Evening star., 1934-10-10
HoId-up Gets $3.50 in Two
Raids, but MuddIeS Third
Robbery Attempt.
TWO BEVERAGE STORES
VICTIMIZED BY GUNMEN
Invasion of Restaurant at l AN.
Fails When Gunman Opens
Wrong Register.

Too much success and Scotch
whisky, police say tripped up the
bandit who took 1870 and plenty to
drink in two raids on downtown liquor
stores last night before he tried to hold
up a sea food restaurant thronged
with customers.
The suspect, identified in at least
two Of the rObberies, was picked I'D
in taXicab at Seventh street and
Pennsylvania avenue about m. to-
day by Policemen L. D. Phelps and
n. ID. Thomas, who also booked the
cab driver for investigation.
The former said he was John c.
Greene, 80, of the 1900 block of Park
road, and the hacker identified him
self as Robert c. Simms, 23OO block
of Fourteenth street.
Police late this morning arrested a
third man for questioning in the
Hquor store robberies. He identified
himself as Leon Larsen. 38. of the
400 block of c street. The prisoner
was booked for investigation Victims
OF the robberieS probably Will be asked
TO view Larsen in a lineup TO de-
termine if he can be identified.
First Robbery Expert Job.
The first robbery was accomplished
in an expert manner. Nathan N.
Wallach, owner of the Star houor
store, 5i3 Eleventh street, was forced
to open his cash register by two rob-
bers who entered his store at $50
pm.
The robbers ordered seven CUSTOM
ers, three of them women, to line I'D
at the counter facing the wall. One
stood at the door, while the other sat
on the counter beside the cash regis
ter. stuffing bills into his pockets
While he covered the store with his
gun.
Wallach stepped forward with his
hands high, hoping he would be seen
from the street. The leader bv the
cash register ordered him to lower
them before he got shot While the
roober rif1ed the cash register he kept
shouting to his confederate to guard
the door and get his gun ready to
shoot
The robbers were followed from the
store as they fed. One robber. his
pockets sagging with coins. spilled
some OF them as he ran down Eleventh
street. A customer following at q
safe distance saw a well-dressed
pedestrian in a derby hat SCOOP I'D
several handfulS Of loose change from
the street and take to his heels. The
robbers left behind them in the store
$50 bill which the leader had
dropped in his haste to fill his
pockets
Two hours later a robber pair. be-
lleyed to be the same men. held up
Richard Rosenfeld. manager of the
Cut Rate Liquor Store, at 1903 D
street, and took S120 from the cash
register. The robbers paused here
long enough to grab two bottles of
Scotch whisky.
ODOnnellS restaurant was thronged
with at least $50 customers about l
O'Clock this morning when a robper.
tentatively identified as the same man
who looted the Star liquor store.
I strolled in waving a gun.
Muddled in Conduct.
! He seemed muddled and instead of
turning to the cashier, went behind
the oyster bar and opened a cash reg
lister which issues food checks and
contained no money. Meanwhile the
night manager. Robert Mclaughlin.
was counting several hundred collars
OF the days receipts with the cashier.
Mclaughlin ran out a side door
looking for police. The customers be-
I gan to rise from tables in the rear
rooms to see what was going on. The
robber behind the oyster bar waved a
gun in one hand and a big SGocn in
the other, swearing at the customers.
He then sauntered out by the
CASHIERS cage, where 5000 lay almost
within reach. The man, reaching the
door, fled empty handed. He was seen
to enter a taXicab parked near Twelfth
/ and E streets, which drove of at a
| rapid rate.
After the pair was arrested. Wal
ZACH went to No. | precinct and
identified Greene as the robber who
emptled his cash register. Greene
also was tentatively identified by Nc
Laughlin.
Held for Investigation.
Police today were holding the pair
for investigation, while they uues-
toned Greene in connection with
other recent hold-ups here.
Police said they took a large
amount of change and pistol from
Greene when they arrested him.
In another hold-up early TODAY.
Handy Noon was forced to hand
over bag containing between s4 and
| $5 by bandit who walked into his
store in the 800 block of Twenty
first street and struck Handy with
his fist. The robber was accompanied
| by another man, who stood watch out
side during the hold-up.
Attracted by crashing glass at about
am. today, Policeman R. A Cham
bliss of No. l precinct arrested
Thomas Newly, 80. colored, and re-
| covered from him IA watches, valued
at S639.50, which were said to have
been taken from the show window of
Selinger'S jewelry store at 818 F street
which had been smashed with brick.
Policeman Chambliss caught Newly
after a chase on foot.
Police aid was asked in finding two
coats, valued at S434, reported taken
recently from the store of Frank R.
Jelleff, Inc