Evening star., 1950-04-12
.3Bandits Escape
With S400 After
9th.F|oorHo|dup
Express Firm Official
SIueeed With Pistol;
Bullet Misses Head

Three youthful bandits pistol
whipped the treasurer of the Fruit
Growers Express Co. in his ninth
floor Office today when he refused
their command to hand over
the money" and escaped with
about s400.
The robbers Snatched the money.
fled down nine flights of stairs,
and got away Just before a tight
police Gordon was thrown around
the History building at ll0l Ver-
mont avenue NV. where the ex-
press company has its Offices.
Police said bandits answered
the descriptions of the young gun
men who stole $1,000 at pistol
point from headquarters of the
Sheet Metal Workers local l02 at
10l7 K street NV. on March 30
and the following day held up an
Arlington sheet metal and rooferS
concern and escaped with ap-
proXimately $500.
Car Seen In Arlington.
A quick-thinking police radio
dispatcher broadcast a lookout for
a maroon Mercury coupe stolen
yesterday Immediately after learn.
ing of the Vermont avenue hold
up. Stolen Mercury cars were used
in the earlier holdups.
Two and a half hours after the
express company holdup the stolen
red Mercury was seen on Lee bou-
levard near Washington boulevard
heading west. Arlington County
police dispatched all available pa
troll cars in hunt for the car.
Carl G. Romer. 43, treasurer OF
the company, narrowly escaped
death when the .32-caliber re-
volver with which he was being
lashed across the face, discharged
and sent bullet whizzing by his
head. The slug hit a desk Just
behind him.
Phone Wires Cut.
Six scout cars and several head
quarters cruisers rushed to the
scene when word of the robbery
was flashed over the police radio
with the advice that the robbers
might still be in the building.
Every exit was barred and
policemen swar-ned up fire escapes
while other policemen made a
floor to floor, Office by -offics
search of the building. No one
was allowed to leave or enter.
But the robbers had gained
precious time by ripping out tele-
phone wires in Mr.. Romer's office
and had fed from the building
before police arrived.
Mr.. Romer, bleeding profusely
from face wounds. was taken to
Emergency Hospital in an am
bulance. He has a probable frac-
ture of the nose and bad cut
over one eye. X-rays will be
made later to determine the full
extent of his injuries.
Three Wear Sports Clothes.
Nattily dressed in sports clothes,
the three young bandits entered
the building shortly before $50
am. Ignoring two elevators they
climbed the stairway to the ninth
floor.
One bandit entered Room 905,
marked Treasurer" and walked
to a cashiers cage. He was about
81, five feet seven inches tall and
weighing about 1875 pounds. He
had blond hair and a smooth fair
complexion. He was wearing a tan
sport coat and a tan rain hat.
rs this the Fruit Growers Ex-
press?" he asked Melvin Howder-
shell, secretary of the Arm. who
peered at him through the
cashier window.
At CnaG moment the other two
bandits entered and strobe
through door marked private
to approach the desks behind a
counter where Mr.. Romer and
George Sweeney, a clerk, were
seated.
Official Stalls for Time.
One smooth faced bandit ap-
pearing about 18 with brown curly
hair whipped out a .32-caliber
blue steel revolver.
This Is it." he said.
The third youth. about 81 or
%, with dark wavy hair and q
rough complexion. ripped out the