The New York herald., 1921-01-16
Bold RObber at Comedy Acts
Just Before The Bad Man
Performance Starts.
PAYMASTER SHOT DOWN
Bandits in +. 28th st. Pay
roll Holdup Also Quiet
Bodyguard.
FLEE IN CAR WITH $4,000
Brooklyn Thieves Tie and Gag
Laundry Man, Then Leis-
urely Steal ST, ,225.
FLEE IN CAR WITH Sc,

Two daring holdups yesterday and
last evening indicated that the bandits
who have been terrorizing the city
have lost none of their boldness de-
spite the efforts of the police to sup
press crime. The first occurred in day
light in front of a public school in
East Twenty eighth street, where they
shot one man and stole $4,000. The
second was staged in the lobby of the
Comedy Theatre, in Forty-frst street
near Broadway, just before the theatre
opened for the evening performance
In both cases the robbers escaped.
About half an hour before the time
for the performance to begin at the
Comedy. where Holbrook Blinn is play
ing in THE Bad Man." the door of the
box office was flung open and a tall
man armed with cane demanded OF
Miss Ida Edgecombe, the treasurer,
that she hand over the money in the
cash drawer.
Miss Edgecombe screamed and the
man struck her on the head with his
cane At that she tainted. When she
revived the cash drawer was open and
had been robbed of about 500. She
called the Shubert offices and the police
from the West Thirtieth street station
were summoned.
The young woman told detectives
that she had noticed the man lettering
In the lobby of the theatre for about
fifteen minutes before he attacked her,
but she had been too busy to pay much
attention to him. AS soon as the lobby
was empty he came to the door of her
booth.
Watchmen Heard Nothing.
There were two watchmen in the in
terior Of the theatre at the time. They
told the police they did not hear Miss
Edgecombes screams. She refused
medical aid and remained at her post In
the box office with large bump on
the back of her head.
Automobile bandits held up and shot
Carlos Gunther, paymaster Of the Man
haitian Brass Company, 332 East Twenty
eighth street. and stole satchel con-
tanning about $4,000 in cash when
Gunther was on his way from bank
TO the company's plant with the payroll.
He was reported dying In Bellevue Hos
pital last night.
Richard Schmimke. Gunther's body
guard, was Knocked unconscious with a
monkey wrench The bandits. of whom
there were four or five. escaped in an
automobile. which was waiting with the
engine running, in front of the public
school at 229 East Twenty-eighth street.
Schmimke was weak from loss of
blood and incoherent when he recovered
consciousness, but the police got the fol-
lowing account of the holdup from him
"Mr. Gunther and / went as usual
Saturday morning to the Importers and
Traders Bank, 247 Broadway. to gel
the payroll. We rode to Twenty eighth
street on the Third avenue elevated
and walked east toward the factory.
When we were passing Public School
No. IA was hit over the head from
behind. That's all | remember"
Bandits I'm Motor Await Victims.
Witnesses saw the automobile draw
up to the curb behind Gunther and
Schmimke. Four or five men were in
the car, but only two got out. Schmimke
was walking two yards behind Gum
ther, who carried the satcheL The
former was felled with one blow. Gun
ther turned and faced the second man.
who instantly fired at him. Although
the bullet passed through his body "A
few inches from his heart. the pay
master fought to protect the money
until he fell exhausted.
The bandits ran back TO their car.
which spceded to Second avenue. turned
south and disappeared The sound of
the shot aroused the neighborhood. II
was followed by n chorus of police
whistles from nearby windows, but It
was almost fifteen minutes before a
policeman arrived. witnesses said. Pa
trolman HIM was on post at Third
avenue and Twenty eighth street, where
the rattle from passing elevated trains
drowned the noise of the shot, he said.
HIM had Gunther and schmiml<e
taken to Bellevue, where Gunther was
operated on The bullet, which had
grazed the apex OF the heart, took a
diagonal course downward, penetrat-
ing the stomach and lodging at the
twelfth rib Gunther is 40 years old
and lives at 80 Van Cortlandt avenue.
Yonkers.
One witness told the police the num-
Der OF the car was 24S961, which the
records anowed belonged to David
Greenbaum, 1l19 East Twelfth street,
Brooklyn Mrs Greenbaum told report
ers the car had been stolen week ago
Continued on Second Pare.