The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-07
P(a1(,E: NET
4 men As
BANDITS
Prisoners Said to Have Con-
fessed Many HoId-ups Of
Stores Recently.

Washington storekeepers may
rest easy for a while from fear
of being held up by armed bandits.
In the last few days detectives
have been quietly rounding up
gun-toters who have been terror
izing proprietors Of smaller shops.
One negro arrested admitted, ac-
cording to police, that he has
participated in seven store hold
ups in the last month. He also
admitted, the police say, that he.
did most of the gan play in the
daring raids.
Four in Police Net.
The prisoner is Frank Moten. 1898
Sixth street northwest, The other
negroes arrested in connection with
the recent hold-ups are Edward
french, $40 L street northwest;
George Johnson, 1897 Marion street,
ana John Young, alias Chat" 900
|. street northwest.
AT police headquarters, the detec.,
ives say, each negrosin custody. and
the victims, dramatically enacted the,
scene of each hold-up.
detectives Sweeny, Waldron, Kelly,
Scrivener. Cullinane, Jackson and
Jones were responsible for the round.
up. Two other bandits are being
sought. It is the belief Of Inspector
clifford L. Grant. chief Of detectives,
that they have left town.
When the detectives searched
Moten's house they found two pistols
hidden in the bathroom, a wooden
sock containing a brick, which was
USED as a blackjack, and a quantity
OF "dumdum' bullets.
Some of the Victims.
French, the police saw. watched
on the outside of the stores. while
Moten flashed the pistol and q
third man, who has not been an.
prehended, did the robbing.
The victims and their losses are
listed as Vincent Marine, 1874 Ten.
nessee avenue northeast, $25: Solo
mon Aaronoff, 1889 Benning road.
$40; Samuel Zerkeman, GA Ten.
nessee avenue. 500; John Valltos,
1119 N street northwest, $50; Fred
Zervitas, 1905 Twelfth street north.
west, SIS; e. T. Stacker, 1120 Girard
street, SIS. and Harry H. Block,
2540 p street, $45, q watch and
chain, with locket studded with
diamonds, and a wrist watch that
was snatched from Blocks wife;
Jacob Kleiban, 1914 First street. 1911,
ana Anthony De Nicola. 926 Fifth
street, $50.
In the Valltos hold.up Charles c.
Rupert, Gil K street northwest, was
shot in the arm. Moten admitted to
the detectives that he fired four or
five shots in the store. Rupert
thought the proprietor was about to
close the store for the night, and he
rushed into the place. The bandits
thought he was plain clothes police.
man and opened fire.
Clue From Auto Driver.
The first clue the detectives had
in regard to the bandits was when
Young reported that his automobile
was stolen. He was taken into Gus.
| tody Sunday night and was CUES.
| toned as to his movements the night
OF the hold-up at the establishment
| of Harry N. Block. He said the ban.
dts had engaged him, and after the
| robbery was staged he was COM
PEELED, at the point of pistol, to
take them to Twelfth and N streets
northwest.
would you have shot to kill if
yOu AIdu DccH COuLTOIlIeQ Dy person
with a pistol in any Of these hold.
ups?" Inspector Clifford L. Grant
asked Moten. "Why, certainly"
Moten is alleged to have answered.
In the three northeast holdups,
which were staged the night of
January 80, the bandits had
grotesque appearance, their faces
being painted with vari-colored
hues.
At Marines store, Mrs. Marine
grappled with the man who tried
to rob the cash register and she
was rudely pushed aside. A boy
named Murray who is employed at
the place picked up a pistol which
she had thrown to the floor and
attempted to fire, but the weapon
did not work. Moten admitted that
he fired when he saw the boy point
the pistol at him. The bullet did
not strike any one. although there
were several persons in the store at
the time.