Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-07
BURGLARS AND THE POLICE.

| Terrible Midnight ReneOnfre BefVeeu
| negro Aouse- Breakers and Police
menEA as Most Exciting and Desperate
From the Memphis Avalanche, June 8. esA
Yesterdays Avalanche briefly mentioned
a Terrible affray between policemen and
negro burglars on Monroe street, late We'd
nesday night. About a quarter to twelve &
negro boy named Henry, employed at Cum
ming gham's keno saloon, hnrriedly ran up
the stairway Of the establishments, ap-
preached Captain Perry, of the second dis
trlct police, who was at lunch, and in
formed him that several negro burglars
were r0bbing Mr.. William Z. Yeatman's
| grocery and commission honse, in the
Cooper block The Captain ran down.
stairs, met Mn. Tilford, private watehman,
on the pavement, and asked him to accom-
Pany, without mentioning the object or
place of the object. saasE I.1sD 80
They went to Yeatman's back door.
which was slightly ajar. No noise was
beard and Captain Perry imprudently
lighted a match, and asked, "Who'a there?''
Its Light had scarcely been extinguished
before two negroes, each with navy re.
peater, ran toward the door from about the
center of the store. One of them attempted
TO hre, but the pistol snapped. Captain
Perry thrust his own around the edge of
the door and fired. The ball missed lis
aim, and one of the negroes--Sam Moody,
took deliberate aim and also fired. The bali
struck Perry in the right arm, entering
near the wrist, passed up, came out below
the elbow and lodged in the body, striking
the sixth rib and passing into the lung.
fHhn guOnndaA f.H 4.
Illford that he was shot, end urged him to
kill both the negroes.
The black scOHndrels had by this time
approached the door, and Tilford, pushing
his derringer against Moody's breast
pulled the trigger. The burglar struck
the weapon with his hand, and the shot
passed harmlessly over his head. Having
no other weapon, Tilford hastily picked up
perry's repeater, that had fallen to the
floor when its owner was struck down.
Both negroes observed the action, and
three or four shots were fired at him. That
he should have escaped unhurt seemed al
most miraculous; but no other damage
than the burning of his neck with powder
from the weapons flash, so close was the
weapon to his head. =, 49, .s a..-.1 7.
The negroes, joined by another outside,
now rushed by Tilford, stepping on Capt.
Ferry, who lay groaning in the doorway.
They turned down the alley and ran to-
ward Union street, closely followed by
Tiliord. After proceeding about thirty
steps, the officer stopped, took deliberate
aim at the nearest burglar and fred The
ball struck one of them-Bedford- the
neck, inficting painful though not dan
gerous wound. 1t did not prevent him from
continuing the fight, and the three, still
followed by Tilford, reached Union street.
Here they struck across TO Main, near
whice officers Wright and Barbiere Joined
10 the pursuit. The latter promptly fired
on the fngitiyes, who as promptly returned
the salute, one of the bullets grazing
Wright on the knee-cap, disabling him for
few moments. The negroes continued
their fight down Main street, but on
reacEing the alley between Union and
Gsyoso, turned into it and ran toward Sc
cond street. Two of them escaped, but
Bedford, being closely pursued, Jumped
over the fence into Mr.. Nick Malatesta's
back yard, Immediately opposite the Grim
inal Court room. The shooting had
aroused boLa Malatesta aad his wife, who
stood at an open window observing Bed
fords movements. Maiatesta drew a re-
pester, leyeled il. on The burglar, and or
dered him TO surrender, threatening TO
shoot if he refused. Bedford at once laid
down, and a moment afterwards Tiilcrd
and the other officers, now reinforced by
officers CrupPer and Kunholtzer, sprang
over The fence and took him in charge.
Bedford was frightened nearly out Of his
senses, and 10 reply to questions gave the
names of henderson Ford, sam. Moody,
Henry Jones and Willis Mitchell as his
companions, and mentioned where they
could be found. During the motnihg three
OF the lnnr-MOOdy, (who shot Perryl
Jones and Ford-were arrested and lodged
in the second district station honse. The
people in the vicinity, and soon fsiy or
sixty men we're in the streets, armed and
ready for tight For time many sup
posed a riot had broken ont Thirty OF
forty shots we're fred in all, some by peos
pie from windows, at the fugitive burglars,
Captain Perry was removed to his resi-
denee on Allen avenue, and DIR. Kimbro
Was summoned 10 dress his wounds. The
injuries are dangerous, and, although the
sufferer was alive at a late hour last night,
il is feared that he cannot recover. Capt.
Perry has resided In Memphis for ten or
eleven years, aud was Lieutenant Of POI
lice before the war. lie isa splendid odiaer.
and since his promotion 10 the Captaincy
Of the second district force, has repeatedly
distinguished himself The city ean lily
afford 70 lose 20 good a citizen and efficient
officer. tt % s"