Evening star., 1938-08-26
BANDITS GET $500,
SLUG BARTENDER
Owner of Southeast Cafe
Fires at Fleeing Pair, but
Shots Go Wild.

Two bandits, one brandishing a re-
volver, held up Rowe's Sea Food
Restaurant at 9l3 Eleventh street Sc.
early today and escaped with more
than $500 after knocking bartender
unconscious.
Milton Rowe, the proprietor, fired
at the hold-up men with a .32-caliber
revolver as they fled through an alley
at the rear of the restaurant to an
automobile parked on nearby K street.
The bartender, William Rowe,
brother of the manager, remained un-
conscious for more than five minutes
after he was struck on the head with
either the butt of a gun or a black
jack when he walked from a rear
room of the restaurant while the hold
up was in progress.
With one of the bandits prodding
him with the point of a pistol, the
proprietor backed to a corner behind
the bar where his assailant took S4OO
in bills from his pocket and then
rif1ed the cash register of more than
$145.
Bartender Slugged.
The other hold-up man, waiting at
the opposite end of the bar, slugged
William Rowe as he came from an
adjoining room. The Rowes We're pre-
pairing to close the restaurant and no
customers were present at the time.
However, more than dozen persons
who had just left the establishment
were standing in the street outside,
unmindful the robbery was in progress.
Two mattresses had gone upstairs
to change their Clothes but rushed
back to the bar when they heard the
commotlon. They saw the bandits
fleeing through the back door.
The proprietor leaped over the un-
conscious form of his brother and
hred two quick shots at the pair as
they ran through the alley.
Il pulled the trigger five times" he
said, but only two shells went off"
Both of the bullets went wild. One
OF the men shot back at him, he said.
Helps Revive Victim.
Another employe, William Carroll,
Who lives on the floor over the res
taurant, came down when he heard
the shots and helped revive the un-
conscious bartender The latter
though receiving a severe blow over
his right eye, did not require hospital
treatment.
The proprietor said he thought he
recognized one of the hold-up men as
one who had been a customer earlier
in the night.
Mr.. Carroll said it was the second
time the restaurant has been held up
IN the last two years. The other time,
an armed colored man rif1ed the cash
register of approximately $3.50 while
he held off 40 customers and Mr.. Car
roll at the point of pistol.
Immediately after this mornings
hold-up, which occurred at 2 o'clock,
police flashed general lookout for the
bandits, both of whom were dressed in
white polo shirts ana dark trousers
and were stockily built. Mr.. Rowe
was unable to get a good look at the
fleeing automobile.
Confess $1,000 Thefts.
Meanwhile, police said two Virginia
youths had confessed that during the
last four months they have burglarized
so homes in Washington, taking loot
valued at $4,000.
They were caught last week after
Mrs. Cora Horn, police telephone oper-
ator, furnished their descriptions as
the burglars she saw leaving her apart
ment. Confessions of the pair came
only after several days questioning.
Police today are reaching out to-
ward Baltimore, Philadelphia and New
York City for other persons they be.
heve involved in the so robberies in
the role of receivers of stolen goods.
The youths pointed out the scenes of
their depredations to Detective Sergt
John Cation and Detective Robert
Murray during a trip around the city
in a squad car.
Officers also hunted the colored in
truder who last night broke into the
apartment of Mrs. Nora Acker. 1888
Spring road NV, knocked Mrs. Acker
down and escaped with her purse.
containing 81, and other yaluables
from the apartment.