The New York herald., 1922-01-29
BANK BANDITS SHOOT
GUARD, GET $4,000
West HobOken Man Prob
ably MOrtally Wounded
in Gun Battle.
GUARDING MESSENGER
Bullets Halt Flight of Lat
ter, Who Drops Bag
Holding Cash.
HOLD UP GIRL, GET $3.50
Brooklyn Robbers Flee in
Truck. Stopping All Traf-
fic on Bridge.

rOur dutomOOue DanOltS ShOt ana
probably mortally wounded Detective
Lieut.. Charles Harms of the West
Hoboken police shortly after o'clock
yesterday afternoon and escaped with
$4,000, which Harms and Secundo
Gallo, a bank messenger, were taking
from the First National Bank OF
North Hudson to the West Hoboken
post office.
Harms,is in North Hudson Hospital
with shattered right arm and an
other bullet wound through his body
Just below the heart. 1t was said last
night his chances Of recovery We're
slight. He is 27 and lives with his
wife and two babies in 1872 Summit
avenue, West Hoboken. He has a
good record as policeman.
For more than year the National
Bank OF North Hudson, Summit avenue
and Paterson Plank Road, has dis
patched large amounts of money every
Saturday to the post office. The money
yesterday was to have been sent to the
Federal Reserve Bank in New York.
Detective Harms and Gallo set out from
the bank with the money in canvass
bag. They took trolley car to High
Point avenue and Clinton street, a little
more than block from the post office.
Gallo, the messenger. who was un-
armed. carried the bag south on Clinton
street toward the post office, while
Harms walked with him next to the
street. AS they came near Monastery
avenue the detective saw two men
walking toward him.
Suspected Bandits.
Look out for these fellows" he said
to Gallo. ''If they make a move, you
run as fast as you can to the post
office with the bag"
As the two came closer Harms pulled
the glove OF his right hand and reached
for his gun. He pulled his pistol at
about the same time the bandits pulled
theirs. and all three began firing. The
first shot fired by the bandits struck
Harms in the. right elbow, but despite
that he managed to shoot twice. Then
his revolver jammed. He held his USE
less revolver in front Of him and ad-
vanced toward the bandits. One of them
shot him in the body, the bullet enter
ing the right side and coming out lower
in the back.
A thiri bandit then made his appear
ance. He drew n revolver to cover
Harms. who was helpless then, while
the other two ran after Gallo, who was
running with the bag toward the post
office' less than block away. Gallo
had almost crossed the street when
he dropped the bag beside jitney.
One of the men grabbed the bag. He
and the other two jumped into black
touring car which was standing in
Monastery avenue. just east of Clinton
street. They drove east in Mona stery
avenue and block further on were
joined by another man, according to
witnesses. who evidently had been en-
ployed as a lookout.
Several persons who saw the robbery
took the license number of the car.
which. according to the police of New
ark, corresponded to one which was
stolen in that city on January 12.
Harms staggered into the house of
DR.. John j. O'Connor. near by, and COL
lapscd. He was taken to North Hudson
Hospital and operated on last night, but
before the operation he told his version
OF the robbery and shooting to Mayor
William Weller of West HoboSen. Chief
OF Police George Rohrbach and Captain
OF Detectives Angelo Stanton.
Several Saw Shooting.
witnesses who saw either all or part
OF the shooting we're William Letter.
manager Of the Lincoln Theater on the
Hackensack Plank road; William
Baache, a post office clerk, who was
standing In front of the post office
when the firing began: Henry Ebel.
mail messenger. who also was standing
in .frpnt of the post office. and Joseph
Arm, y retired shoe merchant, who looked
out Of the window of his home at 4z4
Clinton street Just as the first three
robbers were getting into the automo-
bile.
Descriptions OF the bandits. 1t was ad-
nitted, probably will prove useless.
About all that could be told Of their
appearance was that one of them was
tall. Snow was beginning to fall, and
that, coupled with the excitement and the
rapidity with which the bandits carried
out the scheme. prevented anybody from
getting a clear description.
Mr.. and Mrs. Julius Magnofio who
live at 4o1 Monastery street. were in the
kitchen OF their home when the firing
began. A bullet broke the kitchen win
Magnofios coat, bounced off and struck
Mrs. Magnetic on the chin.
Police Arrive QutckIy