The New York herald., 1922-04-04
All Near Suffocation as
Owner Weakened Lock OF
Wine Vault Prison.
CRIME PLOTTED IN PARK
Ex-Butler. Who Stole $4,000
in 1917. Is Master Mind
Of $4,000 Burglary.

Eugenio Diaset. the only captured
member of the band of bandits who
held up and robbed the household OF
Alfred r.. Shattuck. 10 Washington
Square North, Sunday, told the police
yesterday the astounding story Of how
the plot to commit the robbery was
Matched and executed.
AS a result the police, urged on by
a special visit OF Mr.. Shattuck to Com
missioner Enright, are searching the
city for Henri Boilat, formerly but.
ler in the Shattuck home, who disap
Feared in 1917 coincidentally with
$4,000 worth of Mrs. Shattuck's jew
clry. and who. the police said, they be-
lieved was the ringleader Of the gang
that made the present $4,000 raid on
the ShattuclS home.
Lieut.. William Funston, head Of the
force Of detectives working on the
case. said numerous circumstances
point TO the implication of the former
butler in Sundays robbery. He would
not reveal the details Of his informa-
ton. But it is known that there are
at least three grounds upon which the
detectives base their search for Boilat
They believe the robbery was d.
rected by person who was familiar
with the interior OF the old fashioned
three story red brick house in which
the Shattucks live and with the daily
routine of Mr.. and Mrs. Shattuck and
their eight servants.
They are convinced that none OF
the servants had any knowledge OF
the plot to rob the house or was in
any way involved in the robbery.
They believe that one of the con-
federates mentioned by Diaset In his
story of the holdup Is Bollat
Police Get secret Clews.
In addition to the foregoing details
II is known that other Information
pointing to Boilat is In the possession
OF the detectives. 1t is understood Il
have been given to the det4, Ives by
Mr.. Shattuck. who excused himself te
reporters yesterday.
Mr. Shattuck announced that partia
inventory OF Mrs. Shattucks valuabIes
indicated that the value OF the stoler
jewelry Is not less thar $4,000, ant
likely will be found much greater. THAI
estimate does not include the $4,000
worth OF jewelry found in the pocket.
OF the clothing of Diaset and in a Goa
OF one of the other bandits which v al
found In the Shattuck house after the
robbers fled.
Mr.. Shattuck's story to the police re.
vealed that he. Mrs. Shattuck and tn,
eight servants were on the verge o
suffocation in the small. almost air
tight wine closet in the basement, wher
Mr.. Shattuck managed to open the door
That was accomplished by using a dim'
and the broken blade Of a knife as screw
drivers, with which the lock or tn.
door was disengaged. That version alss
solved the mystery OF how the escap,
was made from the wine vault and IN,
alarm was spread No bandit was lief
on guard. II was said. previous reporti
to the contrary.
The police already had discovere,
when they took Diaset to the Mercer
street police station yesterday rnornin,
for further questioning that he hat
been sentenced to three months In jal
at Hartford. Conn. IN February. 1921
for carrying revolver. They had
learned also that he was a Fr.alch ~ a
man that he had worked three month,
IN the kitchen OF a sporting club a
Freeport. l.. l., year or so ago. ans
that recently he had worked In In,
kitchen OF a restaurant az 133 wes
Forty-fifth street.
Captive Tells His story.
Diase,. who speaks Engiisi rathe
brokenly, told his story In his cell whil,
waiting arraignment In Essex Markc'
Court.
II was out OF Jail only a few days
he said. "and I took a train at New
Haven last week and came down I,
the Grand Central last wednesday.
walked down town. | felt pretty bad
not much eats. bought French papel
and sat down in Madison Square Park
I was reading. Another man comes UP
"'Are you French he says
Yes I said.
I'm French. too, he told me anc
sat down alongside. l told him | wa,
up against It.
How much money you got?' n,
asked me- / showed him all--abou
25 or 30 cents. I was surprised at IN,
next thing he does He hands me
ten dollar bill.
Here: take this he says. Get your
self room and meet me here to-mor
row
II took the money and hired a room
and met him the next day thought
he was n good skate and met him few
times. and got good friends with him.
Saturday I met him in washing.cr
square in the afternoon and he told m,
he wanted TO sec me there again Satur
day night at o'clock sharp. wen
there at o'clock and he says: Com,
/ meet me here again Sunday morning
I'm going TO get you job he says.
Il met him Sunday morning and h,
showed me the house where Mr.. Shat
tuck lives.
a job he says
I'VE waited and when there was