The New York herald., 1922-02-20
BANDIT AT DEAL,N.d,
RAIDS Dinner PARTY,
GETS $4,000 GEMS
Lines Up Two Women and
Three Men. Demanding
Their Valuables.
GUN THREATENS DEATH
Warns Victims That Pal
Will Shoot Any One Who
Makes an Outcry.
MAKES HIS ESCAPE EASILY
Mrs. Sarah Robertson, Hostess,
Had Delayed Putting yalu-
ables i'm Vault.

Sarah II. Robertson of SO Phillips ave-
nue., Deal, n. J., was entertaining four
guests at dinner in her home last
night when there came knock at the
door. She went to answer it, and left
seated at the table in the dining room
hei niece, Miss Alice Robertson; II. c..
Taber of Belmar. n. j., and Davis S.
Meyer and Edgar NJ. Lazarus, real
estate brokers Of Long Branch.
The four guests heard Mrs. Robert
son open the door and ask some one
what was wanted. Then they heard
her cry out, but before tkey could so
much as get to their feet Mrs. Robert
son appeared at the door Of the dining
room, her hands above her head and
walking backward.
Following her was man who
pointed revolver at Eer. He held
the gun in one hand, while in the
other was a diamond sunburs. that
he had wrenched from Mrs. Robert
sons throat when she opened the
door.
Hostess Walks Backward.
The bandit compelled Mrs. Robertson
10 walk backward across the room until
the table stopped further progress. Then
he made her sit down. and told the
others that IL they tried to make any
trouble he would kill them They said
nothing. for it was evident the man
meant what he said.
He was a big. powerfully bull man
with his figure drapcd in heavy mack
intosh. and all OF his faca but his eyes
covered by white mask. He kicked a
serving table across the room. never
turning his back on the five persons at
the dining table, and then stood be-
hind il.
'.Now." he said. come here. one at a
time and put out everything you've
got"
He waved the gun at Mr.. Meyer, who
" ent across the room and put his wallet
containing $50 on the serving table. The
man put II in his pocket and pointed to
Lazarus. Lazarus started across the
room, but the bandit stopped him and
pointed 10 Mrs. Robertson, who, thinking
the bandit had not seen her. had reached
I'D and taken handbag from the side
board.
Bring the bag here" said the bandit,
quick"
Tears Gem BaE Away.
Mrs. Robertson refused and the ban
dit tore it from her grasp. 1t contained,
according to statements made to the
Deal and Long Branch police by Mrs.
Robertson, about $500 in cash and
jewelry worth s50,000, which she had
taken from a safe deposit box in the
vaults of the Hotel AIcAlpin last Satur-
day with the intention OF putting II in
similar box at Asbury Park to-day or
tomorrow. But it seemed to be what
the bandit was after. beca,sc as soon
as he had looked into the handbag he
pushed it into his pocket, kicked the
serving table out OF his way and started
to back out OF the room, making no ef-
fort to rob either Lazarus, Tsber or Miss
Robertson.
"Sit here for five minutes" he told
Mrs. Robertson and her guests. "Ill
have a man watching. and il anybody
moves before five minutes they'll be
killed"
He backed into the hall. raced to the
front door and opened and slammed Ii
behind him. Where he went after get
ting out OF the house the authorities do
not know, but they believe that he had
an automobile parked near by and that
he used the machine TO escape.
Police Notified by Phone.
AS soon as the front door had slammed
Lazarus telephoned to the Deal police
headquarters, and Chief Rogers and sew
eral detectives hurried TO the house.
They searched the grounds. but could
find no trace of the bandit or any ac-
completes that he might have had. Laz-
arus told the police that he heard a
motor car after the man had gone. but
ground.
neighbor also said that he had seen
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