Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-24
PAIR HELD IN STORE
HOLD-UP CONFESS
PAY ROLL ROBBERY
Police Say Men Taken for
Crime Yesterday Admit
Natalie Shop Theft.
THIRD CASE is FASTENED
TO ONE WHO DENIES 1T
Sharp-Eyed Policeman Responsible
for Quick Arrest of Trio
as Grocery Bandits.

Two of the young men arrested yes
terday for The hold-up of a grocery
store at 300 Fifteenth street southeast
are said by police to have confessed, this
afternoon, and implicated third man
in the pay roll hold-up of the Natalie
Co. store at 1908 Fourteenth street
September Z, when an armed bandit
robbed in broad daylight a messenger
of $2,4O0. One of the three later was
identified as taking part in third
hold-up.
The men who reputedly have con-
fessed are William Darlington Caldwell,
%, of Cottage City, Md. and Keith
Watkins, 27, of the $500 block OF Park
road. They say that Maurice G..
Colquitt, 30. of the 800 block of Seventh
street northeast, arrested with them in
the robbery yesterday, was the third
man of the gang which planned the
Natalie hold-up. Colquitt denies II.
Watkins Is Accused in Third Case.
Watkins was identified this afternoon
as the robber in another daylight hold
up near the scene of his activities
Yesterday. which occurred October II.
Carl Hayden, 4815 Fifth street, man
ager of a Sanitary grocery store at 81
Fifteenth street southeast, confronted
the man at the station house, and then
told police that he was the same per-
son who entered his store about 5:40
o'clock in the late afternoon, with
drawn gun, and robbed him OF $50.
Accompanied by B. Gunner, manager
of the William j. Burns Detective
Agency here. Headquarters Detectives
Dennis Cullinane, Lawrence O'Dea ana
j. E. Kane went to the fifth precinct,
where the three men are being heId,
and grilled them for two hours.
Caldwell Is Quoted.
Police say Caldwell and Watkins
made a clean breast of the pay roll
robbery. Caldwell is quoted as admit
ting waiting m the lobby of the build
ing where the Natalie Shop is located
and thrusting a gun into the ribs OIL
Kenneth Frisbie of $500 Wisconsin ave-
nue., assistant manager OF the store,
when he walked into the building pear
ing the pay roll. Caldwell said ne then
ran outside, hailed taxi and went 70
an address in the 400 blocK OF SiA'ii
street. where the money was diVlded.
watkins confessed, the officers say: 10
being the one who planned the 1oo.
Two years ago he was employed by the
Natalie shop as a multigraph operator
and was familiar with the routine there.
He is said to have told the detectives
that the trio in a car driven by ColqultI
went to the place and that ne pointed
out Frisbie to Caldwell. He SAID Calo,
well went into the lobby and he ana
Colquitt drove away.
The two men told the officers that
after the division of the money Cald-
well and Colouitt went to Baltimore III
a taxi. From there they are said TO
have gone by train to Phlladelpnla,
where Colquitt purchased the automo-
bile in which they were arrested yes
terday. Caldwell said that Colqultt
Maid $3.50 for it, his share OF the pro-
cecds of the Natalie robbery. Colqultt
denied this, declaring that he borrowed
the money for the purchase OF the car
from Caldwell.
Charges Same Gun Used.
watkins said that he used his share
tn take his girl to Atlantic City. Cald-
we'll did not say what he did with his
money.
According to Cullinane, the gun used
in the hold up yesterday and found IN
the automobile was the one used IN
the Natalie hold up.
The men were arrested late yes
terday through the alertness Of Police
man ]. L. Rinker, assigned to trathc
duty at Fourteenth street and PennSyl-
vania avenue, who recognized them
from a lookout" as they drove past
in an automobile.
All were charged with robbery short
~ before midnight, following an
investigation into their activities by
precinct detectives. A young woman
with them when they were arrested,
was released after being held for several
hours in the House OF Detention.
Cigarette Case Pistol Found.
According to Rinker, .38-caliber re-
volver was found in their automoolle
in addition to cigarette case SNAPPED
like an automatic pistol.
The hold-up was committed In inc
store of Henry Geller. The grocer and
his wife Mrs. Rose Geller. were in the
store with Harry Parren, customer.
when two young men entered and or
dered soft drinks.
AS they were drinking the beverage.
the third young man walked in, drew a
revolver and ordered the grocer and his
wife and Parren to throw up their
hands. Geller told police that the man
with the gun broke it and exhibited the
loaded cylinder to prove that he was In
earnest.
Take $40 From Store.
While the man with the gun covered
the three persons in the store, his two
companions took $50 from Geller's
pockets and $40 from the cash register.
The three backed out of the place, then
turned and fled to a yellow roadster
waiting at the curb. Parren ran to the
door and noted the license number of
the machine as it sped away.
This number with descriptions of the
automobile and men, was broadcast
through the city, and was the means BY
which the three were recognized by
Rinker.
Several months ago Rinker's atten-
ton to duty resulted in the capture I'M
der similar circumstances of six men
who were found to be escaped convicts
from a prison camp in Georgia.