The morning call., 1891-02-09
his SKULL BROKEN.
How William Ring Knocked Out
the Bold R0bber.
The Police Believe the Wounded Man Has Com.
mitted Many Daring Robberies
He May Recover.


The bold robber who was knocked out
with scale-weight in the grocery-store of
Ring Bros, at Nineteenth and Castro streets,
late Saturday night, lies on cot in the Re-
ceiving Hospital in most precarious con-
dition.
Early in the morning the wounded robber
recovered sufficiently to have delicate sur
gical operation performed on his battered
head. Drs. Williams and O'Brien trepanned
the broken frontal bone and removed apiece
of the skull over half an inch in length.
The man mas given half dozen names
since be arrived at the hospital. After the
operation was performed he said his true
name was Frank Quinn. Beyond this he
would say nothing, and soon after he sank
into dull state or slu1ber, and remained
in that condition all day.
Many officers passed through the hospital
and gazed upon the salow face Of the
wounded man. but none were able to posi-
lively identify him. The police are certain
that he is the same fellow who conducted the
recent rObEerieS in the saloon at 207 Main
street and the grocery at the corner Of Har-
risOn street and Santa Clara avenue. He is
also given credit with having engineered
many of the rObberies that have occurred
during the past two weeks in the suburbs of
the city. Some of the victims of these rob-
berries win be taken to the hospital to-day
to see If they can identify the injured man.
COMMITTED OTHER RoBBERIEs
Chief Crowley is certain that he is the
man who has lead the police such n lively
chase, and hopes that he may recover in or
der to be tried and given a life Imprisonment
as warning to Others. Il feel positive"
said the Chief, "that he is the man who
entered various stores and saloons and held
a number of men at bay with his pistols.
The man who robbed the grocery at Har-
rison street and Santa Clara avenue, was
described as an opium fiend. This man is
evidently an opium or morphine fend, as a
hyp0dermic syringe was found in his pocket.
His pistols and handkerchief also tally with
those possessed by the man who committed
the robGeries."
William Ring, the plucky grocer who
overcame the robber, was at police head
quarters yesterday and gave his version of
the encounter. He had just counted the
money in the till of the bar and stepped out
into the gore to close the place when he
was confronted by man with slOuch hat
pulled down over his eyes. He had not
heard the man enter, but his attention was
attracted by the growing of his little dog
Stepping up tn the man, Ring asked: What
do You want2"
Nothing" answered the intruder in
suriy tones. "only your dog bit me-"
THE MEN GRAPPLE.
Then the man stepped TO the sidewalk
and Ring followed him with scale-weight
in his hand. Iii you say my dog bit you,"
said Ring, You lie. What do you want? ?'
II want money" shouted the man as he
pushed up handkerchief over his face and
leveled a pair OF pistols at Rings head
"a nj
snapped and with lightning-like move
ment Ring hurled the weight against the
mans forehead. The blow staggered the
pistol wielder and one Of his weapons fell
TO the sidewalk. The men grappled and
grocer and robber struggled desperately.
Ring finally wrenched the other pistol from
the robbers hand and using 1t as q club
soon beat him into subjection. The robber
! begged for mercy and finally lay quiet as
though unconscious. Ring called a friend
named Gritfiths, who sleeps over the store,
to guard the captive while he went to ring
IN for the police patrol wagon. GriftthS put
his knee on the wounded mans chest where
upon the rObber asked him not to press like
that aS he Was dying.
ALMOST ESCAPED.
When Grlffiths removed his knee the rob-
Der regained bis feet and ran down Castro
street, Ring had rung In an alarm and was
returning when he encountered the escaping
robber. Again he grappled with the rob-
ber, and soon had HIM in his power. Ring
held HIM prisoner until the patrol wagon
arrived.
The wounded robber is closely guarded
an officer constantly remains seated by the
side OF his cot Ii he RECEIVERS sufficiently
he will be removed to the City Prison hospi-
tai.
MOVEMENTS OF HIS PALS.
Many rumors concerning Quinn and his
vanqulShnent went the rounds yesterday,
and a general interest has been evnced in
Thn -
time, if he is really the man who stood
uI'" the five men in the Main-street saloon
and four in the Harrison and Santa Clara
avenue saloon.
This canvassing of the subject has not
been devoid of good results, since the police
have gained positive information that both
OF his pals were within speaking distance
OF him, but could not render assistance.
1t is thought Quinn decided to rob Ring
when he left the grocery to go upstairs
to his residence, which is over the saloon.
To reach the door that admits him into his
hallway one has to leave the grocery by the
front door, and pass about twenty-five feet
along the front of the building. The weather
having been extraordinary this winter there
has been no attention paid to raising the
awning, which casts a shadow over about
half OF the pavement from door to door.
HIS SCHEME MIsCARRIED.
1t is thought thar Quinn only entered the
grocery TO see whether Ring would come out
alone, and then he would rob him on the
outside. That his scheme proved abortive is
due to Rings having followed him out be-
fore his pals had chance to emerge from a
vacant lot 100 feet away and come to his aid
Ring followed Quinn so quickly that he was
placed on the defensive instead OF being the
aggressor, and when he was wOrsted his pals
dared not show themselves.
The police have cOgnisance of their move
ments for the next ten minutes. They laid
| low until Quinn failed in his attempt to es-
CAPE then they came out on Castro street by
| the side of the lot.
Early in the evening two men went into
| the bazaar on Eighteenth street, W hich is
| about three blocks away, and asked for
| some masks. The attendant answered that
none were in stack and they departed.
| MORPHINE LoosENs HIS TONGUE.
After few injections of morphine with
a hypodermic syringe, the burglar became
| more communicative. He said that he re-
| Gently came from Seattle, where he had
| been working at his trade of boiler-maker.
| He had lived on Third street, near Mission,
| but saws he does not know the number, and
| he also declares that he has no friends in
| this citv. On the night that he entered
| Rings saloOn he claims that he had no in
| tention of committing robbery, nor would
he have drawn his pistols had he not been
| assaulted.
The following note was discovered in one
| of his pOckets
/, Frank Lynch, do hereby declare that I will
| return TO j. ONeill watch and Chain on receipt
| of $40. FRANK LYNCH.
A BOY HERO'S BULLET.