The New York herald., 1922-01-04
Persons Buying Groceries,
Including Two Women,
Lined Up With Guns.
MAN Is ON GUARD AT DOOR
Robbers Escape Afoot, Block
From Police Station, as
Fifth Ave. Crowds Pass.

Four men armed with automatic
pistols held up twelve men and
women in the grocery store of Thomas
Roulston & Co., 525 Fifth avenue,
Brooklyn, yesterday and escaped with
more than $4,000 in cash and several
watches and other jewelry, although
the store is within a block Of the
Seventy-eighth precinct police station
and patrolman was on post not more
than fifty feet away. The policeman,
until two or three minutes after the
bandits had left the place, when the
customers and the employees ran from
the store shouting that they had been
robbed.
Detectives who Immediately began
an investigation believe that the four
bandits had been following William
Simmons, collector for the Roulston
company, which operates chain Of
grocery stores throughout Brooklyn.
Simmons had spent most of the morn
ing visiting the Roulston stores col
lecting the receipts.
The money was handed to him by
the managers in envelopes, which he
placed in his pocket. Simmons was
armed and has been in the employ of
the company for several years.
Had $1,000 to $4,000 with Him.
When he reached the Fifth avenue
store Simmons carried about fifteen or
sixteen envelopes, in which was be-
tween $1,000 and $4,000 in cash. He
went into the store when zen customers,
including two women, were In the place,
besides the manager. Thomas Morgan.
Immediately behind Simmons came four
men. Nothing unusual was noticed in
their appearance. and no attention was
paid to them.
The collector greeted Morgan, with
whom he went to the rear of the store
and behind the counter. TO add Morgan's s
envelope to the others he was taking
to the head offices of the company. One
of the four men who had come In behind
the collector stayed near the door, while
the three others followed Simmons. Both
Simmons and Morgan noticed this, and
behind the counter the two Roulston en-
ployees turned and asked him what he
wanted. In answer the man drew a
pistol and showed the muzzle against
Simmonss stomach. while another
pointed a-pistol at Morgan.
Not a word" one of them COM
manded. mot word or well kill YOU"
The man near the door drew n re-
volver and covered the crowd, while the
fourth man went behind the counter
and searched Simmons. taking from
him the envelopes containing the money.
He then took from the cash register the
envelope that Morgan had been about
to hand to Simmons. and after that he
dumped all the envelopes into n big
paper bag and tied It with a string.
While this was going on the man near
the door had driven the ten customers
against counter and held them there,
threatening to kill the first one that
moved. Simmons and Morgan were
forced to join the crowd. and then the
bandits took money. watches and jew
elry from pockets and handbags. Little
noise was made and the bandits had
pushed their victims around the store
in such a manner that what they were
doing was not visible from the street.
Bandits Disappear I'm Crowd.
After they had robbed every one In
the store the robbers backed to the
door. stepped into the street and van
ished. II was only an instant before
Morgan and Simmons went through the
door, but they could find no trace of
the thieves. They had vanished in the
throng OF shoppers that Is always in
Fifth avenue about IL o'clock In the
morning.
Simmons and Morgan gave the police
good descriptions Of the bandits. who
were young and well dressed and wore
no masks Simmons went Ia Police
Headquarters last night to see II he
could identity them among the pictures
in che Rogues Gallery.