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Image provided by: Alene Scoblete, Rockville Centre Public Library; Tom Tryniski
Freeport Nat. Bank Held Up by Armed Trio and Robbed. Captured in Queens Borough After | Auto - Chase--One Shot-- Money Recovered. The First National Bank of Free- port had enacted within it a few minutes before 11 o'clock Wednesday morning a bold hold-up of its six employes by three young men from New York, armed with revolvers, and was robbed of $3,181 in bills, grabbed from the cashier's drawer before they made an escape. . The trio fled in an automobile, but failed to make successful their get- away, as they were interce by the police of Queens Borough in Bay Side and at Jamaica, after a chase in which a commandeered automobile had pur- sued the bandits from Queens village in a car which they had stolen from Manhattan. Detection of the number plate on the car after the bank hold-up by Austin Wood of Roosevelt, a k- keeper of the bank, was one of the principal factors in furnishing a clue. It was about 10.30 Wednesday morning when the automobile appear- w in Freeport, and a few minutes lat- er swung into Railroad avenue. The occupants of the car, a big Hudson Super-Six, attracted attention because they were roughly dressed, and some were without overcoats, notwithstand- ing the day was a raw one. The car turned around near the bank before it stopped on the Railroad avenue side. 'Two of the occupants alighted | and walked along the thoroughfare for a time, then went back to the car, and after talking with the third man, | he alighted and followed them. | All the bank employes, cashier Wil- ham F. Kraft, Jr.; G. Edwin Hem- ing, assistant cashier; Miss Mary Davis, head bookkeeper; Miss Kath- erine - Golden, - stenographer; - Miss Florence Noon, liberty bond clerk, and Austin Wood, bookkeeper, were bus when the trio of hold-ups entered. Mrs. Emily (Wallace, widow of Charles L. lace, and Louis Ruppel, a Borden Milk Company driver, were the only patrons in the bank at the time. Heming was at the cashier's window when one of the trio, said to have been Brownstein, stepped up, nndl throwing down a $10 bill, asked that | it be changed to $1 bills. Heming had just counted the smaller bills and looked up to view the muzzle of a | big revolver aimed at him. | \Throw up your hands and don't move,\ was the command given by | the man outside the window. Heming | obeyed. The other employes looked to ! see what was going on, and heard sim- ilar commands from the other men, and saw muzzles of revolvers pointed ; at them through other windows of the bank cage. The two patrons were ordered to \stand still,\ and they, with the employes, excepting Miss Noon, obeyed. She left her place near | the directors' room at the rear of the bank and ran into it. . . The man at Heming's dow, evi- | dently fearing an alarm, told him to burty and 0 a door which would let him into the cage. Heming obeyed, and the armed bandit ran in, gather- ed all the bills from the front part of the cashier's drawer, backed out and told his pals to \hurry up and beat it.\ obeyed, and as the last one left the bank he said: . \If anyone follows they will be giv- on a dose of hot lead.\ , The hold-ups hastened to their au- tomobile and were off in a jiffy to- ward Baldwin, where it devel later they had trouble finding the right road to twain Gem-thou: Tm throu ille re or ynbrook \th nearly ditched their car. The Freeport police were immedi- ately notified, and Adam Yulch, who was mt the'desk, had Captain Dun- ¥honed C ulch to all surrounding villages, to Jamaica and the city. Banks in other villages, from the Suffolk County line to Greater New York limits were notified to be on at Freeport that two of the had “Mund- one shot money . ; Mathisen's death. street, Manhattan, was captured at Hillside avenue and Jamaica boule- vard, Queens, by a motorcycle patrol- man and another officer, after he had obtained a ride to that point with the driver of a car the police had pre- viously commandeered in their chase. The third hold-up man, Henry Ber- man, 22 years, who lives . in Eighty-first street, Manhattan, escap- ed in a woods, but was arrested later as he was entering his home. He was turned over to the Freeport police yesterday (Thursday) and locked up for arraignment this (Friday) after- noon on a charge of robbery in the second degree, before acting Police Justice Wilbur F. Southard. Brownstein, it is