The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-04-10
BANDITS RAID
VILLAGE BANK
Lock Up Girl and Clerk at Bell
more, L. l., Sieze $4,000
Cash, Then Shoot Visitor.
Abandon Buick and Escape After
Swift ziszag Flight Across Long
Isiand-Patchosue Man Shot
Dead as He Enters.

Brooklyn, N. Y.-Six robbers held
up woman cashier of the First Ma
tional Bank at Bellmore, L. l., stole
$4,000 and shot and killed man who
blocked their path of escape.
They fled in a sedan that roared
mp the village street as the despera-
dos fired shots from the car. They
left several clues, including finger
prints.
The man killed was Ernest Whit
man, bond salesman, employed by
Rutter & Co, No IA Wall street. Five
bullets entered his head and body.
The six men, who received $1,000
each for their desperate work, made
Wihtman's young wife widow and
their two children fatherless. The
Whitmans lived at Patchogue.
The woman cashier, who tried vain
ly to reach a burglar alarm with her
foot, is Miss Mary Umhauer. She
lives at North Bellmore.
Five hours after the holdup, the
car was found abandoned on Maple
avenue, near Hicksville. four miles
north Of Bellmore. Blood-stains on
the rear seat indicated one of the
bandits had been cut by glass from
the rear window as he fired at pur-
suers.
Miss Umhouer was alone In the
up, which took place shortly after
noon In rear room Rudolph Kowalt,
banking room at the time of the hold
clerk. was eating his luncheon when
two of the bandits entered the bank.
Charles S. Vanderhoff, head cashier,
and Miss Ethel Nevins, stenographer
were out for luncheon.
The bandits made no effort to find
the bank vault. In it was $4,000 in
currency and securities.
They also overlooked $4,000 in cur
rency on tray in the cashiers cage
This money was in packages.
The noon hour found the business
streets of Bellmore nearly deserted.
On hearing shots, persons ran out OF
stores and offices. Among these was
Mrs. Ida Michaels, wife of cigar
store manager across the street from
the bank.
Risking the fire Of the escaping
bandits, she called out the number
on the rear license plate to William
Jagy. He jotted it down.
The number of the robbers car was
given as No. 1030617. A car carrying
that license number was stolen from
julius Presses, electrician of No. SOB
Prospect avenue the Bronx.
Presses told detectives, however,
that his car was not Buick, but an
Overland, and if the robbers used a
Buick they must have put the plates
from his car on it.
Sheriff Kelsey and Chief Phillips,
OF the county police, deduced that
Whitman deliberately blocked the
way of the bandits. He was thirty
eight. well proportioned and known
as fearless. The position of his body
Indicated that he had spread his feet
apart in the doorway.
For the few minutes of the bank
raid they held the CEN. Sc of Bell
more in terror. but one man kept
cool enough to call out the numbers
OF their rear license plate while a
woman jotted them down. Two garage
men who ran into the road to get
the numbers were rewarded with
rifle fire Three lads leaned into an
automobile and gave chase until a
rife shot made them desist. Posses
OF officers and citizens scurried over
dozen roads and found clues, but
TO prisoners. The slayers Abandoned
their car late in the afternoon four
miles north of the hold-up scene after
a course Of many miles.
Whitman, a war veteran, belonged
to the American Legion, the Elks and
the Woodmen OF America.
The Nassau County Bankers Assoc
citation met in the Bank of Rockville
Centre to consider proposal by one
of their members that reward of
$4,000 be Offered for capture of the
murderers. Frank T. DeIano, presi-
dent Of the Bank Of Rockville, is presi-
dent of the association.