The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-07
lFFREN SELLS
PAIR ARMY Gun
AND IS ROBBED
Third Aveaue PswHshsp Proprietor
Held Up By Tive Negroes, Who
Get 1aeoo n Les&

SAA0 49, oVDS AASs0A VOs9eAA$0 - -
dts since the robbery Of the Com
Savings bank last summer.
There were flve men in the pawn
shop besides the proprietor. David
Zinern. They were all herded into
q group In the rear Of the shop and
guarded by the negro who had Dor
rowed the gun from the proprietor.
The other bandit proceeded to
loot the place. The safe and cash
register were rihed, the show cases
were raided and Q couple Of gums
removed from the windows.
A revolver, believed to have been
used in the robbery, and two IS
bills, probably taken from the
pawnshop, were found late Satur-
day night on the Milwaukee rail-
road tracks near the waterworks.
The loot consisted Of diamonds
and other jewels. rings, watches,
revolvers and $3.50 in cash.
One Of the negroes, Joe Lee, Is
we'll known to Ziffern, as he fire.
quently visited the place. Both BAN
dts are believed to have been resi-
dents Of the vicinity for a number
of years. It is said that East Mo-
line has been their headquarters.
During the robbery Ziffern
tainted, and when he recovered he
was frantic with rage and despair.
He ran out of his shop and created
q commotion which attracted a
large crowd.
Curious persons hung about the
place for several hours after the
holdup. The town was searched all
night by the police and Rock Island,
East Moline and Davenport Cfhcers
Joined in the search.
At the time of the robbery there
were in the shop, besides Ziffern
and the robbers, the following:
Harry Frankel. Ziffren's clerk; Carl
Erickson, Gust Larson and Swan
Larson of 31S Seventeenth street,
and Harry Anderson, 1924 Twenty
fourth avenue. The two negroes en-
tered the shop about 8 Saturday
evening. The man known as Lee
said he wanted to look at a pair Of
shoes. Ziffren waited on him. Lee
purchased the shoes, pair Of army
boots. The the negro purchased q
pair Of overalls.
Il want a gun, too" he said.
SHOW me the biggest one you got. I"
Ziffren showed him a number Of
revolvers. They were old army
guns. The negro selected q IS cal
ibre. 1t looked pretty good to him,
he said, as he took it in his hands
and examined it.
Have you got lead for it," he
asked.
Ziffren produced some cartridges,
and Lee put them in the revolver"
Just to see if they will fit"
They were exactly the right size.
After lingering the gun for a mo-
ment, the negro suddenly raised II
nearly to the level Of his shoulder.
Frankel, the clerk, who thought
it was all joke, took Lee by the
arm and said, Don't do that Lee
Be careful, that gun is loaded"
Lees answer was to shove
Frankel to one side violently.
This is business" he cried
Hands up, everybody"
| Lees companion pulled a revol.
yer from his pocket and the robbery
was started. Lee jumped over The
counter and made for the showcase
containing the watches first.
| His partner herde0 the group il
the store in . corner and covered
them.
After pillaging the showcase, Lex
made for the safe, which was oper
and, contained the diamond ant
other jewels. Lee took all the en-
velopes in sight and put them int
his companions pockets. The en-
vel0pes contained the stones. Ther
the other bandit began growing i'm
patient. Come on, Lee" he said
Don't be hog. Let's get away
from this" He made for the casl
register. stripped it of it's contents
and the two, robbers made their es
cape.
According to Ziffren, when he re
covered the others in the store wer,
standing in the same place tina
they had been herded by tn,
negroes. The pawnbroker called tn,
police.
Mr.. Ziffren ssid that he is unabl,
to give . detailed list Of tn,
watches. diamonds and other valu
ables taken. He said there were ,
number Of half karat stones, tw,
rings with large clusters, and on,
three-quarter karat diamond alon,
with many smaller ones.
The loss was not covered by in
surance. Practically all the stone
! had been left in the shop as secur
) ity for loans. Zifren anticipate
considerable dimculty should tn,
owners call for their property.
II knew Lee for three years,
said Ziffren. "He was always al
right I did business with him be
fore. How should I know he woul,
do anything like this?"
y He came in and said he wante,
. pair Of shoes. l thought It was al
right. ] fitted him with . pair an,
he put them on. Then he bough
. pair Of overaIls. He walked owe
BY the counter and / thought b
was going to pay me.
But he said he wanted 4 gun
showed him . Is calibre revolvel
4 HA aakeA ~. Ars,an Ss,1n><. euA