The New York herald., 1922-04-16
ICONFESSES RIPPING
| DEAD line SAFES
Police Get Member of Gang
Which Looted Insurance
Building Offices.
FIVE ARE IN DRAGNET
One Is Held in Killing Of
Emil CHM on New
Years Day.
FOUR GUNMEN CAUGHT
Flee Into Crowd of School
Children and Fire on Pur-
suing Police.
FOUR GUNMEN CAUGHT

One man was arrested and held yes
terday in connection with the thor
oughgoing burglary OF Offices in the
Royal Insurance Company Building at
William street and Maiden lane. At
the same time and in the same com
pany detectives, hard driven now by
Headquarters. picked up one Ryan,
suspected of killing a man and long
wanted therefor. He. too. was held
without bail and will be questioned
about the insurance company building
job along with the ether prisoner.
William Murphy.
Murphy, probably. Is the important
one SO far as the exploi. below the old
deadline is concerned. George Brecken-
ridge, night caretaker OF the building,
who confessed to having admitted nine
burglars on Thursday night and to
having planned the rohberies with
them, told detectives that Murphy, liv-
ing, Breckenridge said. in 237 East
Seventy-fourth street, was the only
man of the yegg crew he knew. They
followed the tip, but when they got to
Mr.. Murphy's dwelling he was absent.
Detective Moran learned their man
had gone to visit Max Felix. in Al West
126th street; referred to as laborer.
There in Company with Felix and Muir
phy. were Otto Bauserwein, william
Hecht and John Ryan. 25,. 30S East
Eighty-second street. When detectives
looked up Murphy's record they found
that, applying to William Murphy,
was q dossier stating said Murphy had
been arrested for grand larceny, feio-
NOUS assault, petty larceny and bur-
glary. and that In one case only had he
received any punishment.
Prisoner Is Identified.
Murphy was taken to Headquarters
where Breckenridge identified him as
one OF the nine invaders OF the OFFICE
building. Thereupon, the detectives say,
Murphy admitted completely. He said
breckenridge suggested to him that he
get gang together and rip open the
safes. Breckenridge admits calling at
Murphy's flat, but denies he suggested
robbery. Last Tuesday night. Murphy
says.> he went with a prospective asso-
ciate to the building to look the land
over. He found the outlook attractive,
so the burglary was pulled off, He was
to have met the gang at Third avenue
and Thirty-fourth street yesterday 10
get his split.
Murphy denied knowing names or ad-
dresses Of his confederates. With Breck-
enridge he was taken before Magistrate
w. Bruce Cobb in Tombs police court
ha
April 22 on a short affidavit charging
suspicion of burglary. Ryan was ar
raigned in Yorkville court before Magis-
trate Hating on short affidavit
charging suspicion of homicide. and was
held for examination on April IL. Inc
police suspect him of completely In the
sbooting of Emil CHM at First avenue
and Seventy-first street on January !,
1922. Felix, Bauserwein and Hechs
were set free.
In the West Side court yesterday the
tale OF a pistol battle between policemen
and gangsters among panicstricgen
school children and the solution of the
mystery Of the woundns of James
Horace. mail carrier, held attention
| The story began last Tuesday nigh
when four gangsters went TO the roo
! Of a tenement In West F'iftieth street
and laid in wait for John Brennan.
chauffeur, who had rescued girl IRON
one OF the gang. Brennan. they knew
would pass along the other side OF tnt
street. When he did appear they
4 pumped shots at him. missing their tar
get but shooting Horace.
Detectives found that Pobert Malady
I John Hoban, Andrew Morris ard Merrill
\ Trabold, all OF the Hells Kitchen dis
trict, were missing from tkeir customary
haunts, and, trailing the four In :
motor car, encountered them at Tent
avenue and West Fifty eighth stree
Friday afternoon. There was an ex'
change of shots. and the eangsters rar
| into the playground Of the De Witt Gin
ton High School. at Tenth avenue ant
/ Fifty-ninth street, minglng with boys
| playing baseball and marSies The de-
! tectives followed, and were fred on by
/ the gangsters as the children scurriec
| for cover. Eventually the -four were
captured at Tenth avenue and Sixty-frsi
y street.
/ Is Captured ON Rope.
I Michael Leskowitz. %, Bowery. was
arrested Friday night as he climbed
down a rope tied to a chimney on the
I ronf ~ a qpypufh ctory Inf huiidfnU al