The New York herald., 1922-02-26
ADMITS ROBBING
GIRL OF PAYROLL
ROsenthal Beat Ida Kurtzman
in Hallway of Printing
Plant.
TWO OTHERS ARRESTED
Needed Money to Get Married
He Says: Most of 81, ,061
Recovered.

Louis Rosenthal. printers appren-
tice, emp;oyed by the Court Press, on
the second floor of AZ West street. left
his work Friday afternoon and went
to the hallway There. it is alleged,
after extinguishing a light. SO as to
protect himself against recognition, he
met Miss Ida Kurtzman, the bookkeep
er as she was returning from tne bank
and robbed her of the company's pay
roll money amounting to ST. ,061.
Rosenthal made a confession last
night. according TO the police of the
Old Slip station, who arrested him on
charges of assault and robbery. The
police also recovered most of the money
James De Rosa and Jack Stillman. also
employed as helpers in the print shop
were arrested on charges of acting in
concert in the holdup, after Rosenthai
told of their having been implicated in
the plot.
Miss kurtzman was sent to the Chat
ham q PheniX Bank at 149 Broadway
to draw the money to meet the weekly
payroll of the printing concern. accom-
PAM ed by Stillman. who was designated
to act as guard. She was carrying it
in manila envelope under her arm
as she approached the office of the
who was unarmed. Just as she reached
the top of the stair man. whose fea-
lures were not clearly outlined because
of the darkness of the hallway, pointed
revolver at her head and demanded
that she hand over the envelope.
Miss Kurtz refused to do so and at
tempted to dodge past the bandit. who
then kicked her in the stomach and
felled her with a blow of the fist. The
st.xra al 1n,,
she was too weak to offer further re-
sistance. Stillman. the police were told,
stepped forward to defend the book
keeper, but he too. was knocked down.
The bandit ran to the third floor.
climbed through rear window and de-
scended fire escape structure
A few minutes later Rosenthal, ac-
cording to the police, walked into the
print shop and resumed his work. He
appeared TO be surprised when fellow
employees told him there had been a
holdup.
The robbery was reported to the po-
lice Friday, but it was not until yes
terday that they arrived at the theory
that it was an inside job" Rosen-
thai. upon being questioned, confessed,
the police say, that he had plotted the
holdup week ago, being familiar with
the handling of the payroll money, and
that he had taken Stillman into his con-
fidence. The latter's move in defense Of
Miss KurtZman was a sham, he said
Friday night. according to the alleged
confession, Rosenthal said he met De
Rosa in Brooklyn, told him that he
had held up the bookkeeper, and gave
him $40 ito keep his mouth shut"
Both Stillman and De Rosa deny the
accusations Of Rosenthal.
Rosenthal said he needed the money
to finance his coming marriage to a
young woman whose sister Is the wife
of a broker. The brokers' wife, he said,
has a beautiful home. and automobiles,
and jewelry. and her sisters insistence
that the same standard OF living be pro-
vided for her led him to rob his en-
ployer, he declared. He spent 500 of
the money. The police. upon his direc-
tion. went to his home at 1893 Stockton
street. Brooklyn, and found the re-
mainder hidden in shoe