The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-07-26 00:00:00

ENCOUNTER WITH ARMED
BURGLARS.
TWO CONSTABLES SHOT.

In London, on Friday morning in last week a
desperate encounter occurred between the police and
two armed burglars. The following are the details:
At about one o'clock in the morning James Wright
And William Wheatley broke into the house of Mr.
David Elsbach, furrier, 36, New North-road, which
lies between Islington and Holton. The burglars,
who are both of the medium height but strongly and
actively built, climbed over a wall, a workshoko, and a
shed till they reached the rear of Mr. Llsbach's
promises. Openinc, a window ity forcing the catch,
they entered thEt back riarloar, ,here they attempted
to unfasten a cupboard "containing silver plate. At
three o'clock, while engaged in this operation, they
heard somebody coming downstairs, and seizing five
sealskin bags, an overcoat, and a pair of opera glasses,
they quickly but quietly left the house by way of the
front door. The person who had alarmed them was
Mr. Elsbach himself. That gentleman's object was
simply to get some brandy for his wife, who was ill,
and it was not for some time that the slight noise
he heard struck him as having been made within
his own house,

With a view of avoiding the attention of the police
the thieves took refuge in the school-yard attached
to Holy Trinity Church, at the time when Constable
Garnet- was passing. Catching sight of them, Garner
entered the yard and laid hands on Wheatley. The
latter struggled violently, while his companion pro-
duced a loaded revolver, and threatened to shoot the
policeman unless he released Wheatley. Instead of
complying, the officer struggled more energetically to
overcome his prisoner, whereupon Wright shot him,
the bullet passing through his left thigh and striking
the bone in its course. Still the constable retained
his grasp of Wheatley, though streams of blood
ran down his leg. There appeared strong proba-
bility that he would lose his life in doing
his duty, when a man, named Frederick Thomas,
who had heard the shot fired and the shouting of the
combatants, rushed up. Wright immediately ran
away, while Thomas climbed over the railings of the
churchyard and seized Wheatley. The latter, how-
ever, continued to resist until Inspector Maynard,
who lives in the neighbourhood, and who had been
awakened by the firing, also arrived, half-dressed,
secured the prisoner, and took him to Hoxton Police-
station. The wounded policeman was carried at once
to St. Bartholomew's Hospital in a serious condition.
On leaving the churchyard Wright ran down 'Herbert-
street, followed by a number of people shouting
"Stop him t" At this moment, Constables
Clifford and Snell, attracted by the report of
the revolver, were coming in the opposite direc-
tion. They had just time to draw their trun-
cheons when Wright rushed up and pointed his
revolver at Clifford. That officer, instantly stooping
down, darted aside, where4on Wright shot Snell in
the abdomen and resumed his flight. The unfortunate
man fell to the ground with blood flowing from his
right side, the bullet having entered there and gone
through his body. He was taken to a neighbouring
surgery where his wound was attended to, and he was
detained for four hours, his condition being too
dangerous to permit of his immediate removal.
Ultimately Snell was taken to St. Bartholome-w's
Hospital, where the surgeons came to the conclusion
that there was little hope of his recovery.
In the meantime Wright continued running rapidly
away, with Constable Clifford, several other office-s,
and nearly 100 other persons after him. The latter
showed the utmost resentment against him, shouting
in the most excited manner; and emulating the police
in their strenuous efforts to overtake the runaway,
who was remarkably swift of foot. As pursuers and
pursued passed by, bedroom windows ware thrown up
all along the line, and people in everykind of undress
looked out. From Nile-street Wright darted into
Tomtit's-court, where he swiftly ascended a ladder
used in repairing the building, and took refuge on
the roofs of a block of 70 or 80 houses, bounded
on one side by East-road, and at one end by
City-road. Some of the buildings are three
storeys high, and some two, while out-buildings
of lower elevation adjoin them, and at one end is an
extensive timber-yard. A number of policemen
followed Wright up the ladder, and a most exciting
chase over the roofs began. Very soon Inspector
Parker, with about fifty •extra constables from
Hoxton Station, arrived, and seeing that the extra-
ordinary activity and daring of the man pursued gave
him even yet some chance of escape, surrounded the
whole block of premises with constables. More men
also ascended to the roof, where they were followed
by volunteer assistants armed with sticks, till about
twenty officers and an equal number of other persons
were scrambling, jumping, climbing, and sometimes
falling on the tops of the houses. In the meantime
the crowd in the streets below grew rapidly
very large, and displayed the utmost excite-
ment, loudly cheering the police, shouting
directions to them, groaning at the fugitive at
bay above, and even throwing stones at him when he
showed himself. Round and round the roofs of the
whole block went Wright, dropping or jumping from
the higher levels to the lower ones, climbing with the
agility of a cat from the low to, the high ones, get-
ting more than once down to the ground in the
timber yard and then reaseending by means of the
stacks of wood. The tactics of the pursuers were some-
what Fabian, seeinl that from the burglar's waistcoat
while
eet
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and in his right a revolver, with which he
threatened those who approached him too
closely. He did not, however, discharge it,
but threw loose bricks and tiles at his pursuers, at the
same time threatening to take their lives if they came
near. Ultimately, as he was pointing the revolver at
a constable, Sargeant Walsh rushed upon him from
behind, and seized both his arms. Other persons
then threw themselves upon him, but he struggled
desperately, and was not overpowered without great
effort and some danger of the whole party rolling off
the house. On being secured Wright said he would
rather have died than be taken, and that if his
revolver had not broken he would "have put it into
all of them." The latter remark drew attention to
the fact that the pin of the weapon had fallen out,
probably in consequence of his violent exertions in the
way of jumping and climbing.

