The New York herald., 1922-01-09
Polite Gunman Apologies
to Girl i'm Motor for An
nOying Her.
FOLLOWS QUEENS THEFT
Sing Sing Graduate Suspected
of Giving Watch and SO to
Pay for His Flight.

Joseph Wight, sales manager OF the
Nj. Morgenthau Company. 206 Broad
way, end Miss Frederica de Wolfe of
Jamaica were driving yesterday after
noon in Wight's automobile at the
Long Island City entrance to the
greensboro Bridge when man with
revolver in his hand stepped on the
running board and demanded to be
taken to Manhattan.
Drive like hell across the bridge
he cried. The cops are after me.
I've just been in q craps game
He opened the door of the car, which
is a sedan, and stepped inside. Wight
turned to argue with, him, and the
man showed the muzzIe Of his gun
against Wight's back.
Go ahead !" he shouted. 1--WE not got
time TO argue with you!'
Wight stepped on his accelerator and
the car shot ahead. while the bandit
turned to Miss De Wolfe, raised his hat
and apologized for his roughness and
for the language he had used. Two
policemen, Patrolman Michael McCaf-
frey Of Traffic A, and Patrolman John
Mcnamara of Traffic ID saw the man
Jump into Wights car, and they set
out in pursuit in the next car that came
along. touring car containing man
and two women.
Hot Pursuit. Across Bridge.
With the muzzle of the bandits re-
volver prodding him IN the back Wight
drove his car across the bridge faster
than he had ever driven before. while
the policemen managed to keep within
a hundred yards OF the fugitfvcs. The
other automobilists on tho bridge made
way for Wight's car as 1t plunged for
ward with horn blowing and the ex-
haust wide open. and several Joined in
the chase when they saw the other car
in pursuit, with the two policemen stand
ing on the running board. McNamara
and McCaffrey blew their whistles as
Wight's car neared the Manhattan end
of the bridge, and Patrolman Maher.
on duty there, Immediately stopped all
traffic.
But Wight feared the bandits re-
volver more than he did the traffic
policeman. and he did not dare obey
Maher's signal to stop. Maher tried to
leap onto the running board. but missed
and fell into the roadway. dragging
himself to safety Just as the car in pur-
suit went by. Wight said afterward
that he did not recall all OF the streets
that he went through, but he finally
reached Broadway and Ninety-fifth
street, and there the bandit told him TO
turn south. which he did.
Az Sixtieth street fhe handit dircnt ed
Wight TO turn cast and at Madison
avenue the car went south. IL was there
that tho bandit began shooting. The
car with the policemen on the running
board was not more rhan two hundred
feet away then and tho bandit turned
away from Wight. leaned from the
door of the automobile and fired half a
dozen shots at the pursuers. The poli,e-
men returned the fire, but neither they
nor the bandit did any damage TO any
one or TO either of the cars. But the
man driving the policemen's car appar-
emily afraid that the woman I'm his car
would be struck by the bandits bullets
slowed down and Wight's car slowly
drew ahead.
Wight drove az fast as his car would
go to Third avenue and Forty-seventh
street. There the bandit told him to
stop. Then the man got out of the car.
drew a roll OF bills from his pocket.
peeled off a ten dollar note and threw
that and a gold watch into the sedan
with the remark:
~ guess thatli pay your gasoline
BILL"
Apologies for Intrusion.
He apologizcd again to Miss De Wolfe
for the fear and annoyance he had
caused her and said 70 Wight:
I'm sorry l had to do this. but II
was the only chance had. hope
sec you again sometime. and maybe l
will In the Tombs. My name is Reilly"
The bandit turned to go. but he
stopped long enough TO fire two more
shots at the other automobile. which
was just turning into Third avenue from
Fiftieth street. Patrolnen Mcnamara
and McCaffrey returned tho fire. and
their driver put on speed. but by The
time they reached tho sedan the bandit
had vanished down Forty-Eeventh street
Wight told the police that tho bandit
was about five feet aud six inches tall.
weighed about i50 pounds. and wore
soft hat and dark brown overcoat.
The police believe he was Terence
Reilly. a famous holdup man OF the up
per East Side who was released recently
from Sing Sing after serving ten
yaar AQnt.pro rAr 49,