The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-04
FIGHTWITH ROBBERS
A Plundered Citizen Tackles
Two Single-Handed.
NO HELP FROM THE POLICEMEN.
An Ex-Firemsu Held Up-Hs Gives
Chase and Shoots Ono Robber-
Police Ignore the Affair.

III. J. Breslin, late lieutenant of the engine
company at fire department headquarters, was
held up twice Thursday night in the vicinity OF
Taylor and Jackson streets. The last time
several shots were exchanged between himself
and his assaiiants. A ball passed through Bres-
Inns clothes, and one Of the robbers was evil
IDENTITY wounded. He reported the affair to two
policemen on the beat, but they never reported
1t at headquarters ard nothing has been done
toward tracing the highwayman. Following is
Bresiin's own story:
was going home on the 1915 O'Clock car and
got off At the corner Of Taylor street and Yeslor
avenue. Several others got Off q. tire same
time, but turned in at different houses on Tay-
LOT street, so there was no one with me by the
time reached Main street crossing. Just AZ
was nearing Jackson street two men jumped up
from the sidewalk anu ordered me to throw up
my hands. l complied and one OF them went
through every pocket in my Clothes except my
outside vest pockets. In one OF these l had a
watch, which he therefore did not get, but he
took all the money had, $40 The man who
went through me had q handkerchief tied over
his face rom his eyes down. 1t was 80 dark !
could just barely distinguish IL.
When they got through they started down
towsrd the gulch on Wiitred street. l stood at
the corner OF Jackson and Taylor streets
watching for an officer, and in q few minutes
two came along-one in uniform and the other
in citzeu's clothes. told them of what had
happened aud indicated the direction the
robbers took. Tney said they would follow
down and see ii they could find them. l went
to my house at the corner OF Wilfred and Jack
son and got my revolver to join in the hunt.
Ny wife begged me not to go, but insisted on
doing so.
went up the gulch toward Yesler avenue and
then started in toward town. In the rear OF the
Sunset block, at the corner of esier avenue and
East street. / saw two men standing l took a
circuit around the side OF the building and saw
them 60 out on the street. They walked along
Yesler avenue toward town, AID after they had
gone O short distance came out and followed
them.
and walked along with my hand in my coat
pocket on my revolver intending to shoot II
recognized them as my assailanta As passed
them rolled my eyes around sidewise aud got
good look at both Of them, put could not recog-
nize either. But scarcely had gotten by before
recognized the same voice. commanding:
Hold up your hands!'
Though mad intended to shoot through my
pocket. got ratified and tried to jerk out my
revolver. but before got it out bullet struck
me and dropped. got my gun out as went
down, and returned the fire. The robbers re-
treated across the street and fred another shot,
l jumped up and ran after them q short dis
tauce firing two more shots. think the last
and shouted three times. / then saw the one
in the lead return and help him up, and both Of
them fred again. l dropped down, and they
retreated behind a building. ] was afraid to
like leaf for few seconds, when a man
named McClennau came up thought all the
time had been shot, but on examining my side
where ielt the ball strike found it had just
passed through my clothes, and my shirt was
ON fire from the powder. The revolver must
have been almost up against me when 1t was
fired. McClennan and had stood there some
time before the officers arrived. One of them
1 shot three times myself, and there were three
empty chambers in my revolver, and the rob-
beers shot either three or four times.
1 showed the policemen the way they had