New-York tribune., 1921-02-11
Auto of Jersey Gang Hits
Pole Following Theft of
Truck With Is Barrels :
One Left Alone to Die
Victims Are Shot as
They Run for Lives
Police of State Take Up
Hunt for Road Pirates
Who Flee i'm Big Motor

NEW BRUNSWICK, N. j., Feb. 10
A band Of whisky bandits operating on
the Lincoln Highway, near Monmouth
Junction tonight, held up and captured
truck carrying twenty-five barrels Of
whisky from Trenton to Newark, killed
two of its crew and lost one of their
own number when the touring car in
which they were riding crashed into a
telephone pole.
Apparently the members of the
trucks crew were shot down in cold
blood. Following the hold-up and cap
ture of the whisky laden vehicle the
five men who accompanied it, two on
the truck and three in a touring car
following it, were taken into the
bandits machine on a long wild ride
through Somerville and Rocky Hill.
A quarter mile from the latter town
the prisoners were ordered to alight.
They made a break for liberty and the
bandits opened fire.
Leo salamandra, of 1856 Greenwood
Avenue, Trenton, wealthy liquor
dealer, was killed. Charles Barnabea,
also of Trenton, was hit and is be-
lieved to have been slain, though his
body has not been recovered. Pedro
Salamandra, of 202 Fulton Street
Trenton, was beaten into insensibility
with blackjack.
Samuel Perkins, the negro, and Ed
ward A. E. Ring, of 146 Broome Street
Newark, escaped by diving into the un-
derbrush at the roadside.
Bandits Auto Overturned
The bandits then presumably set
out to overtake the captured
truck, sweeping through Kingston
along the road toward Franklin Park
at top speed. Near Franklin Park
their flying car smashed into an auto
mobile belonging to Michael Sala, of
Brooklyn, and overturned.
A police automobile from New Bruins
wick which had started out after the
whisky pirates found beneath the up
set machine a dying man, who lived
only few minutes after reaching ST.
Peters Hospital in New Brunswick.
Two revolvers were found on the
person of the dead bandit, who, ply
sicians say, was shot through the eye,
though none of the captives were
armed.
Several caps apparently belonging to
the bandits were found on the road by
the overturned car. They bore the
stamp Of Newark haberdasher. The
license number of the wrecked car
showed it was owned by a resident of
Newark.
According to the New Brunswick po-
lice, the whisky-laden truck belonged
to Abe Pafnacs, Of Jacobs Street, New
ark, and was sent out in charge of a
white man and a negro to transfer
whisky from another truck that had
become mired in the mud near Trenton
Three other white men, apparently
with an interest in the stalled trucks
cargo, followed the relief machine in
touring car.
The load of whisky was transferred
from the stalled car and the truck
headed back for Newark. The men
to whom it's load belonged had a gov
ernment permit for its transportation
Bandits Car STALLED
At about o'clock the headlights OF
the truck picked up what was appar.
emily stalled touring car slowed di-
agonally across the road not far from
Monmouth Junction. AS the truck and
escorting car slowed down five or six
men leaped from the bushes pistol in
hand and ordered the occupants of the
two vehicles to throw up their hands.
The negro and white man were or.
dered off the truck. They obeyed and
couple of the bandits took theil
place ana started the truck tor New
Brunswick. The occupants of the
escorting touring car were also obliged
to get out and all five of the prisoners
were piled into the bandits machine
together with three or four of the rob,
bers.
Then began the wild ride, taken ap.
parently without any special destina.
tion in view, which ended with the
death of three men and the serious in.
jury of the fourth, who was black
lacked.
1t was Sala, whose car was hit by the
fleeing bandits after their killings, whc
gave the alarm.
At once police and deputies from g
dozen towns took the road by car anc
motorcycle to run down the bandits
while the wires were kept humming to
head them off.
Late last night what may have beer
cew was picked up. A touring cal
driven at tremendous speed smashed
through the gates at the Frelinghuyser
Avenue crossing of the Lehigh VALLEY
Railroad at Newark. The car wa!
smashed and its two occupants van
ished. The police believe they wer,
members of the bandit gang.
H wN