Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-25
) Men Fail in ATTEMPT
To Force Way Into
Costello Apartment
By the Associated Press

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By the Associated Press
NEW YORK, Mar. 24.-Three
men, one carrying a gun, tried
unnecessarily today to enter the
1Gt'l floor of Frank Costello, re-
putcd rackets ruler questioned
this week by the Senate Crime
Investigating committee.
Costello told the committee
and millions of television listeners
that he kept from $4,000 to
$4,000 in cash in the swank nine
room suite overlooking Central
Park.
Police said, however. they
learned from Mrs. Costello that
all "valuables" had been removed
from the apartment soon after
Costello made the disclosure
heard by the committees tele-
vision audience.
The pre-dawn visitors forced
two elevator operators at gun
point to take them to the lofty
apartment, rang the bell repeat
edly with no response, then de-
ported hastily.
Martin Kelly, building superin-
tendent. said Costello was in the
apartment during the night, but
that he left about five hours after
the mysterious visit. First reports
to police said he was not there
during the night.
Believed Young Punks."
Police officials voiced no official
opinion as to whether the visitors
were bent on robbery or possibly
some kind of gangland vengeance.
One policeman expressed an in
formal belief the visitors were
young punks' who hoped to hold
up Costello and take the money
unaware it had been moved to a
new hiding place.
The police were attempting to
locate Costello to determine
whether he could give any reason
for the visit.
Elevator Operators Thomas Cog
gin and Joseph Percaballi told po-
lice the trio walked into the apart
ment house lobby at 4::25 am.
All said hello" to the opera
tors, then one pulled a gun.
Take us to Costello's apart
ment," said one, wearing a gray
coat and rimless eyeglasses.
All three piled into one elevator
with the two operators and rode
up to the 18th floor.
Costello is away" the opera
tors told them, but the men de-
manded they be taken to his door.
No Response to Bell.
There they rang the doorbell re-
peatedly, but got no response.
They did not try to force the
door, Suddenly, they dropped the
whole matter and told the oper-
ators to take them down again.
Keep this quiet" said the
armed man, spokesman for the
three. Don't tell the cops"
They strobe from the lobby and
into an automobile which was
driven away by a fourth man.
Police said the fact the men
asked for "Costello's apartment"
rather than the specific floor iu6i-
Gated they never had been there
before and did not know exactly
where Costello lived.
They said there could have been
two reasons why the doorbell went
unanswered:
/. Visitors are required to an
nounce themselves to switch
board operator, who telephones
the suite. Unless such a phone
call precedes the ringing of the
suites doorbell, the occupants
know the doorbell ringing is I'M
authorized or a mistake.
2. The bedrooms are some dis
tance from the door. and the ring
ing may not have been heard.
Costello Leaves Apartment.
Despite the warning from the
men the police were notified with
in Is minutes after the visit.
Detective Capt. Benjamin Miller
visited the apartment house later
and said he learned from Mrs
Costello, through the building su-
perintendent, that the valuables
had been removed.
He said she would not say where
her husband was.
Mr.. Kelly said Costello left the
apartment at about $50 ans
Effort to reach Costello were
unavailing, but a maid at the
apartment said he would be away
for about week. '
While police investigated the
visit. United States Attorney Irv-
ing H. Saypol and his staff perused
records of the crime committees
New York hearing. He refused to
say whether he intended to pre-
sent any of the testimony to a
Federal grand jury.