The New York herald., 1922-07-06
American Express Agent
Became Pal of Trio as
'Stickup Man.
SHARED IN FESTIVE LIFE
Got Bonds to Sell Revealing
Not Only Postal Holdup but
Robbery at Niagara.

United States Commissioner Hitch
cock yesterday held in s125.000 bail
each the three alleged bandits ar
rested Monday night charged with the
s2.500000 mail truck robbery at Broad
way and Leonard street October "a
last They were locked up in the
Tombs to await action by the Federal
Grand Jury following their identifica-
ton as the holdup men by Frank
Havernack. chauffeur of the truck.
Employees of the American Express
Company, who came here from Niagara
Falls. also picked out one Of the trio
as being member of the band who
rot $4,000 worth Of securities at the
New York Central station there De-
cember 1 last.
Approximately $500, 900 worth of the
loot taken from the mail truck here
has been recovered. About 100000 In
securities has been dug from the
earthen floor Of deserted barn five
miles from Lake Ronkonkoma and
100000 has been found in the lux
uriously appointed apartment occu-
pied by Gerald Chapman, alias Edward
Bryce, said to be the leader of the
gang, at ~ Gramercy Park.
Included in the bonds found In, the
bandits cache on Long Island were
$500 worth taken in the Niagara Falls
robbery. The police and Post Office In
spectors are hopeful Of recovering more
OF the stolen securities although they
said yesterday they had evidence that
100000 worth OF non-negotiable paper
missing from the mail truck had been
burned.
Hxd Elaborate Wardrobes.
All three of the prisoners have long
criminal records and remarkable nerve.
the police say. Chapman had twenty
suits Of clothes In his apartment and
owned $500 .Pierce-Arrow touring
car. George Anderson, also known as
George H. Heines, who had an apart
nent at 20 Gramercy Park. also had an
elaborate wardrobe and a Packard auto
mobile. Charles Lambert, the third Of the
trio, lived at s62 Amsterdam avenue. on
wore chauffeur's livery and waited in
one of the two cars while Chapman and
Anderson-the former with monocle
and both wearing spats and carrying
Walking sticks-held UP establishments
in various parts of town.
The capture of the trio and the re-
covery of portion OF their loot came
about so It was disclosed yesterday.
through the work Of Gordon T. Mac
Carthy. an American Express operative
from Buffalo. assisted by Detective
Sergeants John l.. O'Brien. Edward
Kiley and Fred Stepat of Police Head
quarters. MacCarthy. who served with
the department OF criminal investiga-
tion in the A. e. F. and was attached
to Gen. Pershings headquarters, wormed
his way into the confidence of the gang.
but at the eleventh hour they began
to suspect him. He was host at merry
party of nine at Hunters Point Inn Sun
day night before the arrest was made
Monday. The company included five at
tractive young women. After their ar
rest the three told MacCarthy their sus-
picions had been aroused and that at
one time they had almost decided to
kill him at the inn.
''All / can say is that you're a lucky
guy you ever got back to town." Chap
man said to MacCarthy yesterday just
before his arraignment.
Check Led to Trail.
The trail of the bandits was first
picked up on March 4, last. when Martha
Fuller of 524 West 145th street pre-
sented a 500 American Express travel
lers' check In payment of purchase
made at Altman's. The cashier noted
that the number corresponded with one
OF the checks stolen at Niagara Falls.
Sergeant OBrien. who is attached to
the shop lifting squad, chGnced to be
In the store and Immediately arrested
the Fuller woman, who was taken to
Niagara Falls and later released when
1t was proved that she innocently re-
ceived the check from roomer at her
house.
That was the cIew upon which Mac
'Carthy started to work and the hunt
took him to Philadelphia, Washington,
Rochester, Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago
and other cities. Eventually. the police
say. the check was traced back to LAM
bert, and MacCarthy settled down In
New York to play the game as he felt
IL must be played.
II was not until about month ago
that MacCarthy succeeded In meeting
Chapman. Anderson and Lambert
through mutual underworld acquaint-
ances. At that time Chapman and
Anderson were living at the Hotel
Berkeley, Seventy-fourth street and AM
sterdam avenue. They left there June
Il and moved to the two Gramercy Park
apartments. Chapman accompanied by
a woman said to be his wife.
MacCarthy, who had been introduced
as "stickup man from out West"
was known to the three as Jimmie"
He spent money lavishly In entertain
ments and met various young women
intimates of the trio. There were al
most daily parties at the Claridge. the