asserted, made a confession to the Jamaica police, and Berman, question by (Police Chief Hanse of Freeport, is said to have given certain details of the escapade which coincide with those of Brown- stein. The. police recovered $2.200 from Brownstein, who maintains that was all the money taken from the bank What became of the balance the bank claims to have lost is not known An overcoat lost from the automo- bile the hold-ups used was found in Grand avenue, Baldwin, by a driver | for Merritt's Bakery of Rockvilie Centre, and turned over to the Rock ville Centre police. Captain Will I'ml ligs took the garment to Freeport Thursday evening. Berman is said to have admitted that it was lost from the automobile that the hold-ups The car bore the license plate 17 N. Y, and belonged to Dr. Albert Glass of Broadway and 94th street, Manhattan. It was stolen by the hold-ups, according to reports, while standing in front of a patient's house and was returned to the doctor on Thursday WOMAN HISTORIAN WINS $15,500 CLAIM Prepared Record of Aurora Chap- ter Member, Sued Estate. Surrogate Ketcham of Brooklyn has just allowed a claim of $15,500, made | by Mrs. Leonora Sawyer of Rockville Centre,\ against the estate of Mrs. Eliza Mathisen, a widow, who died recently. The claim grew out of the fact that for five years Mrs. Sawyer acted as amanuensis for Mrs. Mathisen, who could neither read nor write, it was declared, although she was the His- torian of Aurora Grata Chapter No. 207, Order of the Eastern Star, a woman's Masonic organization. Mrs. Mathisen loft an . estate of $100,000. For many years prior to her death she was actively interest- ed in the work of Aurora Grata Chap- ter. Mrs. Sawyer declared that for five years she prepared for Mrs. Mathisen the annual history of Aurora Grata Chapter. For these services she ns- serted, Mra. Mathisen agreed to pay her at the rate of $3,000 a year. When the executors of Mrs. Mathi- sen's will came to Mrs. Sawyer's claim, which was for $15,500, they rejected it and asked that the Sur- rogate hear evidence and on the question of whether Mrs. Sawyer was entitled to the money. At the trial, Philip A. Brengin, at- tornéy for Mrs. Sawyer, cot tended that a valid contract existed between her and Mrs. Mathisen for the pay- ment of the money, and that the pay- ment was prevented only by Mrs. It was shown that after Mrs. Sawyer had acted as her secretary three years, Mrs. Mathi- men agreed in writing that her secre- tary was to receive $3,000 a year. After hearing the evidence, Surro- gate Ketcham held that Mrs. Saw. year had established her claim, and that she is entitled to the full amount demanded in the suit, which, with in- terest, is $17,500. BALDWIN THIEF SCARE Armed Posse Surrounds Dwelling-- Officers Search, Find no One. There was a bur are in Har- rison avenue, admit. t reai~ dence of Frederick Westpfal, cut- BY ARCHITECT VOTED Will Also Make Plans for Supervi- sors to Alter Institation-- Other Nassau Affairs. Mineola (special)-At a meeting of the Nassau Supervisors on Mon- day, Architect Tooker requested the board to fix a date for the final in- spection of the heating, plumbing and culosis hospital at Plainview. . The board set March 21 as the date for inspection. appointed assistant engineer in the the Court House and jail at a salary of $105 monthly. He was appointed from a civil service eligible list. The board voted to engage the ser- vices of a qualified architect to make a survey of the county jail conditions | and further to make the necessary plans and specifications for altera- tions which will meet the require- ments of the law as to the classifica- tion of prisoners and to do all things necessary incidental thereto. The ac- tion of the board in engaging an ar- chitect for this work was prompted by the fact that for some time the State Board of Prison Commissioners has been urging the supervisors to en- large the county jail. At present there is a proceeding in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, where- in the State Prison Commission is asking for a writ of mandamus di- rected against the supervisors to the construction of a building with a. maximum of 100 cells for the pris- oners. County Superintendent of High- ways W. Fred Starks was authorized to appear before the State Highway issioners at Albany in relation to the improvement of Seaman and Lakeview avenues as county high- ways. ACQUIT B. R. T. MAN Not Guilty of