The New York herald., 1922-03-27
Capitol Theater Robbery Is
Confessed by Two Men
Caught in Raid.
MANY HOLDUPS CLEARED
Man, Accused as Forger. Torn
From Wife and Daughters
Arriving From England.


nue.. between Seventh and Eighth
streets, in the Park Slope section of
Brooklyn. He is feet 3 inches in
height and weighs 145 pounds, mostly
muscle and bone.
About 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon
during a lull in business Mr. Kramer
behind the counter was sharpening q
meat cleaver. Mrs. Kramer was in
the small cashiers cage and a man
assistant was putting razor edge on
butcher knife. Four young men.
~ well dressed. drove up in an auto
mobile. Three alighted while the
dSver sat ~ the wheel with tEe en-
cine running.
~ am an inspector and want to look
over your store" said one of the men to
Mr.. Kramer. as he displayed a badge.
II guess about the only thing you
want to inspect is our cash register"
said Mr. Kramer. looking the "inspec-
tor in the eye. Just then woman Gus
toner entered and the man reached for
his right hip pocket.
Gunman Runs From CIeavcr.
Don't you pull a gun or I'll chop your
head off with this cleaver" said Mr.
Kramer. The woman screamed and the
inspector ran to the sidewalk. Mr..
Kramer and his helper Ieaped the
counter with the cleaver and butcher
knife ready for business.
The three men had jumped into the
automobile and started down Seventh
aNe--e when Mr.. Kramer reached the
dapais. He threw the clcaver with all
fs strength, striking and puncturing
fear p'e. But the automobile gained
speea and disappeared on Seventh
stresr The till held about $500 at the
time
Ne Capitol Theater holdup and five
cthtr -ecent robberies were mentioned
IN ements made yesterday by five
rri rs arrested here and in Newark
Three OF the men were gathered
~ roundup personally directed by
1ns tor John D. Coughlin. head of the
i've Bureau, as a result of the
s'rg Saturday night of Richard j.
a, manager of the Atlantic and
r Tea Company store at T35 Third
hcs NJ. McReel, Deputy Police
INi and twelve motorcycle policemen
cf swsrk. surrounded house at 90
Tenth street. They entered the
a ing with drawn pistols and found
to men playing cards in front room.
of the men bolted for the rear
reached a fire escape before they
y overtaken. A fifth man. Timothy
r. pvan Of $50 West Fifty-third street,
n haitian, was found hiding in a
les closet.
CoDfcsscs After GriIIinx.
he five mon were questioned at New
Police Headquarters by Chief Me-
4 for more than six hours. Thomas
Donovan, n brother of Timothy Don
b, finally broke down. McReel said
and confessed he was one or tho men
who had participated in the Capitol The
ater holdup OF several weeks ago.
Thomas J. Buckley. a third prisoner.
also admitted he was involved in the
robbery. Donovan and Buckley said
they and a negro named Singleton. who
is under arrest in Manhattan. and an
other white man planned and carried
out the theater robbery.
The negro. they said. was once a
porter In the theater and the night be-
fore the robbery they went there and
watched the auditor and ticket takcr
leave the box office and start upstairs.
Buckley drove the taxicab and remained
" plDSk away WNlie NnC Trio went 10 the
Capitol.
Chief McReel said the robbers then
rushed into tho thcater office and forced
three men and girl to stand against
the wall. Donovan, he said, admitted he
grabbed the valise containing $500.
They escaped by back window and
went to Donovan's home. where the
r oney was split four ways. the negro
getting $500 and tho white men s2.T00
n.,I ILL
New Haven and then on 10 Newark two
weeks ago. When arrested Donovan
had sixty cents and Buckley about 81.
Tho statements OF two of three men
caught in the East Side roundup clear
up. the police say. the robbing OF q
Sheffield Farms. Inc. milk driver al
Broadway and 107th street a holdup in
which Nicholas Dempsey. messenger
FOR Hornthal & Co. funeral supplies. OF
ba7 Lexington avenue lost $2,100. q
holdup in a United Cigar Store nj
First avenue and Ninety-second street
and a holdup at Second avenue and
Nineteenth street
one Youth Makes Denial.
The three prisoners described them
selves as Richard O'Donncll. aged %
Of s4e East Forty-first street; Francis
Boyce, go. OF 4oi East Nineteenth street
and Thomas sheridan, ", OF oJ3 IHrO
avenue. They were arrested simuita-
neously at their homes and taken 70 tbs
East Fffty-hrst street station.
In O'Donnell's room IN East Nine
teenth street the police found holster
three boxes Of cartridges and two black
masks. O'Dohnell shared this room, the
police say. with George Mccarthy
awaiting trial on q larceny charge.
Ralph Edmund Sneyd. age rs. OF OF.
fewa. ont, was arrested by detectives
from Washington on Pier 81. Nortf
River. as his wife, Mrs. Katherine
Sneyd. and her children, Catherine ant
Robert. were descending the gangplanl
from the Albania after a visit to Eng
land. Sncyd pleaded to greet his family
hut the detectives hurried him Off Il
Police Headquarters.
Detectives Hughes and Culhane OF ths
East Fifty-first street station. who have
been investigating the murder or Rich
ard j. O'Shea, manager or the Atlantic
and Pacific Tea Company's store at 73'
Third avenue. who was shot by bandit,
late Saturday night detained severa
persons last night in connection Win th'
crime.
THE suspects were taken 70 Poiic,
Ifeadauaf re vnrre tres wcro uwNe
ltioned. No charge have been made.