The New York herald., 1921-11-26
ROUTSBANDIT gang,
dies OF GUN BLOW
Samuel Katz, Furrier. Bat
ties Three Men Until He
Falls SenSeleSS.
FLEEING MAN CAUGHT
Thieves Baked by Burglar
Alarm Get $4,000 OH
Return Visit.
$4,000 JEWELRY STOLEN
2.O4O Trousers Taken From
Loft Are Recovered With
Stolen Automobile.
$4,000 JEwELRY STOLEN

Samuel Katz furrier of 504 Fifth
avenue, Brooklyn. fought off three
holdup men in his shop yesterday
afternoon, tearing coats off two Of
them and putting them all to flight
before they could fire shot or seize
any loot. When they fled he dropped
unconscious. Last night in Methodist
Episcopal Hospital he died from a
fractured skull received early in the
fight, when one of the bandits struck
him on the head with a revolver butt.
The furrier's fight, unarmed, was de-
scribed by the police as remarkably
courageous. AS the bandits fed, two
of them hatless and coatless q pur-
suit started which continued for half
a mile, ending at Third street and
Fourth avenue with the capture of
man identified as Otto Holtke, living
In the Seamen's Institute, Carroll and
Clinton streets. At the head of the
crowd of pursuers was Bert Hall Of
ESQ Twelfth street, who flung himself
on Holtke and held him until the po-
lice arrived. The two other men es-
capped.
Holtke was taken back to the furr1er
shop. Just before he was removed to
the hospital Katz had a brief conscious
period. According to Motorcycle PATROL
man John Finnerty, he identified Hoitke
as one Of his assailants. Holtke was
locked up In the Fifth avenue station
on charges Of felonious assault and
robbery. He denied he was one fthe
bandits, saying he was in the store when
the hold up men entered and ran out
when they began fighting.
Dying Mans story.
Katz told Patrolman Finnerty that
three men came into the shop. which Is
on the second floor, and asked to see
furs. When he reached to take one OF
the furs from the counter, one of the
bandits brought revolver butt down
on his head. Katz went down, but got
up and started fighting. and when he
pulled their coats off the men ted.
Both coats were found on the floor or
Katz's shop. In the pocket of one was
pistol.
The theft of $4,000 in furs from
Pierce & Co., 21S West Twenty-eighth
street. on Thursday, became known
YESTERDAY. IL Was TIC ScSOho fioAs ~
robbers within a week. The first time
the intrudvs We're frightened away
when they came into contact with burg
lar alarm wires. Thursday night the
front door was jimmied and the furs
carried away in automobiles.
A getaway was scored by burglars
who robbed the store Of Edward F.
Wagner, 347 Steinway avenue, Long ISL
and City, of $1,000 in Jewelry late
Thursday night. The men hid In mo-
tion picture theatre next to the store,
cut through the theatre ceiling and
punched through two partitions into the
iewelry store. They returned the same
way, police believe. escaping through a
self-locking exit door into an alleyway.
Get 2,04O Pairs of Trousers.
Ten burglars carried off 2.04O pairs
of trousers valued at $4,000 from loft
In 25S Elizabeth street early yesterday
morning and took them across the roof
TO a tenement house In ESQ Elizabeth
street They were about to load the
loot in an automobile when Patrolman
Charles Hession of the Mercer street
station appeared. The men fled afoot-
Hession fired several shots and followed
several blocks, but the men escaped.
The abandoned automobile Is believed
to have been stolen.
Andrew Corlctt, %, taxicab driver
OF 55s Eleventh avenue, was caught in
an automobile with three girls in Pros
pect Park. Brooklyn. Thursday night,
after three men In the party had fled,
and yesterday was charged with burg
larry alleged to have been committed in
Manhattan.
In the automobile were said to have
been found three tires stolen Monday
night from an accessory shop at 11S1
Second avenue. Manhattan, and guam
tity OF wonen's clothing said to have
been loot from stores at Second avenue
and Eighty-third street and First ave-
nue. and Seventy-sixth street, Manhat-
tan.
Charles F. Forbes, a confectioner of
a3 Central avenue. Newark. was shot in
the abdomen yesterday when he failed
to obey the order of two bandits to put
up his hands. Forbes ran around the
counter crying for help and one of the
bandits fired and both then ran out.
Forbes was taken to ST. Michaels Hos
pital II Is feared he will die.
A thief snatched handbag last night
in the Wall street station, downtown
aide, from Mrs. Margaret Chauatry of
55t Bieecker street, Utica, who said II
contained $1,000 in jewelry and $40 in
cash.
Passengers on the platform tried to
help Mrs. Chauatry and her husband.
Herman, find the thief, but he had got
away. The Chauatrys were married
Monday and were on their wedding trip
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