New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-04
SHOOTING A DANGEROUS THIEF.
4 SCENE THAT EXCITED BLEECKER-sT.

4 SCENE THAT EACIlED BLEBChEh-ol'
THIEF, CAUGHT STEALING BY POLICEMAN FIRES
AT THE OFFICER AND is SHOT DOWN.
Five pistol shots fired in rapid succession in
Wooster-st, Just below Bleecker-st startled the
neIghborhood Just before o'clock yesterday even
ing The persons who were near and who quickly
ran to the scene of the shooting one man lying
mon the sidewalk clutchIng n smoking pistol. ana
another standing over him likewise armed anu
messing his hand AGAINST his side where his
clothes showed that a bullet had entered.
Two or three policemen, who had heard the Shots
seized both and took the n to a neighborng drug
store There it was found that only one OF the two
men was hurt-the one who lay on the sidewalk.
One bullet in his shoulder and another, fired as
he turned to rum had penetrated his back and prob
ably lodged in the lung. The other man. who now
made himself known as Policeman Dennis o llara,
of the Twenty-seventh Precinct, had had very
narrow escape bullet had pierced his clothes to
the shirt but without scratching his skin. He was
taken to the Mercer Street Police Station and while
an ambulance was telegraphed for to take the
wounded man to the hospital, he told his story
there.
OlIara was on his way to the Liberty Street
Station House TO report for duty at o'clock when,
passing through Bercker-st,, he observed four mon
unloading a truck in front Of No. 100. There were
TIVE heavy eases, containing cigars, Oh the truck
The policeman read on the address, IL. III. HUI
man. Ierre Haute lni.' and on the otn oI6
from Straiton d Storms factory in this city, and
wondered at the evident haste and desire to AVOID
observation with which the men worked. Ills Sus-
pciOns aroused and he stOppe' to speak 10 the
men without disclosing the fact that he was a
policeman which as he wore citizens clothes was
not apparent The men replied grutiiy ana unwll-
hngy, BOT Olfara learned that the truck was hired
from l.. \. Crow, an cXpreSsman, and that one OF
the men who called himself John Baum CLAIMED the
hi ..f lfsn he
his room. lie said that he had bought the cigars
from "a stranger. The policeman finding his slS-
PIGEONS confirmed by the mans evaSye replies IN
formed HIM that he must go to the Prince Street
Station. Baum started willingly enough, ana
they walked toward Woostcr-st As they turned the
corner Baum suddenly pushed the policemen Nl0-
ently, and whipping out pistol. hred three shoIS
at him in rapid succession One of the bullets
pierced OIIara's clothes. lie, too, on the instant
had pulled his pistol and fired shot at the prisoner
that disabled his shoulder. As Baum turned to run,
a second bullet struck him In the back ana Drought
him down. ,
la the drugstore where Baum was laid he said
hat hr had shot merely 10 frlghten O'llara away,
and without meaning to harm him. lie asSet'ed
that he was a clgar-dcalcr, but could not SatSIac
torily explain how he came bv the two cases OF
cigars. The police. decmng them 10 be stoien goods
took them to the Mercer Street Police STATION ana
loched up the truck-lriyer, Thomas fagah.
of No. 1872 West TwcntY-siXth-st. lie progressed 10
be- ignorant of no I the cigars were obtained. The
three men who were unloading hem with Baum
escaped arrest. When the latters room at No. 100
Beccker-st., was searched evidence was louHu tdt
he was one Of band OF four or five whose meeting
place was there " Jimmcs' nippcrs aud burglars
tools were scattered about the room, and box con-
taiuIng more than 100 skeleton Keys ana large
revolver was found Ia "A memorandum book mat
had been kept by Baum were entries showing the
division OF puudcr between five. the other mem
bcrs of the baud being designat5d as John Mack
Patrick OBIiru, jimmy and Frenchy mere
were also memoranda OF excursions 10 Ncw-Jers'y
towns probably for thleying purposes
Baum was taken to the New-lork Hospital where
n was believed that ne was fatally injured. . liara
has been "a policeman two years aud hall. Inc
value of the :. Glen cigars is . 800.