Evening star., 1926-03-10
ROBBERY PLANNED
| IN ROOM|NC HOUSE
Oavidoff Identified as One of
Band Who Stayed at
Seventh Street Place.

The rooining house where the VIII
liams robbery, at 1927 Sixteenth street,
last Sunday night, was planned and
details discussed by the six bandits
who robbed Mrs. Norman Williams.
her daughter and friend OF valuable
jewelry in a daring raid was revealed
today as a house on Seventh street
between K and l. streets. Joseph
Davidoff, captured member of the
bandit gang, has been recognized as
one of the roomers who stayed at the
house from noon Saturday, March s,
to shortly after noon the. following
Gay, u few hours before the robbery of
the fashionable Sixteenth street home.
A month ago, according to informa-
tion given The Star today by the
owner of the house. two men, one of
whom answers the description given
OK the gang leader by employees of the
Williams household. engaged rooms at
the Seventh street house, remained
four days and left.
Joined by Four More.
Last Saturday, the same men came
back with four friends, among them
Davidoff. and remained until Sunday
afternoon. The entire group gath
cred in one room at the Seventh
street house Saturday night. talked
in low tones and played cards. An
empty whisky bottle was found in
the room after they left. few
hours after his capture in the rear
of the Martinique Hotel sunday
night. Davidotf was taken by De
tectives to the Seventh street house
and identified as one OF the men
who had roomed there the previous
night. When the rooms were engaged
a tall, pock marked man with halting
speech. showed a revenue badge and
assured the owner any obligation IN
Cured would be met. The men PAID
their bill when they left month
ago and again last Sunday. They
occupied two rooms in the house ana
ate meals there Saturday night and
Sunday morning.
Davidoff broke down under severe
grilling at police headquarters TO-DAY
and gave detectives clues they believed
will lead to an arrest within a re"
days. Police headquarters would not
diyulge the nature of Davldof reFe-
lations, but admitted an arrest was
imminent which would involve the
other principals of the daring plot TO
seize 500 900 worth of jewels in the
Williams home.
Six Men Involved
The information given The Star to
dav places the number of the gang
definitely at six. Police have been pro
ceding on the theory that only three
men were involved in the robbery.
while employees of the Williams home
insist six men took part in the affair.
Detectives today place little Gre
dence in the identification of David
off as one of the gang which held
UP the Ohio Lunchroom. S04 h street,
last Friday, after striking James
Bell, a colored porter over the head.
Bell is at Emergency Hospital suf-
fering from a fractured skull. and is
not in condition to recognize MS
assailant, according to police. He
had previously described the man
who struck him as red-haired, about
feet 9 inches in height and weigh
ing 10 or 1870 pounds. Davidoff. who
gave his name as Joseph Peter Davis
when arrested Sunday night. is about
5 feet inches in height. with dark
hair and weighs about 125 pounds.
Police Watch for Clues.
Inspector Henry G. Pratt. chief Of
detectives, has worked personally on
the case and was at his office today
going over dii It's angles, even tIlOuSh
today was a day off for the detective
chief. Police have relinquished their
surveillance of underworld haunts.
but are still keeping careful watch
of several places where they think
clues may develop. They have prac-
tically discarded the theory that the
robbery was an inside Job" in the
face of the griiling given the maids
at the Williams home and separate
inquiry instituted yesterday by agents
of the Department of Justice. who
uuizzed the servants regarding the
revenue badge which the bandit lead
err flashed when the gang entered the
williams home Sunday night. The
number of the badge is considered
important.
New York police had not replied
today to letters and kilograms from
the Washington police asking the
Of James Mcintyre, a
discharged employe of Mrs. Williams.
Mcintyre. the Washington police
have learned was sentenced to a 15-
year term in Sing Sing for a theft in
New York State. He was discharged
from the Williams employ for alleged
theft of silver.