The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-05-01
NAN HIT IN
R|GHT-OF- WAY
ARGUMENT
Sammie April Loses Faith in
Lucky Moon After Clash
in Street.

The fourth month used to be
Sammie April's lucky moon-but
he ceased to place faith in It last
night.
The young chap who just one
year ago foiled a bandit attempt
ing to rob the Merchants Bank,
where April is employed as a
teller, came out bad second last
night in a traffic alteration in
which q monkey-wrench was not
welded in vain by his adversary.
In Collision With Car.
AS an attestation of this April
today bears a nasty cash in his
head, and will have to meet a garage
bill for repairs on his car. His
machine collided with another while
April was driving dazed after being
struck with the wrench.
For the first time since he was
employed by the Merchants Bank
April is laying off. Meanwhile the
police are searching diligently Tor
a youthful motorcycle rider, said to
have struck April, and a girl who
was riding pillion" on the thing
when the scrap took place.
April was driving his machine
with Charles A. Crump, friend,
Of Ballston, Va at about O'Clock
In the evening. At Eighteenth
street and Massachusetts, avenue,
he declared at his home. 1903 Nine
"a q
right -of-way dispute with the cyclist.
Words ensued, and when the rider
employed Fighting term" April
got out of his car to demonstrate
with something stronger than oral
efforts.
Then the wrench was whipped
out, he says, and he was struck.
April. while not looking for
trouble, never was known to run
from it. Last night, he says, he
went on his way after being hit,
because ''he didn't want a row on
the street"
Discovers He Lost Watch.
April drove first to Emergency
Hospital, he continued. but dis
covered at the entrance that his
watch had dropped from his pocket.
Thereupon, he recovered his route,
but was so dizzy from shock. that
he failed to avoid a machine being
driven at Connecticut avneue ana
M street by Miss Annie Ruter, zOl
r street northwest, according 70
the police.
IN either vehicle. April then went
to the office of DIR. ]. Ernest
Mitchell. 1923 K street, and it was
necessary to take several stitches
in his head wound. The crash
ended the search for the time
piece.
The worst thing about this part
of the episode is that the watch
was presented to April by Peter
"A Drury, president of the Mer-
chants Bank, for the young teller $
bravery in capturing the bandit.
Meanwhile, the police have broad
casted the following message:
Look otat for a white man, TWEEN
tv.three, blue sweater, light khaki
pants, leather leggins. with a girl
on rear seat of Indian motorcycle.
Girl wearing white sweater. Want
red for assault by No. 3 d. G. 2SS
on cycle"
CAPTURED Bank Thief.
The Merchants Bank and Trust
Company had just moved to Its
present location in the Southern
building on April 8, 1922. April,
who was occupying the receiving
teller's receiving cage while the lat
ter Iunched, detected a man in the
act of snatching $4,000 lying on the
counter. Snatching a revolver, he
pursued the theft to the straet, fir
ing several shots. There was great
commotion, both street and bank
being crowded. Arril held his man
until Policeman w. A. Schotter took
charge.
The robber first gave his name
as Edward H. Royton, but was
later identified from fingerprints
as Charles r. Merriam, alias Lee
Merriam. Besides being responsible
for several "jobs' in other cities,
according to the police, he was a
dope fiend.
Merriam was given a stiff sent
ence in the District courts, but q
few months ago was paroled into
the custody of his sister, to go to
the Northwest and start life anew.
On April 10, following the foiled