Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-05
ACetyIene Torch Is Used in
Futile Attempt to Rob
Sears-Roebuck.
ROBBERS MAKE ESCAPE
BEFORE PORTERS ARRIVE
Preliminary Check Discloses Moth
ing Missing From Office or
From Merchandise Stock.

&AAOSA d1lQ CIl1OTO1OTu1lIlR
two night watchmen, whom they trussed
together with adhesive tape, four yegg-
men labored with an acetylene torch for
almost two hours early today in futile
effort to cut their way into heavy safe
at the Sears, Roebuck Co.'S store at Gil
road northeast. The safe
was understood to have contained sew
eral thousands dollars in cash and
large amount of jewelry.
The robbers had learned from the
night watchmen that a crew Of colored
porters were expected in about $3.50
o'clock, and abandoned their effort a
few minutes before one of the watch
men, Raymond Mansfield, of 915 Third
street, managed to free himself and
sever the tape which bound the wrists
of his companion, Joseph l.. Waters Of
1415 G street southeast.
Neither of the middle-aged watch
men was seriously injured, although
both received rough treatment at the
hands of the yeggmen and were in a
weakened condition today from the
effects of chloroform administered
through handkerchief blindfolds.
Wore Stocking Masks.
All four of the robbers wore cotton
stockings over their heads for masks
and were gloved while one OF them,
presumably the operator OF the acety-
lene torch, had on goggles, the watch
man reported.
Abandoning two large tanks of acety-
lene gas and their torch, the robbers
made their escape through rear door
after the cement lining of the strong
box had baked their attempt to cut
through.
A preliminary check-up at the store
today failed to disclose anything miss
ing, either from the Offices or from the
stock of merchandise.
At / o'clock Mansfield, who was max
ing his rounds, stopped to punch his
clock at the box in the basement boiler
room. He had just done this and
turned, when three men appeared sud-
denly on either hand with drawn guns.
stick EN- up and keep quiet; stick
EN- up and keep quiet" the spokesman
said, land you won't get hurt!"
After one glance at the masked men,
Mansfield complied One man went be-
hind him, roughly jerked his arms
down and taped his wrists together,
while a confederate took the watch
mans gun ana Keys.
Threaten MansfieId's Life.
Then they propped Mansfield against
the boiler room wall and demanded to
know when his relief was expected.
The robbers, threatening Mansfeld's
life, learned that the relief Waterman
was expected about lis O'Clock.
While one Of the thugs remained
with Mansfield the two other went to
the south entrance of the store and let
a fourth into the vestibule with Mans
fields keys.
BY listening as best he could, Mars
field learned that the three were watt
ing in the veStibule for Waters, who
appeared outside moment later.
AS Waters came up, he told police,
the door opened suddenly from inside
and the men emerged with drawn guns.
Waters. taken unawares, made no re-
sistance and was led into the boiler
room.
There the four men questioned the
watchmen as to when the next em-
ployes could be expected and after OBJ
tanning this information led their cap
tiveS to the furniture department, on
the second floor; made them lie fat on
some rugs and bound their wrists and
ankles together with tape and rope.
Both watchmen were blindfolded with
handkerchiefs, which were taped to
their foreheads. whereupon one robber
tapped at the noses and mouths of the
captlves with rag saturated In choloro-
form.
Either from haste or inexperience,
the thugs failed to render either watch
man unconscious, although both were
strongly affected and in daze for sew
eral hours.
Watchmen Notify Police.
Shortly after o'clock Mansfield, still
in a Semi-stupor from the chloroform,
managed to twist the fingers of his right
hand free of the tape and produce his
knife from pants pocket. He cut his
bonds and those of his companion, and
they telephoned police.
Neither man could say how the rob-
bers came to the plant or how they
made their escape after leaving the
building. Police believe, however, they
came in large touring car or a truck,
since the acetylene torch and tanks
were cumbersome and weighed several
hundred pounds.
The robbers inforrsed their captiveS
they had been working on this job
for several months" and that the store
had been under surveillance most Of
that time.
Police later learned that the acety-
lene torch and two BOTTLES" of gas
had been stolen some time last night
from the welding shop of Worm u.
Gatewood, at 477k G street southwest.
Gatewood identified the equipment at
No. precinct this morning.
The shop had been entered by some
one who broke the lock on rear
door, No one in the neighborhood
has been aroused by the robbery, police
Of No. precinct leaSned.
Entered Through Grating.
The three robbers who accosted
Mansfield got into the store by break
ing the lock on grating over the
boiler room window in the rear Of the
building. They left by a freight en-
trance in the rear, using the watch.
mans keys to let themselves out.
Police today located one mask left
by the intruders, made of cheap cot
ton stocking. Waters gun later was
found on the floor of the cashiers of
fee, on the second floor, near the safe.
Mansfield and Waters were able to
describe only two Of the men. All four,
they agreed, were white men.
One was about feet 10 inches tall,
weighed some ITO pounds and wore a
brown suit and greasy gray cap over his
mask. He was wearing the goggles.
The second was of slightly smaller
stature and build He wore gray
o pronounced racial accent.
One of the four was called pete" and
apparently was the leader Of the band.