New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-29
COST HIM HISLIFE
A POLICEMAN MURDERED BY THIEF.
EVEN AFTER HE WAS SHOT HE CHUNG TO HIS
PRISONER RATHER THAN SAVE HIMSELF
THE OFFICERS GOOD RECORD AND
THE PRISONERS CRIMES.

PRISONER RATHER THAN SAVE HIMSELF
THE OFFICERS GOOD RECORD AND
THE PRISONERS CRIMES.
James Brennan, policeman in uniform, be-
longing to Captain Ryan's precinct, while in the
performance Of his duty shortly after o'clock
Yesterday morning, was brutally murdered by
Henry Carlton, otherwise known as Handsome
Harryn an ex-convict and desperate burglar
and highwayman
julius Roesler, a German waiter, lives ut NO.
1862 East Thirty -third-st, between Lexington ana
Third ayes He had been out all night and
turned into Thirty -third-st from Ihrd-ave'
to 70 home at about a. m. yesterday
Three men followed closely behind him, but he
did not pay much attention to them. as they
staggered and appeared to have been drinking
Roesler unlocked the front door and passed INTO
the hall As the door swung back, it was caught
by one Of the three men and thrown OPEN Inc
man stepped inside quickly, caught hold OF
Roesler flung him against the wall, and SAID WIN
an AIR OF authority Charlie. i want you
Roeslcr was frightened and recognized the
stranger as of the men who had 1ouoweo e
him He thought from the mans manner that ne
was a policeman in citizens clothes and started to
go out of the hall with him. saying Wei. came @nae
nromptlv in the shape of violent blow in the
face. Roesler was dazed for moment ana
staggered against the staircase pursued ,So uy nS ns
-
said in q gruff voice: If you make a noise,
will kill you"
THE THIEF BROUGHT TO BAY.
Rocsler struggled to escape, while the man, a1ter
striking HIN in the face again, tried TO get MS
hands into his pocket Roesler, fearing that ne
would be killed as well robbed. cried at the
top of his voice. Police Murder Hep!" Inc
CRY aroused the people in the house, and the thlei
darted away with the two confederates, VINO ha9
stood guard at the door. One OF them ran towaru
Jexington-ave.. and the other two, one OF en whom
Roeslers assailant subsequently nicr nr %o
sued them Policeman Brennan. whose poSt was
in Third-ave.. between Thirty-second and inir1yo ~
heard the cry for help. He ran to Ihirty,thlrd
ST. and got there Just Carlton and hls pal disheu
around the corner. The policeman dld noI KNOW Al NV
what the trouble was, but he knew Carlton 10 oe
a thief and made for him. while the confederate
escaped down Thrd-ave. ,a o,o
Brennan caught up to Carlton AFTER ne hau H2ne
n short distance and seized him by the souiueI.
He tried to break the officers hold ana 10 Kch
him. but Brennan. feeling confident that ne cou,n @
us;np his nightstick and this neglect and display
of tenderness cost him his life, lie knew 1he
desperate character of Carlton and should hoV ha'e
taken any chances. Carlton remained qnlet ior
second as if he had gwen up ana htehoeu 10 20
with the policeman quietly and then ne gave ave MS rs
body violent twist when oroush. III mn IL eddep
that il took Brennan by surprise, ana oeIote nc
could protect himself there was brlght glean o,
o III,
on a line with the officers head, followed py
binding fash and a bullet went crashng iti lHtH
Brennans mouth He SUI eung 10 haayV ~h
70 defend himself but the thief had forced hlmseli
SO close TO Brennan that the stick was useless ana
he dropped it and tried to trip mm
FIGHTING AFTER HE WAS SHOT.
Carlton kept his right hand. with the revolver
in it. free and as Brennan closed on him ne nred
again. The bullet ploughed furrow in Brennans
,1,v md
this ono an instant later from another shot. IL
xas terrible conflict. the policeman fighting for
his life and the thief for his freedom Brennan
could have let his prisoner raped for assistance
and saved himself. but he chose rather 10 alneai f
his reputation as man who had no lLnowieuge OF
fear and continued the UNEQUAL battle. lie pea
prof,selu and the blood from the wound I'D ms
ms nth ran down his throat and cho<ed hlm. lie
tr;ed to got hold of the pistol and prevented Carl
ton from shooting several tunes by knocking ms
hand down. As long as his strength held out he
seemed % be getting the better OF the thef, but
he finally became exhausted from his efforts and
loss of blood. his head dropped and his grip re-
laxed
against the officers temple and sent bullet INTO
his brain Brennan staggered backward ana with
q last heroic effort clutched at his ASSASSIN ana
moment with the pistol pointed at the prostrate
body as if waiting to shoot again II the oilcer
should move and then ran through Ihlrty-thlrd-st.
toward Secord-ave. Policeman kerns was at Lex
ington-ave. and Ihirty-thlrd-st and heard the
shots. ard when he cot to Third-aye Carlton was
running away. He gave chase Policemen Colgan
and Dolan also heard the shooting from Second
ave, and they got to 1hirty-third-st, as Carlton
was coming through lie was ordered TO stop ana
only Increased hls speed, but he brought TO
a sudden STOP by Dolan's club. When the ponce
men learned that Carlton had killed prother
officer they gave full play TO their CLUBS ana when
he got to the station his best friend would not
have known HIM.
AN EXCITING SCENE AT THE STATION.
Policeman Colgan saw Carlton throw the pistol
away and recovered it. 1t is self-coclung
weapon, of 3s-calibre, with five barrels. -Four
of them were empty. AT the station Carlton
said he was twenty-six years old, was printer,
married and lived at No. 4S7 Firstavc. He de-
MED all knowledge of the shooting, and sad
that he had been dubbed without reason by the
police He said that he was running because
he had seen policeman and another man fight
ing and did not want to be seen in the nelghbor-
hood, as the police were down on him and he
knew he would be arrested. Roesler, who had
run after Carlton and had been a helpless wit
ness of the murder, followed Carlton TO the sta
ton and identified him as the man who had at
ton was positively identified 1t was all that
Captain Ryan could do 10 restrain the men who
had just come of post from saving the county
the expense Of trying the murderer. lie was after,
ward taken to the Yorlkville Police Court and
rcmandcd until this morning;
When. Officer kerns went back TO Brennan nc
was still breathing and a call was sent for an
ambulance to Bellevue Hospital IL took nearly
half an hour for the ambulance To cover iew
blocks and the surgeon, WneI ne cs"h',hou
brennan said that he could only live short
time. priest was sent for and Father Kenny,
of ST. Gabricls Church, promptly responded, and
chanted prayer for the repose OF the dying
mans soul and administered the last rites Of the
Church. The dying man was taken TO Bellevue
Hospital and his sufferings ended at a quarter
mast o'clock Brennan remained unconscious
after he received the shot in the temple Deputy
Coroner Jenkins made an autopsy on the BODY
and found one bullet in the back OF the mouth.
The other ball passed through the brain and lodged
in the vcrtex Of the skull.
BRENNAN A CREDIT TO THE FORCE
Brennan was thirty-hvc years old. lie was
appointed policeman on March lS, 1874. His
record was OF the best, and he was faithful in
:, -f.--aa.ao of his duffy u1 served for a