New-York tribune., 1922-06-25
5th Av. Blocked
Hour lin Police
Burglar Chase
Defective Hit i'm Neck by
Bullet Fired at Fleeing
Thief: Suspect Caught
With His Companion
$4,000 Loot i'm Bundles
Gained Entrance To Loft
Through 30-Inch Hole
Made With Electric Drill

Fifth Avenue was blocked az Thirty
first Street Tor almost an hour early
yesterday evening by a crowd that was
waiting for an elaborate burglar trap
to be sprung. Gordon Of police
stretched through Fifth Avenue from
Thirty-frst to Thirty-second Street.
through both streets TO Broadway and
the length Of the block in Broadway.
Detectives, revolvers in hand, stood
guard in doorways or pcered over the
copings Of buildings shouting TO those
on guard below The crowd became so
large that II was necessary 10 divert all
traffic from Fifth Avenue. Il got its
thrill Pistol shots sounded from roof
tops. a detective was carried away
wounded in a taxicab and two prison
ers. amazed at the public interest in
their private enterprise, were led away
4 handcufed.
John Moriarity, OF the safe and loft
souad. was the detective who was shot.
A bullet fred at one Of the burglars
/ BY Detective Charles Sohauss, Of the
same squad ricocheted and struck him
I in the neck as he crouchcd on ladder
/ Just below the level Of a skylight cop
ing. He is in Bellevue Hospital and
| though his wound is serious, he prob
ably will recover.
Prisoners Previously Arrested
The prisoners are Joseph Morris. OF
/ IS Forsyth Street. and John Behrmann,
Of i63 Chrystie Street, both Of whom
/ have been arrested on similar charges
/ before. according to Acting Captain John
| Stapleton, Of the safe and loft squad.
They are locked up At Headquarters
charged with burglary.
| For a week or more. according 10
| Captain Stapleton. detectives have been
trailing Morris. noting particularly his
/ interest in buildings on the west side
OF Fifth Avenue north Of Thirty-hrst
/ Street, centcring in 306 Fifth Avenue.
Detectives Morrissey, Riley. Schauss
and McCaddin strolled past 300 Fifth
/ Avenue about p. m. yesterday when
/ Morris let himself into the building
with a key. The same quartet was on
watch when Bchrmnnn. who carried
several burlap bags over his shoulder,
was admitted half an hour later.
Other detectives of the safe and loft
squad were summoned. The vigil was
maintained for several hours. Then IL
was decided 10 surround the block and
search the building. Detectives and
patrolmen we're called from the West
| Thirtieth Street police station.
Detectives Foray, Hoffman and Diver
were posted on the roof Of 3os Fifth
Avenue. Schauss, Moriarity. Riley, Nor
rissey and McCaddin entered 3O6 Fifth
Avenue, jimmying the door which Nor
ris had opened with key.
Find Electric Drill
They searched the first three floors
without finding anything 10 arouse
their suspicious. The fourth floor. how
ever. they found Uttered with plaster
bricks and tools. An electric drill,
crowbar and numerous bits were
stTewn about.
A hole about thirty inches in
| diameter had been cut through the
wall 20 304 Fifth Avenue, giving en-
/ trance 10 the loft Of w. A. Mclaughlin,
manufacturer Of mems and womens
clothing. Eight burlap bags stuffed
with silks and other valuable dress
Foods were lying on the floor. The
/ pl4nLtf was WOiAN tbNAN F"'f""Nf tt'N
/ detectives estimated.
or the men they sought the detec-
tives had not caught a glimpse. Su5se-
ouent events indicated that they were
4 prospecting in search o. more loot,
/ blissfullv ignorant Of the vast audi
cnce assembled in Fifth Avenue, the
police lines stretched around the block
| and the detectives prowling through
| the building.
Schauss noticed that a window on
the fourth floor Of 304 Fifth Avenue. a
! fve-story building. was open and
climbed the fire escape outside 20 the
roof while his ompanions went up the
stairs, opened the scuttle and reached
| the roof that way.
Schauss was there ahead OF them
and caught sight Of Morris lodging
behind a skylight The fugitive paid
no heed 10 his command 20 surrender
and Schauss fired a shot over his head.
/ The bullet struck a leader on an ad-
! Joining building Of greater height and
was DETECTED downward.
II came buzzing down the seuttle
! through which three OF the four de-
tectives already had climbed leaving
Moriarty near the top Of the ladder
his head still below the level OF the
coping. Moriarty was the one man OF
ali the detectives on the roof who was
completely sheltered from direct FIRE.
No bullet except one descending al
precisely the angle taken BY Schauss's
| detected missile could strike him.
The ricocheting bullet went through
his neck and lodged in his shoulder.
He did not realize that he was shot
however. until he had clambcred over
the coping Of the scuttle. a fudden NJ
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