New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-20
A DESPERATE SNEAK THIEF.
ONLY CAPTURED AFTER PISTOL SHOTS.

A NEGRO WOUNDED IN ATTEMPTING TO EsCAPa
FROM DETECTIVES HE Rad FIRED UPON.
Inspector Byrpes regularly details q number OF
MS men to patrol the upper part of the city to keep
a lookout for sneak thieves. Detective-Sergeants
Valley and Lanthier were detailed for that work
on Friday night. While walking through West
Thrty-eighth-st., in the evening, the detectives
saw stout, athletic loc king negro the opposite
side of the street behaving in suspicious manner.
He would walk until he found house with O
portlco in front of the window then go up into tho
porticU and try to unlatch the windows. He tried
three houses unsuccessfully in Thirty y-eighth-st,
and then went around INTO Thirty y-nnth-st., aud
made another unsuccessful attempt. The detec-
tves followed him home to ThiItieth-st., between
Seventh and Eighth aves., aud then going to Police
Headquarters reported what they had to the
Inspector. On Saturday evening. about 7:30 O'clock
the man left the house. He went up to ThIrtieth-
(. ana Sixthave. then to Thirty -second-st, and
then to Nnth-ave.. and thirty third-st He went to
the window of No. 364 West Thirty-third-st,
and endeavored unsuccessfuy to force back the
catch on the window. While he was at work let
ter carrier passed. Without hestating the negro
took q big white handkerchief out of his pocket
and went ndustriOusly to work scrubbing the win
dow. He next went to the front door of No. $50
West Thirty -thrd-st., tried several skeleton keys
In about ten minutes he came out again with bun
die under his arm, and went to the pawnshop Of
Ii. Poznanski, at No. 456 Eighth-ave. He left his
bundle in the pawnsnop and retraced his steps to
the house that he had robbed He again opened
the door and went in, reappearing In few minutes
with handsome fur-llned silk circular, with
which he started toward Ninth-ave.
Detective Valley close at the heels of the
thief and when he reached Ninth-ave, walked up
to him claDped his hand on his shoulder and said:
81 want you" AS quick a flash tue negro turned
drew pistol and fired two shots at the detective.
an then, with quick motion, threw the circular
over Valleys head so entangling him that he was
perfectly helpless for short time The thief turned
toward EIghth-ave., on dead rum He was brought
up by a sharp, Haltp' from detective LanthIer.
"Get ont of my wayw shouted the desperate man.
pointing his still smoking bstol at Lanthier. The
detective had his weapon out and hired. The negro
fell to the ground. bleeding coplously from wound
in the head. He was only stunned. however as
the bullet had struck him on top Di the head and
poughed deep furrow along the scalp, Lanther
jumped on him but before he could slip on the
handouts, the man had recovered consciousness and
was fighting desperately. Valley who had In the
meantime succeeded in dIsentangling himself from
the circular, ran to the assistance of his partner
Both the detectives powerful men but 1t took
their united efforts to secure the negro and start
him toward the Thirty.seyenth-st. police station.
Ho fought desperately all the way and when the
detectives met policeman in uniform they were
glad to call hun t. their assistance. At the station
house the prisoner was securely handenhed and
John L. Davis, age thirty. a coachman by trade
In his possession found pawn tickets issued by
Poznanski to Franklin for an ulster. two dress
coats, pair of trousers and a business suit. Dr.
Doran was called in to dress Davis's wound He
said that the wound was not in the least danger
ous The detectives went to No. $50 West Thirty
third-st.. yesterday morning and found that Miss
Sophie Tigner was the owner of the stolen circular,
which had been taken from her room OH the second
floor. The clothes were recognized by Thomas
Williams as his property. The pawnbroker was
sent for and recognized the negro as the man who
had pawned the clothes on Saturday night. During
the scuiie preceding his capture. the thief threw
away the jimmy with which he bad ell leavored to
force open the windows and n bunch of skeleton
keys Detective Valley succeeded in opening the
door of No $50 West Thirty third-st., with one of
the keys yesterday morning. small book was
found in DavIss possession, containing the num-
bers of about twenty-five houses in good parts of
the city, which it is supposed he intended TO work
Court yesterday and remanded until this morning