New-York tribune., 1922-04-15
W Watchman
Helps Gang nlg
Loot Z Safes

West End Avenue, early in 1921, when
the apartment Of Myrtle Tannehill, an
actress, was robbed OF $4,000 in Jew
elry. Adams is said to have done this
job.
Breckenridge obtained his present
job in February through recon-
mendaton of Captain J. J. Wall, of the
East Sixty police station, and
another reference from the Brokaw
Building. The recommeendation from
Captain Wall. said Superintendent
Powers. who employed breckenridge,
set forth that he was member of the
police reserves and was Of good char
acter.
Robbers Are Discriminating
The safes broken open were those
of the Royal Insurance Company fiji
teenth floor: Royal Indemnity Com
panv. eleventh floor; c.. +. sturhahn,
eighth floor: Royal Marine Insurance
Company, sixth floor: Queens lnsur-
ance Company, fourth floor. and Dalyon
& Bailey, attorneys. second floor. All
OF the firms found documents and Sc
curities which had been deposited in
their safes scattered over the floor
near their strongboXes, indicating that
the robbers thought to take only
those papers which they considered
negotiable.
From the Royal Indemnity Company
between $4,000 and $4,000 in cash was
taken. On the floor here was found
d copy Of an Albany newspaper dated
April 2, indicating that the thieves
probably came from there. Five hun
dred dollars was taken from the Queens
Insurance Company. and $50 from the
Royal Marine Insurance Company. On
the battered strongboxees here we're
found the remains OF sandwiches which
the burglars had lunched upon when
they had completed their job. About
S1OO was missed by the Royal lnsur-
ance Company on the fifteenth floor.
When first discovered Breckenridge
had been trussed up on the eighth
floor, with his feet tied in a bag. his
arms bound behind him and a cloth
over his mouth. He was lying on the
floor near broken window. His first
version to Detective Edward J. Kalb-
fetish, of the Old Slip station, was a
fanciful tale Of meeting "bad man
named John while employed with
John" on pier Of the Cunard Line
about a year ago. This John" prom
ised to cali on him some night about
day night about $3.50 o'clock in an au-
tolnobile with nine friends. He lei
them in the building because he was
afraid of them" he said. and they
bound him and looted the various
Offices.
Time Clocks Are Telltaies
When it was discovered. however
I that the time clocks on the various
floors had been punched regularly
every hour, the detectives saw through
the watchman's story and finally forced
from him an alleged confession OF nj:
completely. Breckenridge told this mar
John" to call on him at any time h'
wanted to "pull a JOB"
He said .his man and his eight pal:
arrived about $3.50 o'clock, shortl!
after the janitor had let the engineel
out. They had with them their KITS O
tools and a bundle of lunch. The!
were taken down into the engine room,
! while Breckenridge went to the tenti
foor to get some clerks out who wer'
working overtime, -.
! The gang was then taken up to TN
sixteenth floor, where they held G con
sultation on plan Of action. Inc.
divided into two squads, one OF nv
and another Of four, one working COW
! from the top floor and another WORKING