New-York tribune., 1885-09-21
ASSAULTED BY BURGLARS.
THE BRAVE STRUGGLE of POLICEMAN.
BLOCKING FELoNIoUs DESIGN, BUT SEVERELY
WOUNDED WITH CLEANERS.

BLOCKING FELONI0US DESIGN, BUT obFAnSS@
WOUNDED WITH CLEANERS.
Officer John Kavanagh, of the Twelfth
Precinct Police, while patrolng his beat carly yeste
day morning, received serious injury at the nanos o.
some burglars whom he surprise at work Kavanaans
beat is in Firstave from
to one-hundred- -and-twentieth-st He went on duty
yesterday the midnight tour and started In at the
lower end OF his beat A little after ociScs
hc had reached One-hundred- and -eighteenth~se
At No. $3.50 Firstave., near one
hundred-and- ghtecnthst, is the butchershop Or
D. Witzer. Kavanagh observed two men standing on
the opposite side OF the street from the buohersnop
and something about their actions excited his aus
picons. he walked up to where they were. As he ap.
preached them they moved up the ono OF them
giving shril whistle he did so. This incident In
creased Kavanaghs suspicious and crossing the street
he somebody moving in the butcher-shop A young
clerk who sleeps in the back part OF the store
is in the habit occasionally OF entering
the shop late night by climbing up the meat rack
and crawling through the transom over tho door Inc
officer certain about who the man In the store
was and went up to the door. As he did SO two men
rushed him. armed with heavy butchers ccavers.
Kavanagh is q big. po serful and though he got
heavy blow with the fiat OF of the cleavers on the
shoulder and another on the back OF the head. DO
cnched with OF the bugars and held him FAST Inc
iaer pal" dropped his ceaver and across the ave-
nue. Kayanagh attempted to for assistance but the
string club broke aud be lost that vauabe weapon
lie held fast to his prisoner however and mad about SUD-
dued him when his pal" accompanied by the Two men
whom Kavanagh had noticed In the first Instance, APP
peared on aud attacked the officer kayanagh
fought desperately and hold his mau gainely
Hit him the head with cleayer!' shouted tho
one OF the other men did SO and Kavan lgh sank to
the sidewalk, half stunned from the effects OK
heavy blow. The four men ran quickly
down eighteenth-st toward Pieasant-
ave- The officer was game to tho back bone, how
eycr and stunned and bleeding he was. star ted IN
pursut his pistol, and he caught sight OF
the fleeing burglars tired ye shots at thcm His mia
ries had unstruug him, however. and his shots were
harmless As the burglars disappeared around tue cor
ner into Peasant-ave aud the last shot in his revo
gone, kIvanagh gave up tins chase
The shots had attracted the attention OF an expoce-
man. named Kelly, who lives IN the neIgnpor-
hood, and Kayanagb, who was fant from
pain and oss or blood, called him to assist him In
reaching the station East 0ne-hundred-and twenty
slxih-st Kelly gathered up the two ceayers, one Of
which with blood, and assisted the injured
policeman to the statoII-house. Police Surgeon Ward
was summoned aud examination showed that kav-
taken to his homo at No. 2.423 First-ave kayanagh
has good chance Of recovery He gave as good ae'
scrIptou OF the BURGLARS as no conld.
aud is confident that he would be able TO
Identity ut least OF them Captain HOOKER detailed
Detectives Irving and Thompson to look for tho burg
lars. 80
Kavanagh was appointed as patrolman in 1878 and
for upward OF years has been attached 70 the
Twelfth Precinct. Hc has always borne the reputation
being efficient policeman and perfectly fearless IN
the discharge OF hrs duty lie recayed honorable men
ton from the Police Board August l. 1853. Tor tee
OF boy Michael Boylan from drowning on jay