The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-28
BAGGED BURGLARS.
While at Work They Were
Knocked Out.
BUNGSTARTERS THE WEAPONS
g Brick" O'Brien and Joseph Wilson
Break Into Store and Are
Neatly Entrapped.

They climbed into window after cigar
cites and whiskey and were arrested.
More than this, their heads were badly
battered
They" in this case relates TO Joseph Will
son and Thomas O'Bren, better known as
Brick" young toughs who were entrapped
early yesterday morning and locked up for
burglary. To use the ancient, stereotyped
phrase, they were caught in the act"
This is how it all came about: Wilson
and OBrien were born and raised on Rus
sian Hill and have respectable, hard w ork-
ing parents. For some time Wilson has
worked for c. Mccarthy, plumber at 1906
Pacific street Saturday afternoon Wilson
introduced O'Brien TO his employer as "a
poor fellow out of work." and without
home or friends. O'Brien shivered with
cold. and Mccarthy kindly loaned him an
overcOat.
The pair were evidently preparing raid
Oh the plumbers establishment, but learn
Ing that no money was left in tie safe over
night, they changed their plans.
They decided to invade the grocery store
and saloon of Tledemann & TTaeger at 1900
Pacific street, corner of LeaveDworth. On
closing the place little after midnight tie
groeerymen found that the cover Of pool
table, which had usually been left on bar
rel under window leading out to the
porch, had been removed. Further inyesti-
CATION led to the discovery that the catch
on the window had been broken off,
IIedemenns 5 suspicious WereIarOused and
ne held conference with his partner. The
grocers agreed that visit from burglars
might be expected before morning. Quickly
they decided upon the proper course TO
pursue. At 1890 o'clock they locked up the
place. put out the lights and retired to their
apartments overhead.
They took turns in watching for the mid
night maurauders, but not wink of sleeD
could either get.
Every nerve was at strain and tension
when about 3 O'Clock yesterday morning
the partners heard the side window being
slowly raised Each seized bungstarter,
lightly trlpped down stairs In their stock
Ing feet, and hid beside the rising window
Slowly. but surely the window was raised,
and then man dropped into the room. He
was Brick U BrieD, and the surprise he
received must have hurt him worse than
the subsequent clubbing. No sooner had
he landed on his feet than blow from Tiede-
mann's bungstarter sent him spraWlIng to
tile floor.
All this was done in the darkness and in
Dolseless manner. So Wilson had no
warning Of the fate that awaited him.
When he also climbed in through the win
dow he received blow ON the head. By
this time Brick" had regained his teet.
and seizing billiard-cue, he rushed at the
defenders OF the grocery. A second blow
from the trusted and true bungsiarter
landed over his left eye and again laid him
low.
wilson also sDrang to his feet and was
trying 10 escape by the window route when
another blow dealt by Traeger retained
him.
Traeger then ran into the street and blew
a police whistle so loudly that Officers
Wright and Melendy were attracted They
caTted the captured burglars to the city
prison and booked them Burglary. of
course, was the charge recorded agains.
them.
The bleeding heads of the prisoners were
oandssed IN the hospital, after which they
were put 10 separate cells. Later in the
day they confessed that they had first in
tended 10 rob McCarrhy's place, but after
forcing in the back door at his place they
changed their minds. "1hen," said Wilson,
1--WE decided 10 enter tie corner grocery and
take some cigarettes and whisky. After
breaking open McCarthy's back door we
remembered that he never left any money In
his place. SO we sneaked into the pool
room OF the grocery and broke the catch on
the window. so that We could climb ill., Our
intention was good. but our execution was
bad. see? Y0u know how the 'blokes'
raped US on the head when we entered,
and that's all there is to the story see?"