The New York herald., 1922-04-05

IA the Washington Square sec
should be cleaned up. 1t was on ones
Of the benches in Washington Square,
where hundreds of idle men gather
every day and night, that the plot
was formed to rob the Shattuck home.
Members Of the association at the
meeting last night declared that the
undesirables should not be allowed to
loaf for hours in the park. Pan
handlers also thrive there. it was
pointed out, and reap plentiful har-
vest, chiefly from tourists who ride
there on the bus lines.
Shattuck Offers sug~estions.
Mr.. Shattuck appeared yesterday
afternoon at a meeting of the execu-
tive committee. He told the story of
how his home was robbed and how he.
with his family and his servants. so
narrowly escaped death.
Mr.. Shattuck also told them some
suggestions he had worked out for
iliHlSsil, parity as u AtSuil VI iiiS OWli
experiences and partly because Of
what ne had seen as property owner
in that section for many years and as
former president of the Washington
Square Association.
When Mr.. Shattuck got through
speaking the executive committee ap-
pointed the special crime committee,
which met last night at Mr.. Kirby's
home.
When the committee offers it's report
to the general meeting of the associa-
tion on Friday Mr. Shattuck will be on
hand TO supplement 1t with suggestions
OF his owE. What he has to say will
bear largely upon his own case.
Whether Mr.. Shattuck has any criti-
csm of the way the robbery OF his
home Is being Investigated Is not known.
but It is known that on the day after
the robbery he tried 10 see Mayor Hy
Ian and failed He did see Commits
siorer Enright. however, and got every
assurance that the poAce would do their
best
More Policemen Needed.
II is understood that while Mr. Shat
tuck may not have airy criticism to
make OF the way the police have han
died the case he does believe the chances
for robbery would have been materially
lessened IL there had been more police
men on duty. That belief 10 strength
ened by the fact that when one OF his
servants. after getting out of the wine
vault where they were locked went out
into the street to find policeman there
was none available until one came
across the square from the Mercer street
station.
The Shattuck robbery ari the condi-
.ions which made 1t possible was the
cole topic discussed at the meeting In
the afternoon. One thing was agreed
upon There Is a crime wave. There
were differences of opinion on what to
do about IL. but that basic situation was
settled. One OF the committeeman de-
mandcd that there be an inquiry into
the methods OF the Police Department
but IL was decided that cooperation was
more desirable than an inquiry. and more
likely TO get results than would a policy
of hostility.
At the afternoon meeting werc Gus
tavus T. Kirby. Robert w. dc Forest.
John L. wilkie. Albert II. Shattuck,
clarkson Cowi. David II. Knott, the Rev
Howard Duftleld. y. Herbert Johnson,
John Farr. Arnold Richards and Ernest
colyer. on the "crime committee" are
Mr.. Colyer. Mr.. Knott. Mr.. Kirby and
Mr.. Wilkie.
Tn Danger OF Death.
Further investigation or the Shattuck
robbery yesterday revealed that Mr..
shattuck stood In the shadow Of injury
II not death from the burglars three
times, and that his household also was
In similar danger on two of those oc-
casions The sheer vicissitude or for
tune through which each time they
escaped forms one of tho most remark
able chapters OF the robbery
IL appears that Mr.. Shattuck and
friend spent number Of minutes in the
cellar OF the Washington Square North
house Sunday morning within a few
feet Of the coal bin where the f1ve
armed thugs were hiding. The two men
made an inspection OF the cellar
walked all around Il lesurely. chatted.
approached the coal bin. passed Il. but
through some whim of fate never un-
dortook 20 open the door of the bin and
look in.
Meanwhile. according to an admis-
sion said to have been made by Eu-
senio Diaset. the only member of the
band who has been captured so far. the
!. Continued on Page Five.