Evening star., 1939-09-01
HoIdup
Continued From First Page.)

department, had just returned with
the pay roll from the Riggs Bank
branch at Dupont Circle. Mr.. Har-
vey double parked in front of the
Tompkins' Office on the east side of
Sixteenth street long enough to let
Mr.. Frick alight, then drove off to
a nearby parking lot.
Mr.. Frick started to walk the 20
steps to the Office when a man who
had been waiting on the sidewalk
grabbed the brief case and covered
him with nickle-plated revolver.
Mr.. Frick told police he couldn't re-
member if the bandit said anything
to him. There was a brief struggle
and the bandit got possession of the
bag, which had fallen to the side
walk.
Mr.. Frick started for the bandit,
he said, but saw him half crouch
and cover him with the gun. Mr..
Frick then turned and dashed into
his office. few steps away. He ran
in, shouting out the license number
of the bandits car. The youth at
the Office switchboard, in the front
hall, had the police on the telephone
almost before the car disappeared.
The man narrowly risked get
ing knocked down by passing traffic
as he darted across Sixteenth street
and leaped into the back door of
sedan.
A companion swung the door open
just as he ran alongside.
The robber with the brief case
settled into the back seat and
slammed the door as the car swung
around the corner.
Holdup Accomplished Quickly.
The holdup had been accom-
plished so quietly and swiftly that
taxi-drivers on nearby stand be-
low the Carlton Hotel were un-
aware of the excitement.
An immediate broadcast mean
while put every scout car and motor
cycle policeman in the city and
nearby Maryland and Virginia on
the alert Inspector Bernard w.
Thompson said six headquarters
cruisers, four precinct scout cars
and at least one motor cycle man
took up the chase.
Police headquarters, 1t was said,
received several telephone calls re-
porting the bandit car. 1t was
thought possible some of these were
"phony"-called in by confederates
to throw police off the trail, but In
spector Thompson would not COM
ment on this angle.
One man on Wisconsin avenue
where the bandit car was reported
seen, said he saw headquarters car
pass at high rate of speed, as If
pursuing the fugitive car, but that
no suspicious-looking automobile
had preceded it.
Women Witness HOldup.
The holdup was witnessed by
Martha Turner of TIT G street NV.
and Dorothy Edelen of 1925 D street
NE, employees of a doctors Office
next door to the Tompkins Co.
Look" one of them called to the
other, "is this holdup?"
The two girls ran to the window
Two men were struggling on the
sidewalk" Miss Edelen said, lean
ing over as If one of them had
fallen or lost his balance. Then /
saw one of them snatch a brief
case from the sidewalk and dash
across the street.
II still don't know why he wasn't
killed by passing automobiles. One
car almost hit him, but stopped
quickly as he wedged himself into
the open door of the car at the
curb"
The girls never saw the bandits
face. They said he was a small,
youngish man in a blue suit, but
couldn't be sure what kind of hat
he was wearing.
Describes Assailant.
Mr.. Frick described his assailant
as dark -complexioned, about 25
years old, wearing blue suit and
straw hat. The driver, he said, ap-
peared to be about the same age
Mr.. Frick said the man was red-faced
and probably bald-headed. He was
wearing a cap, no coat and white
shirt.
Mr.. Frick said the car was bearing
Virginia tags. The number of the
car broadcast and Mr.. Prick went to
headquarters to look over photo
graphs in the rogue's gallery.
Won,nn Nr;vor A,,r4