The New York herald., 1922-08-19
81, 100 in Cash Also Discov-
cred in Prisoners Room
in Gramercy Park.
DEFENDANT is WITNESS
Chapman, Facing Jury With
Anderson, Denies Story Of
Alleged Former Pal.

5. Well attircd, suave, genial and stn.
dious in appearance. Gerald Chapman,
alias "The Count who gave his age
as 34 was the central figure in the
fourth day of the trial in United
states District Court Of two mon
charged with the Leonard street mail
truck robbery of last October. Taking
the stand yesterday afternoon in his
own defcnse, Chapman admitted he
helped sell some OF the stolen bonds
but denied he was one OF the three.
bandits who looted the Government
truck of cash, jewelry and securities
amounting to $2,400000.
He attacked the story OF The holdup
told by Charles Loerber, who pleaded
guilty last Tuesday and said the lat
ter was trying to shield his real .ac-
completes" whom he described as men
named Slim and "Schmitty.o He
said when he agreed to sell some OF
the bonds for Loerber he didn't know
Their source and he laid off" when he
found they were Government securi-
ties. Chapman spoke so softly Judge
Holmes had to request him to raise his
voice
Inc prosecution rested its case against
chapman and George Anderson shortly
before noon.--.after Assistant United
states Attorney David v. Cahill had
called 10 the stand post office clerks
ana employees to trace registered letters
mentioned specifically in the indictment
Count" fs Identified.
Joseph Brick, negro elevator opera
tor at 20 Gramercy Park, identified
Anderson as having lived there under
the name of La Fargo" William Il.
La Wall. superintendent at u Gramercy
Park, identified Chapman as having
nved there under the name OF "Cald-
WELL"
Acting Detective Sergeant Edward A.
kiely testified he and Detective O'Brien
IN Chapman's apartment at - Gramercy
Park found a loaded revolver a LOT OF
cartridges and two trunks. In one trunk
they found bonds worth about S1O0, 900,
some fuses, revolver an automatic
pistol and gun silencer. They found
the loot and s., 100 In cash.
When the State rested the defense
moved to dismiss Judge Holmes
promptly denied the motion. Then Will
lam j. Baker. a Rochester LAWYER.
opened the case for Chapman and An
derson. Addressing the jury, he said
in part:
These defendants are not stick-up
men. They arc not highway robbers.
They Of
good educations and have had splendid
training by splendid parents. They are
the victims Of circumstances"
Mr.. Baker said Loerber had come to
them and asked the loan Of their intel
ligence for a price. In moment of
weakness, he said, they yielded and
agreed to dispose of tha bonds for Loer-
-ber on a commission basis. He said
Loerber did not tell them there were
s2,00o,O00 worth of bonds and Pre-
only 100000 worth.
ADMITS Prison Record.
Chapman. questioned by Frederick j.
Groehl, his counsel. denied he was in the
vicinity of Broadway and Leonard street
the night of the robbery, saying he
dined at the Sheridan Square Hotel
rather late AMI then went to motion
picture show with his wife.
He admitted a prison record OF sever
years. consisting OF three terms for
grand larceny. He met Loerber in New
York in June. 1921. but the latter never
spoke of bonds until November. he said.
L1erDer. he said. often spoke OF two
pals, Slim and ''Schmitty," They had
TO be consulted in every move Loerber
made, he asserted. Chapman told OF
going to Chicago and Philadelphia TO
sell some of the bonds for Loerber.
Asked why he didn't have more time
TO sell bonds. he said he was "dickering
In whisky" l had a very fine clientele
of bootleggers and II was a more ccr-
tain way of making q living than ham
ding bonds" he said.