Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-24
A DESPERATE BATTLE
Between Beaver Falls Police and
Three Crooks Brought to Bay.
1T LASTS NOT OVER A MINUTE
But One Policeman Is Shot and Two of the
Toughs Will Die.
THE TRIO ALL CAME FROM PITTSBURG
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DrsPArcH.I
BEAVER FALLS. Pa, Feb. 23.LAbout s
o'clock this evening desperate shooting
affray took place between two policemen
and three desperate characters, strangers in
this city, and the result is one policeman
lies at his home suffering with pistol ball in
his left side, near the groin, and two of the
unknown characters lie at the lookup, one
with bullet wound in his right arm near
the elbow, the other with bullet in his
left side, and the third desperate is in hid
ing with bullet wound in his face, he hav-
ing escaped after being shot.
For two days the men have been in town
wandering around, ostensibly selling razors
and revolvers. They were tough looking
characters and the police kept their eyes on
them. They then made threats to kill the
police if they attempted to arrest them.
This evening Officers George Cornell and
Ike Green were notified that the trio were
on Fifth street. They started to that point
and saw the men entering Sifack's res
taurant. The officers followed and accosted
the men. To question the men said they
were hunting work.
Murder Preferred to Arrest.
Officer Cornell said: "We will have to
arrest you."
'T guess not" said one of the men, and
pulled revolver and instantly shot Cor
nell, who fell.
Officer Green then pulled his gun and shot
the man who shot Cornell, who instantly
fell with bullet in his right side. Green
then fired and shot another in the arm as he
ran at the officer with his revolver presented,
which he dropped and then tried to escape.
The remaining rufian then made dash for
r1<x A.a al- - h.
and leveling his revolver at the officer, was
about to fire when the officer let him have
it fair in the face The man staggered
back, then turned and fled.
The shooting took place in about
minute, and in that time the interior of the
restaurant looked like a slaughter
house, as blood was scattered over
everything. Officer Cornell lay in a cor
ner, while the desperate who was shot in
the side lay groaning in the middle of the
room. A big crowd quickly gathered and
the greatest confusion and excitement
reigned. The man who was shot in the side
was Immediately taken to the lookup in the
engine house.
Two Desperadoes Fatally Wounded.
The wounded officer was taken to his
home, and after some trouble the man who
was shot in the arm was discovered in hid
ing ,and also taken to the lookup The
man shot in the face, and who got away, it
is believed was badly wounded as pieces of
his teeth and jaw bone have been found on
the floor.
The man shot in the right arm is not badly
injured, but the man shot in the right side
will die. The ball glanced downward and
penetrated his liver. He refuses positively
to tell his name, but said, eff l pass in my
checks, notify Timmy Ward wholesale
liquor dealer, 80 Penn avenue. Pitts
burg" This man is about 8 feet Z
inches tall; rather feshy, and wears a red
dish mustache. His name is John Strick-
ling, and he is noted burglar and safe rob-
Der. The other man refuses to tell his
name, but has the initials F. B. D. on his
right arm in India ink. They are believed
to be Pittsburg crooks Officer Cornell is
seriously wounded.
At o'clock telephone message was re-
ceived from New Brighton, saying that No.
3 has been captured and is desperately
wounded and cannot live, but refuses to
give his name.