Evening star., 1926-03-09
ALLEGED ROBBER
REVEALS HIS NAME
Man Arrested Sunday Says
He Is From New York.
Silent on Others.

While a police dragnet was still
spread over the city and detectives
secured the underworld haunts for
trace of the bandit gang which en-
liams. 1927 Sixteenth street Sunday
night and robbed Mrs. Williams, her
daughter and a companion of jewelry
valued at more than $2,6o0. the single
member of the gang captured con-
fessed his real name today and ap-
peared ready to break down and con-
fess the names of his companions in
one of the holdest rohheries ever per-
petrated in Washington.
MeanwhiA the detective bureau
was awaiting word from the New
York police as to the whereabouts Of
James Mcintyre. an emp!oye Of Mrs
Williams. who was discharged in
1871 for stealing silver. Mcintyre.
according to inspector Henry G..
Pratt. chief of detectives. was SEN
fenced to Sing Sing prison for Is
years in 1918 for attempted robbery.
His term would expire in 1928 unless
he has been paroled for good be-
havior.
Says He Is 90.
The bandit arrested in the Mar
Unique Hotel Sunday night by police
of the third precinct, gave his real
name today as Joseph DavidOff. and
said he was born on the East Side
of New York % years ago OF
Russian father and an Italian mother.
lie insisted he was the dupe of the
other members of the gang and had
met them but five days ago in a
down town restaurant. The detec-
tive bureau believes the Bill and
Jim" mentioned as two of the other
gangsters. are local underworld char
acters and were tipped off to the
presence of jewels in the Williams
home either by Davidoff or by one
of the employees of Mrs. Williams.
Davidoff gave the name of Joseph
Peter Davis when captured.
Detectives brought Davidoff to
Emergency Hospital today, where
Frank Bell. colored employe of the
Ohio Lunchroom, S04 X street. is suf-
fering from a fracture of the skull.
after being beaten by bandits who
robbed the restaurant of $50 last Fri
day. Bell, according to the detectives,
identified Davidoff as one of the men
who beat him.
this angle, they announced that they
were not placing too much credence
in the identification because of the
condition Of Bell.
r. ''Inside job" Suspected.
The seven maids who were bound
to chairs by the bandits when they
fla shed a fake revenue badge and
entered the Williams home Sunday
night, were put through a grilling
by detectives yesterday. Detectives
assigned to the case said they were
satisfied the robbery was ATTEMPTED
on an 'inside tip" but could not un.
cover anything on which to base an
arrest.
Mrs. Williams. 1t developed today.
saved valuable ruby ring from the
bandits by her presence of mind. AS
the bandits entered her. room with
drawn revolvers. she pulled the valu.
able jewel from her finger and
''palmed" it, keeping 1t hidden all
through her struggle with the two
robbers and even while attempts were
made to gag her with bedclothes. Dur.
ing the struggle another valua BILE
ring, set with diamonds and emeralds
was torn from her finger.
Davidoff was taken by detectives to.
day on a tour of the underworld
haunts o& the city and to the house at
- 4" 00kh SeiCCI. WHcIc he na0
roomed for several days. During the
trip he talked freely about everything
but his companions in the robbery.
waxing voluble at times, but did not
confess anything of real value to give
detectives any new leads. Davidoff,
although he claimed to live on Second
avenue and was born on the East Side
Of New York. disclaimed any knowl.
edge of New York gangsters, particu-
larly the gopher gang" and the gang
led by Sid Terris, sometimes called
the Terror of the East Side" He an.
peared to have scant knowledge Of
New York, lack of knowledge that
led detectives to believe he came from
another city.
He will be put through another se.
we're grilling at police headquarters
today. and detectives believe he will
break down. discard the elaborate
fabrication he has built up and reveal
the truth about his companions and
the events leading up to the robbery.
Miss Helen Drake. companion to
Mrs. Williams, said today the robbers
showed a knowledge of the interior