Manslaughter, Thomas F. Blewitt, a division su- perintendent of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit, was acquitted of an indict- ment charging him with manslaughter by a jury in the Nassau County Su- preme Court at Mineola on Tuesday evening. The jury deliberated several hours before reaching a verdict.. The charge against Blewitt emanat- ed from a wreck last November on the Brighton Beach line of the B. R. T.. when 92 persons were killed. Blewitt, it was alleged, had assigned an in- competent motorman, Edward Luci- mano, to run the train, which was wrecked. Trial of the issue began on March 3. SPRING ELECTIONS UP To HIGH COURT The question as to whether town elections will be held in Nassau Coun ty this spring has not been finally settled, but is expected to be in a few days. ollowing the court orders obtain- ed, directing the several town clerks to show cause why they should not call the elections for which candidates were filed by both Republicans and Democrats, Justice mung of the Supreme Court decided last Saturday that the law passed last year chans- ing the time of the elections in Nas- sau to November was unconstitution- al. An appeal from his decision to the Appellate Division was decided on by the Republicans on Tuesday by a vote of 3 to 2. The count sustained Justice Lazansky. Further appeal to the Court of Appeals was deemed ad- visable and taken. A decision is ex pected before this week ends ___ Probation Officer Examination. At Minecia, under the civil service rules, a cow-Kaitlyn examination will tbe held on April 7, for the position nog ection with Walter E. Johnson, Robert | Baker; . collector, lon; - treasurer, Delo- ; justice of the peace, for extra lights, site, as the Memorial Com- carried. trustee, David William C. Raynor of Freeport was I department of heating and lighting in | Jury at Mineola Finds Supt. Blewitt' u Co., N. Y., Friday, March Against Fire Only Proposition Turned Down-- Vote is Light--Citizens Ticket is Unopposed. . In strong contrast to the lively elec- tion in Rockville Centre last year, the annual event on Tuesday was one of the most quiet in recent years-in | |.; electrical contract work in the tuber- ! PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. RUSS | fet, to speak correctly, it was dead. This was due to the lack of competi- tion, only one ticket, that nominated at the citizens primary, being present- | 21, 1919. House Phones ed. The voting was conducted on a new basis, the trustees recently cre- ating two districts, one north and the other south of the railroad tracks. This resulted from the heavy vote |' of last year. The total vote cast Tuesday was 227, of which Charles J. Dooley, re- elected treasurer, received all. Seven propositions, calling for spe- al appropriations, were submitted to the taxpayers, and all voted upon | favorably with the exception of one asking for $300 to install telephones | in euch fire house as an addition to the alarm system now established. This was voted down by 94 to 65. A proposal to take $1,000 from the light fund for extension of the electric | light distribution system was carried 'by 145 to 20. The proposition to raise $7,000 for | oiling streets was adopted by 140 to 110 votes; another to spend $1,500 for fire hose sanctioned by 119 to 34; to spend $500 for crosswalks, adopted by 108 to 31; to spend $2,000 from the light fund for an additional air pump to be used in the condensing system at the power house, adopted by 106 to <. und the proposal to spend $3,000 or a dran pipe from Hempstead and Village avenues to Mill river, part cost of draining village village streets, by 108 to 55 votes. Nassau County will contribute a sum larger than that voted by the village toward the drain system and will improve Hemp- to enue with concrete at a cost of ,000 For village officers, Joseph F. Russ, candidate for president, received 182 votes; Edwin F} Wright, defeated at the citizens' primary, 17 votes. There were a number of scattering votes for various citizens. For trustees, two years, Arthur G. Ackert, now in office, received 207 votes; Frank B. Gardner, a new nom- inee, 210 and Ronald Daisley, 2. For treasurer, Charles J. Dooley re- | ceived the entire election vote of 227. For collector, Arthur J. Flanagan received 220; George J. Quinn, who was a primary candidate, 4; E. Mc- Carten, 1, and Miss Nellie O'Neill, 1. |_ The newly-elected village board will | convene next Monday evening