The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-15
MURDER IN CHAIRMAN SQUARE
ouiek Work IN Capturing the Murderer, In
which the Police had no Part.


A murder in Chatham square yesterday
morning wns almost Immediately followed by
the capture Of the murderer through the prowess
OF two civilians. Peter Drake. a clgarmaker.
went. on Wednesday,. to Angelo spanglo. an.
other cigarmaker. with subscription paper by
which he was trying TO raise money to pay the
funeral expenses Of q mutual companon-BGr-
tolomeo Fragi who had died Of consumption
the day before. Drake WINS a native OF Gibrnl-
tar. about 90 years OF age Of middle height
having dark hair and eyes and moustachc. and
neck and shoulders like n bull. Spanglo Is n
Maltese. a trine shorter than Drake and trihe
less sturdy. with squire jaws, little black eyes
deeply set. and just above them. with almost no
Intervention OF forehead. n crop OF close-cut
lustreless black hair. When Drake called,
Spnnelo came out Of the house. at 10 Mott street.
and met him on the sidewalk. Drake told his
business and presented the paper whereupon
Spanglo few into great passion. cursng his
dead companion. fragi. as traitor" and q
Sandman dog" and saying that he would not
give penny to save either his body or his soul.
Drake also fell into passion. and hot words
at first and afterward blows passed between the
two men. Drake. who must have had English
blood in him. was 10y far the better master Of
his fists. and at the end VI n minute no had given
spnnglo n black eve and otherwise severely
the two and they went 10 their several homes.
-, Drake. who lived Mt ~ Pell street. passed
through Chatham square M about o'clock yes
terday morning, and there must have been. rs
l. usual NJ that hour multitude OF persons
abroad In m, neighborh9od. The eigarmaker
was dressed for work. He wore u lRborer's blue
flannel shirt over white shirt n pair OF sus-
psnders over nll. and was without cout He
had crossed the square. and. reaching East
broadway. had passed into that street a short
! distance when man. from beh ind him. stabbed
him IN the shoulder with knife. and, turning,
| ran back across Chatham square at the top OF
| his speed. Nobody so far rs i known. saw the
stabbine; When the stab was dealt him. Drake
| was In front Of Tnngney's barroom. at East
Broadway and Catharine street. Just on the
eurbng there y q news stand. and the man who
| owns 1t was within a few feet OF Drake. but he
| Philip Matz was standing in front Of Congress
| Hall, and he says that he saw the blow given
Guy ne e wb 9y whsh any an h6 oa
! dealt the blow ran against him rs he passed
! Into the square. and when he recovered from
back covered with blood. running in pur.
suit Drake ran as r iar across the sguar,f
when he fell Two other men. standing in front
| OF Congress Hall. saw the two men running
and heard the one behind cry out am
stabbed. but they did not interfere. John Les
lie. however, little further along. heard the
cry and he started n pursuit He Is employed
hydrants, and he had heavy wrench in his
| hand. The fugitive ran across the square and
into Worth street There two young men. John
| pass them az full run. and hearing the hue and
| cry raised By Leslie and others who had now
Joined him. sprnnG also in pursuit. The fuRi
| tive ran down Worth street to Mulberry, dowr
Mulberry to Park. and down Park TO Baxter
when he turned eastward and made again TO-
ward Chatham street.
But Fitzgerald, who Is a small agile man
gained on him rapidly. and "a be was near tn,
end OF Baxter street overlook him and seized
him by the arm. Steinmetz and Leslie. who
were Just behind, cried out: There's his
knife" Fitzgerald glanced down. saw some
thing shining on the pavement Mt his feet. re
| linquished his hold. picked mp the knifs in ar
| Instant. and in an instant more again had his
| hand on the arm ~ the fugitive. Leslie IN reRt-
ened the man with his heavy wrench. and the
two quickly secured him. At the corner they
met Onicer Lewis. and delivered their prisoner
into his hands.
The man thus caught was SpAnglo. He wal
taken TO the Oak street station, where he denied
stabhing Drake. saying that he had no knife
and never had one. He denied having seeI
Drake. or having been In East Broadway o.
being asked why he had run SO, he answere,
that he was late and was running to his wQrI
In Mott street. Drake died two minutes ate
he fell. He had a stab in the LEFT shoulder p
the bHse Of the neck. the wound running Ia
downward into the body. The knife picked ul
by Fitzgerald had a pointed blade six inchel
long. which was stained with blood 10 the hill