The chase over the roofs had occupied about three-
quarters of an hour, and its successful termination
was hailed with loud and repeated cheers by the spec-
tators, now numbering at least 5000. When Wright
reached the ground in Nile-street, the mob inflicted
some severe bruises upon his head, causing blood to
flow, and it was with the utmost difficulty that the
towstrroHingoghatftooarnncdePhooiflispclilSpictitracioownu,ledraePqaricotretectmrpahoinnif
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crowd of people, alternately hopting the former and
cheering the latter. Arrived at the station, it was
found that he was in possession of twelve skeleton
keys, a screw driver, a gimlet, and .£1 3s. 70., the
revolver, " jemmy," and dagger-knife having been
taken from him. It had been discovered before that
he was wearing false whiskers. The other burglar,
when searched, was carrying a loaded revolver, a
"jemmy," and a knife, besides the stolen property.

THE PRISONERS AT THE POLICE-00171T.
At Worship-street Police-court, on Friday, James
Wright, 38, described as a tailor, but refusing his ad-
dress, and William Wheatley, 25, labourer, of 15,
Grosvenor-street, Islington, were charged with having
burglariously broken into and entered the dwelling-
house, No. 36, New North-road, and stolen therefrom
five sealskin bags, a pair of opera glasses, and some
jewellery, valued at £5 ; also with being concerned
together in shooting and wounding David Garner,
police-constable 429 G, and William &lal.l. 162 G,
with intent to muider theta.

Superintendent Sherlock, who appeared- Ito the
police, intimated that there was a very serious charge
of shooting constables, and as it was unlikely that one
of the wounded men would survive, he would ask for
a remand after the evidence of two witnesses.

Inspector Mainard, P Division then stated that
shortly after 5 o clock that morning he was at home
in Herbert-street, New North-road, and heard the
reports of two shots. On going into the street he
saw a struggle going on between a constable and his
prisoner in the yard of the school attached to Holy
l'rinity Church, in Church-street. The constable was
on the ground, and his trousers were so torn that the
witness could see a wound upon his right thigh, which
was bleeding. The witness managed to secure the
prisoner (Wheatly),
who was conveyed to the station.
In his possessionwere a six-chambered revolver, two of
the chambers of which had been discharged, and a
set of house breaking implements. The injured
constable was conveyed to a hospital and the police
surgeon's examination had shown that the bullet had
passed through the thigh, striking the bone in
its passage. The wound was a serious one, but it
was considered probable that the constable would
recover.
Frederick Thomas said he was walking near the
spot in question, when he heard a shot fired. On
going up the street towards Holy Trinity Church he
found Police-constable parner struggling with
Wheatley. The witness got over the railings of the
school ground and seized the prisoner, who had a
revolver in his hand. While the witness was holding
the prisoner, Wright escaped from the playground
and ran down Herbert-street. The witness noticed
that Wright was being pursued, and saw Police-
constable Snell close to him. Presently the prisoner
turned round and fired at Snell, who fell wounded.
The prisoner continued his flight and the witness lost
sight of him.
In answer to the magistrate, Mr. Sherlock said this
was the evidence upon which he would ask for a
remand. The constable Garner was not so seriously
wounded as Snell, whose injuries, as the bullet had
entered the abdomen, and could not be extracted,
were considered likely to terminate fatally. Since the
prisoners had been arrested they had been identified
as the persons concerned in the recent shooting of a
constable at Islington; and at the expiration of a
remand there would probably be further charges
against them.
No evidence was taken as to the alleged burglary;
and the testimony of the police officers as to the
arrest of Wright was also reserved. The prisoners
were said to be well-known convicts, having lately
returned from penal servitude., and Wright was out
on ticket of leave. Both men maintained an indifferent