at 7 | o'clock for organization. LIFT OF LIQUOR BAN RERUSED BY STATE Hempstead (special) -The Board on Tuesday voted to request the state excise commission to with- draw the restriction placed upon the liquor dealers of the township which prohibits them from selling botteled goods not to be drunk upon the prem- ises where sold. The board, in its resolution, to be forwarded the excise commission, atates that the only effect of the ren- lution restricting the sales of liquors was to prevent liquor dealers in the town of Hempstead from selling bot- tled goods not to be drunk on the premises where sold, while the said bottled goods could be purchased in adjacent towns and brought into Hempstead, and that as a further ob- ject the resolution was passed to pro- tect the soldiers of Camp Mills from obtaining bottled liquors. The board calls attention to the fact that following a request to with- draw the restrictions, a public meet- ing was held and that no objections were offered at the meeting to the granting of such a request. The re- quest referred to was made last week mm Liquor Dealera' Association of t town of Hempstead through its president, Frank G. Holly. Town Clerk Gilbert today (Friday) announced that he had received a let- ter from State Excise Commiasioner refusing to grant the request of the Town Board. The commission ernor Smith were opposed to rescind ing the ban without approval of the roper military authorities, which it Em not been possible to obtain HOSE HOUSE WARMING Freeport Company is Host at Party in New Headquarters. Hose Company No. 2 gave a house warming at its new building in North Main street, Freeport, on - Monday evening. An elaborate turkey dinner was served to fifty-three guests. The hose house was decorated with Ameri- can flags and the favors were Ameri- can frish flagn intertwined. Short addresses were by Village Presi- | lent Robert G. Anderson, Trustee glut-17 T. Maxson and the former fire chi present chiefs, new candidates and members. hp‘m- on a newly purchased pla ano were eluded all active and honorary mem- bers of the , ex-chiofs, war- dens and of the Villa.- Beard of Trustees. BENZOMINT dependable remedy tac some z-a-lu-fiu- “11‘M. requires ng. A standby whould ”23cm botue at your drug Town | er asserted that both himself and Gov- | FIRE CHIEF INDICTED FOR DEATH OF GIRL George Roffey, a salesman and | chief of the Bellmore fire department, | was arraigned before County Judge ; Lewis J. Smith last Saturday, on an indictment charging him with iman slaughter in the second degree, and on another indictment charging him with violating a certain section of the highway law The indictment, in substance, charges Roffey with causing the death of Emily Stratford on January 28, in Merrick road at Lynbrook. The state's claim is that the Stratford girl, when riding on the front, seat of an automobile driven by Roffey, called to him to stop, saying that she wished to alight from the car. Roffey, the state will claim, refused to stop his car, and the Stratford girl leaped, falling to the roadway and sustaining injuries which later resulted in her death. George M. Levy, wi represents Roffey, entered a plea of not guilty for his client on Saturday, and bail was fixed at $5,000. Surety was furnished hr William F. Bowne and Mrs. Nich las Meyer of Bellmore. Counselor Levy stated Saturday that Roffey did not know that the Stratford girl was going to leap from the car, and that héflnorpcd his machine as quickly as possible after she had left the muto. \_ Viola Fatecher of Valley Stream, who was with Roffey and the Strat- ford girl on the night of the accident, | was a witnesa before the Grand Jury | 1 ‘which indicted Roffey. HEROES HONOR DAY Memorial Club—HM, Freeport, to \_ be Officially Opened March 29. 4 - The Soldiers' and Sailors' Memori- al (Mubhouse at Freeport will be of- ficlally opened on March 29 to honor the war heroes of that village and surrounding ones in Nassau County The chub, under auspices of the Solders' Welfare Association of Nas- sau County, extends to every man, through the Observer-Post, its grate- ful appreciation of his patriotic ser- vice with the American forees, whose achievements made possible the glori- ous victory of the great war for world freedom. For the comforts and pleasures of these boys the association has pur- chased and furnished a beautiful house at 302 South Grove street. Membership in the memorial club is free of moms fl; fl: wagerI-hip committee on Sunday, March 23, from 2 to 6 p.m., at the efabhouse. 