Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-30
PROTECTION WANTED.
The East End Agitated by Robberies
and Rum0rs of RObberies.
EIGHT TRAMPS In ON SUSPICION.
Police officials Believe the Reports
Have Been Exaggerated.
THE NECESSITY OF MOUNTED POLICE

Reports of robberies of dwellings and Of
people on the highways have been coming
in with alarming frequency for the past two
months, and people in the East End where
the depredations are most common are be-
ginning to feel uneasy. In fact few men in
that part of the city who are compelled to
be on the streets late at night care to go out
unarmed The police officials maintain
that many of the reported robberies never
occurred and that many of those which
have occurred were greatly exaggerated.
But allowing this to be true, there have
been too many. and the East End people
are alarmed, not knowing when they will
suffer at the hands of the marauders whom
the police seem powerless to apprehend.
Two robberies were reported yesterday
morning, both from the East End. One oc-
CURED at the residence of John Neeley, on
Riverview avenue, Eighteenth ward.
According to Neeley's story, he
was awakened about 1 o'clock yes
passing over his face. As he was about to
jump from his bed the man struck at him
with sandbag, but missed him, and the
weapon struck the headboard of the bed,
splitting it in several pieces. Neeley then
drew a revolver from under his pillow and
began to fire, and he claims he saw two
men run out the door and down the stairs.
He rain to rear window and fired again as
the thieves emerged from the door below.
Several Shots Were Exchanged.
They returned the fire exchanging several
shots, none of which took effect though
Neeley declares he hit one of the burglars
and that he found trail of blood leading
from his yard to the roadway after daylight.
Entrance to the house was secured by cut
ting panel out of rear door. Neeley
claims that the thieves secured several hum
dred dollars worth of stuff from the lower
part of his house before Awakening him, be-
sides S105 in cash and check for 5000 on
the Merchants and Mechanics Bank. He
could give no description of the men as
owing to the darkness he could only discern
their forms.
The other case reported was that of John
Best. Of Homewood, who alleges that on
his way home late Monday night he was as
saulted on Frankstown avenue near Beck
ett's brickyard, and relieved of a package
containing a new suit of clothes. Best re-
ported the matter to the police. He says
his dSS8llantS were COlOTeu men, DuL COulu
give no description of them.
A gentleman called at this Office last
night and reported that at an early hour
yesterday morning he had been followed
long distance on Hiland avenue by two col
ored men, who were evidently about to az
sault him when a policeman appeared and
they ran down by street and disappeared.
Superintendent Weir was asked last night
what steps were being taken by the police
bureau to stop the frequency of East End
robberies.
Two Thousand Officers Required.
"What can we do" was his reply. 'It
would require 1000 policemen to cover that
part of the city effectually enough to prevent
entirely. When a thief wants to
commit a robbery he can do it out in the
rural districts in spite of us, though we can
capture the man afterwards
The place where this man Best was robbed
is one of the lonliest places in the city and
to properly cover that section, Homewood,
would require as many police as we have
in the whole Second district. We are doing
all we possibly CAL but there is a limit to
what we are able to do with the number of
men we have"
Inspector Whitehouse, who has charge of
the East End district, said: 1--WE are using
every effort to put stop to the robberies
IN our district. Many tnaJ nave Deen fe-
ported were grossly exaggerated, and some
never took place at all. L believe the re-
cent robberies were the work of tramps,
though there is reason to suspect a number
Of colored men out here whom we are
closely. have given orders for
the arrest of all tramps in this part of the |
rity. We arrested eight OF tbs class at |
Beckett's brickyard in Homewood to-day. |
Four of them are colored men, and they |
may be the ones who assaulted Best
The Inspector was asked why the two |
police in the East End had been |
discontinued
"Because of the mud waJ the reply |
Tn the winter season horses cannot travel |
asst enough through the deep mud on the /
lnpaved streets to be of any real service. |
On the paved streets the men on foot can
ret along we'll enough What we need in |
he East End is about 100 more patrolmen /
md about 25 mounted police. With such
force we could cover that section pretty |
and in view of the rapid way in
which the East End is building up it will |
lot be long until will need as many police
men in proportion to territory as are now
Employed down town.