New-York tribune., 1922-12-24
See
$4,000 Looted
In Gem Window
Bandits Hurl Brick Through
Glass of Gumbiner Shop,
1O5th and Broadway,
and Flee With Trays

Three master thieves robbed the
jewelry store OF David Gumbiner, at
274l Broadway, Of $4,000 worth Of
diamonds and other precious stones
last night while hundreds Of upper
Broadway promenaders and a shop full
OF clerks and Christmas shoppers
wondered what all the excitement was
about
Scores Of people we're witnesses Of
The actual robbery; hundreds caught
the Infection OF excitement which II set
up but Of them all only one man had
the quick wit TO estimate the situation
at is correct significance.
Lone Pursuer Jeered
Thus il happened that William Aseh-
endorf his head bare and his coat tails
flying behind him in the keen winter
air, chased an automobile on foot for
half block and yelled in vain for some
rapid4thinking automobilist to come
10 his aid Asehendorf gave up the
pursuit as the car. after slowing down
TO take a corner gathered speed and
outdistAneed him. As final jibe one
Of the bandits shouted from the rear
seat as he menaeed the perspiring jew
eler with a revolver:
Watch yourself. buddy II you
come any nearer we'll fll you full Of
lead and spoil Christmas for you"
The Gumbiner shop, at the north
west corner Of i05th Street and Broad
way, Is n place OF some consequence.
and the luxury Of It's window displays
Ia a matter Of much neighborhood ad-
miration and proper pride In the
spring Of 1920 five men held up Mrs.
Gumbiner and her son. and stole 1000
worth Of jewelry. Last night there
were fewer craeksmen, but the loot was
larger.
Strategic Masterpiece
The robbery was masterpiece of
strategy and daring. Apparently the
outlaw gang cared nothing FOR the
thronRs Of belated Christmas shoppers
and Broadway wayfarers, counting
upon the rapidity OF the attack 20 OF
set possible interference from this
source. They carefully eliminated Pa
trolmsn Owen Rafferty,, the southern
limit Of whose post is marked BY the
Gumbier store, and the northern bor-
der b. the corner OF i09th Street and
Broadway. The grand smash came A.
the precise moment that Rafferty,
reached the end OF his beat farthest
from the scene.
One man threw a brick wrapped In
two towels through Gumbiner's window.
Another grabbed two trays loaded with
expensive trinkets, while third
watched the doorway Of the store, one
hand held significantly In his coat
pocket. None Of the three wore over.
coats. They were equipped for rapid
movement
The crash OF broken glass caused a
momentary stampede from the imme-
diate vicinity, and then curiosity got
the better Of alarm, and traffic was
halted as the crowd swarmed about.
The interested spectators saw the see-
ond member Of the trio dash north
on Broadway toward 106th Street. The
other two fell in behind him.
David Gumbiner. the proprietor, his
manager Aschendorf, and eight clerks
we're in the store at the moment the
brick arrived. There we're also several
customers.
The thieves had parked their auto
mobile on the east side Of the street
in the middle Of the block, between
l05th and l06th streets. They piled
into the car, turned into Tooth Street
10 West End Avenue and headed north.
Patrolman Rafferty, at l09th Street
and Broadway heard a police whistle.
But by the time he could get back TO
the southern limit Of his post there
was nothing 20 be done but gather the
material for his report.
Detectives are trying 70 trace the
automobile, the number Of which was
reported by Asehendorf, the only man
who really saw anything Of the raid.