'Bring r diachar than! got a mem- mt 0\er TWO DOLLARS A YEAR FIVE CENTS a cory COUNTY JAIL SURVEY Rockville Centre Electors Vote |\WILKIN§ INDICTED AS WIFE SLAYER Doctor Sent to Jail After Sarren- der--Pleads Not Gailty to Warrant. Dr. Walter K. Wilkins, whose wife, Julia, was brutally murdered at Long Beach on February 27, was taken into custody at the 'Pennsylvania station, New York, Wednesday night, after returning from Baltimore, and on Thursday was committed to the Nas- sau County jail by Police Justice Cas- sius Coleman on a warrant charging him with the murder. The physician pleaded not guilty to the charge and waived examination. County Detective Carman Plant swore to the c laint against Dr. Wilkins, Soon after the doctor's commit- ment, the Nassau County Grand Jury returned a murder indictment against Im. It is planned to try him at the May term of the Supreme Court. Dr, Wilkins, In statements, has reiterated that he had nothing to do with the murder of his wife, and holds to his early statements that robbers found in his Long Beach home upon . returning . from - New - York were the slayers. . Testimony taken from nouchbors by Justice Neu, acting as coroner, on Tuesday tends to sup- port the robbery claim of the doctor. Circumstantial evidence gathered by Burnes detectives and others is suid to involve the doctor to a certain extent. Dr. Wilkins went away last Sun- day. He said he intended visiting a step-daughter in Washington, D. C., but changed his mind and went to Baltimore. While in that city he had his whiskers and mustache removed. He said he did this to escape no- tomiety as his picture had been print- ed in many newspapers. He returned to New York voluntarily after read- ing that his omse was to come before the Grand Jury at Mineola FREEPORT ELECTION 18 LIVELY EVENT Police Justice Contest Won by Al- bin Johnson and Firemen's Proposal Attracts. Voters of Freeport on Tuesday turned out to the number of 1094 for the annual election, about one-third of tne number who had registered. At intervals the voting was lively and considerable interest manifested in the outcome of the police justice contest betwefn Clinton M. Flint, the present incumbent, and - Albin N. Johnson, village counsel. The propo- sition of Hose Company No. 4 for $10,000 to abtain a combination motor house wagon and pumper also aroused interest amon the taxpayers, especi- ally the firemen, who ably supported the proposition of their associates. The police justice victory was achieved by Johnson, who received 5H7 votes to 468 votes for Flint. All the propositions were carried by good majorities. For village president, Robert G. Anderson was re-elected by a vote of N92 For trustees, Silas A. Williams and Honry L. Maxson were also re-elect- ed by 817 and 794 votes. For treasurer, D. Frank Seaman, candidate for re-election, received 901 votes, and 8. Dimon Smith, collector, candidate for re-election, 906. The vote on propositions follows: No. 1-Appropriating $15,000 for all night street lighting and repairs to plant; yes, 286; no, 94. No. 2-Appropriating $12,000 for maintaining police depurtment; yes, 256; no, 128. Pie, 2-Appropriating $5,000 from light fund for extensions; yes, 267; no, 112 No. 4-To expend from the water fund, $5,000 for extensions; yes, 254; no, 96 No. 5-To expend $10,000 for motor driven hose wagon and pumper; yes, 317; no. 215 No. 6-To pay $10,000 of water bonds from the light winking fund; yen, 255; no. 98 No. 7-Giving authority to combine the water and light sinking funds Into a general maintenance fund; you, 234; no, 108, The board of trustees will meet to organize next Monday evening 24204 Lutherans Call New P: Karl H. Miller, a theological stu- dent at Mt. Airy Seminary, Philadel- phia, has accepted a eall to the Luth- eran Church at Freeport. Mr. Miller will complete his studies in June, and then aasume charge of the church. Rev. A. C. Karkau, who resigned in January, will continue as pastor in the interim, unless personal affaire demand attention elsewhere --+ -- Mrs. Frances Kohl Dead. 'Mre. Frances KohW died at har home, Lakeview - avenge, . Rockville Contre, last Saturday of carcinoma. She was sixty-seven years of age, and is survived by a daughter, “Am-1:3 and a son, Christopher, 'The fune # Chureh on Tundlf. you will be in- vited C the festivities on March alpha in Calvary Cemetery.
