National Affairs: Barry Trapped

A disgruntled newsdealer, two strangers and a posse made their way to a farmhouse near Newton, N. J. one evening last week. The strangers and the posse hid while the newsdealer asked for “Mr. Toomer,” who came out on the porch. While the dealer angrily demanded that Toomer pay him for supplying all the Manhattan newspapers for the past two weeks, the strangers and posse appeared, surrounded Mr. Toomer, held him fast. In Mr. Toomer’s pocket was found a .38 revolver. The strangers soon identified themselves as detectives and Toomer admitted that he was notorious Arthur Barry, 42, the slickest second-story man in the East.

He had been lying low since the bloody Auburn Prison riot of 1929 in which he was one of two prisoners to escape. He had been posing as a windshield-wiper salesman. In his sample case was found another gun. Up to 1929, Arthur Barry had robbed rich Long Island and Connecticut homes of $2,000,000 in jewels. Among his victims were the first Mrs. Clarence Mackay, Joshua Cosden, Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Livermore. While robbing the Livermore bedroom, suave Arthur Barry courteously lit a cigaret for Mrs. Livermore, refrained from taking a ring which she particularly fancied, hoped it would bring her luck.