Evening star., 1932-11-23
ROBBERS CRASH
THROUGH DOOR IN
FLEEING BIC KNIFE
Ninth Street Storekeeper
SIashes Two of C0Iored
Trio Armed With Gun.
POLICE SEIZE SUSPECT;
ARM NEARLY SEVERED
Seventeen Robberies or Attempted
Robberies in "a Hours-Serv-
ice Station Held Up.

Three colored bandits who attempted
to hold up a store at 1856 Ninth street
last night, became SO terror-stricken
that they dived through a glass
door when the proprietor, instead of
handing over the contents OF his cash
register, attacked them with butcher
knife, wounding two of them.
One of the trio, his arm almost am
putated, was arrested when he ap-
piled for treatment at Freedmen's Hos
pital shortly after the attempted hold
up, which was one of II robberies and
robbery attempts during the last "a
hours. The loot obtained in the series
of hold-ups and burglarieS totaled ap-
proMmately $4,000 in cash, jewelry and
clothing
The Pasternak woman's clothing store,
1919 Connecticut avenue, was the scene
of one of the burglaries, the robbers
having been frightened away by a
burglar alarm after they had piled
about dozen expensive dresses In an
alley in the rear. A check-up by Alfred
Pasternak, proprietor, disclosed few
dresses were missing.
Encountered When Alone.
The Ninth street storekeeper, Gelice
D. Caprino, was alone when the colored
men walked in and demanded his
money Despite the fact one of them
had him covered with revoler, Ca
primo seized his butcher knife and
rushed them.
The ensuing battle was short as it
was furious. The bandit with the gun
struck Caprino on the head with the
butt of the weapon, but the blow failed
to stop his knife-swinging
Cut and bleeding, two of the men
suddenly turned and fled, and their
companion decided to do likewise
Reaching the door, the men, apparently
so frightened they could not find the
handle, found it impossible to get away
without leaping headforemost through
the glass panel.
A short time later a man answering
the description of one of the bandits
was taken to Freedmen's,s where it was
found one of his arms had been nearly
severed Identifying himself as William
Hill, he was placed under police guard.
and detectives said they would question
him extensively as soon as his condi-
ton improved sufficiently. He was said
to have admitted participation in the
hold-up try.
Iervice Store Robbery.
Csarles E. Newly, 81, night manager
Of the Firestone Service Store. Thir-
teenth and K streets, was robbed OF
s2o5 early today BY a bandit who de-
clared he was staging the hold-up only
because his wife and child had not
eaten for three days.
The bandit walked into the filling
station few minutes after telephonlng
regarding a tire repair job, Newby said.
After discussing the work for lew
minutes, the man suddenly drew re-
volver and ordered Newby to hand over
the contents Of the two cash registers.
Newby pretended he did not have the
keys to the registers, and the hold-up
man forced him to pry open one OF
them with an iron bar. Newby un-
locked the other register.
Forcing Newly into the cellar, and
warning him to stay there for half an
hour. the bandit fed. Soon as the BAN
dit left. however, Newly telephoned po-
Lice
Eleanor D'Alfonso, 1850 Newton street,
was robbed of S14 last night by man
who threatened her while she was walk
ing in an alley in rear of the $500 block
of Fourteenth street.
Anthony Jones, 1910 Blagden alley,
while In the 400 block Of N street was
robbed Of SIS by a man armed with
knife.
Raymond w. Thompson, 1922 Nine
teenth street, manager Of filling sta
ton at New York and New Jersey ave-
nues, was held up by two armed bandits
and robbed of $40.
$1,000 Coat Is Taken.
The housebreakings included theft OF
a $1,000 fur coat from a store in the
1900 block of Connecticut avenue: $685.
worth of jewelry and clothing, reported
taken from the home of Charles 2
Simmons, 3701 Legation street: theft CT
$3.50 In cash from the home of Charles
Some, 350l Rittenhouse street; SOC
worth of jewelry taken from the apart
rnent of Mrs. Paul C. Smith, 1900 block
Of Thirtieth street; $l60 worth OF steam
filters tools, taken from the 1900 block
of @ street, and $40 taken from an
apartment of Jane Parks, 2440 Six
teenth street. In addition there was
reported stolen wearing apparel valued
al S180. from the parked automobile
of Nathaniel e. Abrashkin, stopping ir
the 900 block of G street; SIPS worth
of sample shoes taken from the parked
automobile of Harry N. Pumpain Of
Baltimore, and S179 worth OF clothing
samples taken from the automobile Of
Mayer Lerner of the 800 block Of Oti:
place.
Loot running into various values, ir
most cases ranging under $50, was re-
ported in the other housebreakings.