The New York herald., 1879-08-23
A PHANTOM BURGLAR.

AN EXTRAORDINARY SHOOTING AFFAIR REPORTED
AT THE TENTH PRECISCr-AN INVESTIGATION
THAT MADE scEpTIcs OF THE POLICE.
At very carly hour yesterday morning. say about
two o'clock. Mr.. William Schnel. of No. rs Stanton
street. called at the Tenth Precinct Police Station
and announced to tho Sergeant in charge that he
had shot a burglar. who had mysteriously entered
hts premises In fact the shooting had taken place
while Mr.. Schnell held match in one hand. his
pistol and the door knob in the other. The shot
had been fired. he said. while the burglar stand
ing within three feet of him. and Immediately
after the ball had been lodged in the midnight visit
ors abdomen he off like deer. but
taken by the Schnell pursuer and received another
blow the head with the butt of Schnells pistol.
Thus being shot and battered the burglar from
the first to the top floor. then to the scutte. then
walked along the roof of the fully three
quarters Of block and escaped. to the utter dis
gust of the police. who up to late hour last even-
ing had not been able to ind his body.
The Sergeant to whom tho complaint was made
entered 1t in full the blotter of the station house.
and when Detective Hess heard that there q
pool Of blood the floor where the first renconfre.
with % remarkable energy said the detective last
evening to HERALD reporter. II could not ind any
spots OF blood. much less pools There were some
spots thore, but they looked more like grease than
blood spots However. am not . chemist, and
do not think it worth while to have the spots ana
lyzcd."
the HERALD reporter inquired Of the noighbors
and inmates of the large apartment house No. 70
Stanton street. owned by Mr.. Schnell. whether they
had heard Of the fracas "Oh, yes. they all said.
"Why. It is all In the evening papers els that the
first you have heard OF tho shootingy "How could
we have known IL sooner?' the ndSue reply. 10
tell the truth. nobody had heard of any disturbance
the first floor OF the tenement. though people in
that crowded section sleep with their windows wide
open when the thermometer IL in the neghborhood
OF ninety. Said Detective Hess. when got thero
the furniture IN the all in good shape. No
disorder-al In good condition"
'And where is Mr. SchnellY asked the reporter.
"He has gone back to Long Branch"
"without waiting to be told by the Coroner that IL
justihable muricrr'
''wait till We ind the corpse" replied the Sergeant
Mr.. Schnell. who is the proprietor Of several
liquor stores the cast side. has been residing In
Long Branch for some time during this summer.
On Thursday he the city. on the same day.
that many OF his German fellow citizens attended
the Lederzranz festival ut Coney Island and yester
day he returned to Long Branch, no doubt In order
to anticipate the blood curdng reports OF the even
ing papers.
Sergeant Chrystie. OF the Tenth precinct, said
last night that 1t very singular that while some
grls who in tho habit of coming homo early
In the morning. had been reported as having seen
the burglar walking along In q limpng CONDITION,
the police detectives of tho precinct had Jailed 70
find single girl who had said so.
The Schuel sensation. therefore. remains mys