New-York tribune., 1921-03-12
Bandits Kill
.Jeweler After
Cagging Him
Murderers Escape With
Gems Valued at $1,000
After Shooting Man in
the Neck and Chest
Victim Fired at Slayers
Two Negroes See Thieves
Flee From the Shop
With Trays Full of Loot

After being gagged and trussed TO an
arm chair in the back room Of his
store, Abraham Harris, forty-two yaers
old, jeweler at 1886 Eighth Avenue,
was shot to death yesterday morning
by two bandits. Diamonds and jewelry
valued at several thousand dollars we're
taken by the murderers who escaped
The murder was committed while
scores OF persons were passing the
saop, yet neither Of the shots re-
aporsible for the jewelers. death was
heard.
Shortly before 10 o'clock Patrick
fiarris and Percy Stout, negroes, of
PAPA Seventh Avenue, saw two young
men rush from the store carrying trays
Of diamonds and iewelry. One of the
bandits went south and the other
north, according to the story told by
the negroes a few moments later to
.'atrolman Broderick, whom they found
tao blocks away.
Patrolman Broderick hurried to the
atore and, accompanied by Michael
Hoffman who conducts 2 hardware
store in the building adjoining the
sc-Teiry store, entered the building.
Attacked by Dog
A small bulldog flew at them as they
entered, and it was not until Bro0
crick had looped the cord of his night
stick about the animals neck that they
we're able to proceed.
Harris was lying in one corner Of
the room, partially concealed by an
overturned chair. His feet and legs
which stood about a foot away Pieces
OF silkeh cord and Telephone wire,
which it was later found had been cut
from the instrument in the storeroom,
we're wrapped about his legs and body
His necktie Of heavy silk was stuffed
into his mouth as a gag, and q .38
caiiore revolver lay at his side. There
was bullet hole in his neck and an
other in his chest.
A hurry call was sent to the 1886
Street station by Patrolman Broderick
scene. The room in which the killing
took place was in disorder and a pile
OF debris and scattered trays covered
the floor of the front salesroom.
The police believe that Harris was
standing before the safe in the front
room Of the store when the bandits
entered. 1t is believed that they
creed him to the rear room of the
lore with drawn revolvers. While
backing him toward the rear room one
of the bandits is believed to have sew
cred the telephone connection by jerk
ng the wires loose from the instru-
.nent.
Victim Fired Once
After reaching the rear room Har-
..is's necktie was snatched from his
neck and stuffed into his mouth to pre-
vent an outcry. Pieces OF the tele-
phone wire and some silken cord gath
cred in the front of the store were
used TO bind him TO an armchair which
stood beside a small Ncot. 1t is believed
-hat while at work in front of the
safe, alter feeling that their victim
was secure, the two bandits were
alarmed to find that Harris had worked
the binding loose from his arms and
vas reaching for a revolver which he
zapt beneath the mattress of the cot.
One bullet was missing from the re
volver and lead slug was found i'm
bedded in tool chest in the front
room oe the store. The police believe
tnat Harris succeeded in getting the
revolver and firing one shot before the
bandits replied.
After Harris was slain it is be-
lieved the bandits snatched as many
rays Of jewelry as they could carry
{ ron. the safe and from the showcase
n front OF tNe store ana neu, tearing
their shots had been heard. Upon
T. leaving the store they were seen by the
cTo negroes. Good descriptions were
obtained of both Of them.
hoffman, whose store is separated
rom the jcwelry store by a thin par
-.tion. was much puzzled as to why he
and his assistants had not heard the
shots fired. 1t was explained by the
police that the passing of an elevated
train ct the exact moment of the
shooting may have been responsible
-or this.
Loot May Reach $1,000
David Harris, brother of the mu--
dered man, said last night that an ap-
prasal of the stock left in the store
would be necessary before the exact
value of the loot taken by the bandits
would be known. He estimated the
loss, however, at between $4,000 and
$1,000. He said that his brother usual
~ carried considerable stock of da-
monds in his safe in addition to the
regular jewelry line. Abraham Harris
was unmarried and lived with his par
ents at 1873 West 112th Street.
Surgeons who examined the body of
the dead man said the bullet which
penetrated his neck missed the jugular
vein by quarter inch.
II H. G.