend now TO send a message to
the underworld that should make its
denizens keep their hands off decent
citizens" Judge Gibbs said as the
prisoners began filing into court for
sentence. "I will deal with the men
arraigned when a weapon has been
used as potential murderers. Young
or old, the crime will be considered
just as grave"
Cleanup of CRIMINALS.
Judge Gibbs and Edward J. Glennon.
District Attorney. set aside yesterday
as cleaning UP" day for criminals.
So great was the crowd OF relatives
and friends of the prisoners that addi-
tlonal policemen were summoned TO
maintain order. Special precautions
also were taken to prevent demon
stration.
The first ten. men arraigned were
sentenced for maximum OF l5o
wears. Four Of them, all Spaniards,
had perpetrated two of the recent Bronx
holdups. Christian Avallno. one OF the
bandits, received from five to ten years,
which was the lowest sentence OF the
group Juan Alvarez. who, the police
say. planned the holdups. got from
nine to eighteen years. The other two.
S,.tu a
received four and half to fifteen years
each. The holdups we're OF chinese
restaurants at 2S23 and 3199 Third ave-
nue..
When Paul ]. Nagle and Jack Sherry
were arraigned for sentence, Mrs.
Helen McHugh, a widow. OF l72 west
Eighty-first street, whom the ROBBERS
had held up In Van Cortlandt Park.
nleaded for clemency, which plea was
dismissed promptly by Judge Gibbs.
sherry was a second offender and was
sent TO prison for twenty years. Nasel
a first offender. was sentenced 10 serve
from ten to twenty Years
Three men stepped into the United
,ioar store al Amsterdam avenue and
West Eighty arst street last night ABOUT
,.t-heos c;ari.ldedian. for a package OF
cigarettes. The clerk turned to get the
nackage. but the three men pointed re-
vo,vers AT him and ordered him to hold
up his hands.
One of the men went behind the
counter while the other two forced
Gariadedian into the back room, where
,hov tied him to a chair. The men then
took 5000 from the cash register and
left the store The clerk managed 70
release himself after a few minutes and
reported the robbery to the police OF the
West Fifty-eighth street station.
Jewellery Showcases Robbed.
Seven of sixty showcases in the rooms
Of the United Jewellers Exchange. 80
Bowery. which Ia directly opposite the
Manhattan approach 10 the Manhattan
Bridge were rifed Thursday night OF
tewelry valued at more than $4,000.
The police believe the robbers intenced
opening all tho showcases but were
frightened away.
Two men entered the offices of the
Gelger Watch Case Corporation on the
second floor of 1863 Broadway yester-
day afternoon, pointed revolvers at
Joachim Goiger and one OF his en-
ployees and escaped with $4,000 worth
OF silver, gold and platinum watch cases
Geiger told the police that one OF the
mon was very short and the other very
tall and that they wore felt hats He
hurried TO the street after they had gone.
but there was no trace Of them by the
time he found a policeman.
Three bandits stole an automobile
belonging TO Miss Charlotte Greenwood.
an actress. late Thursday night from In
front OF the Shubert-Crescent Theatre
I'm Brooklyn. and used Il several hours
later 10 hold up Mrs Harold Thomson
of Paiatina avenue and Glenn Brewer Of
Hillside avenue. both or Hollis. Queens.
The holdup occurred in Hillside avenue,
near Paiatina. The bandits took Mrs.
Thomscn's pocketbook. containing s5.40