The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-06-29
WHOLE PLATOON In PURSUIT

When Finally Brought TO
Bay.
HOUSE ROBBERIES WHOLESALE.
A Gang Is Terrorizing the Entire
City-At Work on the Heights.
At one O'Clock this morning.
the entire fashionable neighborhood
in the vicinity Of Hamilton Square
was aroused by woman's pierc-
ing screams, the rapping Of policemen's
clubs, the blowing of call whistles and
the firing of revolvers. burglar whom
the police believe TO be responsible for all
the robberies which have occurred In that
vicinity within the past few weeks was
caught red handed In the house OF ex-,
Sheriff Cronan, and after most exciting
chase and desperate struggle in which ne
attempted to kill policeman was land ed
in one of the cells of the Second precinct
police station. Patrolmau McGurk de-
serves the credit for the important arrest.
Ex-Sheriff Cronan occupies three
story brick dwelling at No. 654 Jersey
avenue. The residence is an imposing
one. as all the houses in the vicinity are.s
Not far away lives County Clerk Me-
Laughlin, Police Justice o'Donneli and
other prominent aud wealthy citizens.
These people have been tsrrorized by the
frequency of the burglaries in the Vicin-
ity of late, and at the apparent inability
of the police to cope with the daring
thieves.
Last night ex-Sharif Cronan reached
his home at about half-past twelve
O'Clock. He had been down town attend
ing to some business, and when ne Went
up the stoop aud through the hallway OF
his house he did not notice anything
strange.
He had been in bed about fifteen nine
utes and was just doing off when he
was aroused by his wife. Iu low tones
and trembling with excitefnent Mrs.
Crouen told her husband that there Was
strange man lathe house.
THE HUNT BEGINS.
With bound Mr. Cronan was out OF
he'd He reached for the chair on which
he had his trousers and he saw they were
missing. He then slipped on an old pair
and hunted through the rooms for the
purgular.
ID the meantime. Mrs. Crouan went
ont ou the front stoop and her cries of
.smurder, help, police" could be heard
blocks away. PEOPLE In the honse ad :
iofting poked their heads out of the win
dows. and the ueighborhood was soon
In an uproar.
tn arrive on the scene. Cronan had left
the house and stood ou the street half
dressed by this tilne, and III hurried and
excited tones he told the policeman that
there was burglar iu the house.
After rappng his clab and blowing his
call whistle for assistance the poilceman.
accompanied by Mr.. Cronin, went back
| nto Inc house. With drawn revolver the
policeman searched every nook and cor
net of the different rooms OF the house
without fiuding any trace or the burglar.
They were about TO abandon the search
| when looking from the rear window into
| the ward Mr.. Cronan saw the shadow OF
| called the police,s,n attention to il.
| The shadow was suddenly seen 60 move
| and disappear.
! By this time a crowd had gathered
about the house, and Patrolman McGnrk
arrived to help his brother ofl1cer catch,
| the burglar The two policemen CON
| sulted. and upon McGurk'S suggestion
Donovan was TO remain In front OF the
| mouse. while he (McGurk) would go
| around the corner on Eighth street aud
watch for the. burglar there. AIR.
| Cronan's house is only few doors from
the corner of Eighth street, and low
| fence separates the yards OF the houses.
| Mc(Iurk knew this, aud that all the
| burglar would have 10 do to escape would
! be scale couple of fences aud 20 over
| on Eighth street.
| McGurk hurried into Eight street. He
| was none too soon. just as ne reached
! the corner he saw the burglar leaping
| from ths fence into Eight street. The
burglar saw the policeman as quickly AS
| the policeman saw him aud started on q
| run. McGnrk ran after him.
| The burglar had just crossed hs
| street with McGurk in not pursuit When
| he turned. AS the burglar turned Nc
/ yer in his hand. McGurk momentari!y
halted Take that, YOU cd - - -----'t
said the burglar, and the next Instant
| report rang out.
| The policeman was not over twenty
| feet. but the bullet did not hit him. The
| burglar was evidenrlyso so excited that his
| aim was bad. Realizing at once that 1t
| was q case of kill or be killed, McGurk
had drawn his revolver. Five seconds
! had rot elapsed after the first shot when
| McGurk, taking deliberate aim. fired
| back at the burglar. HIS aim was also
| pad, and the burglar. unscathed. dashed
| across Hamilton Park.
"A HOT PURSUIT.
The noise of the shots brought the
| crowd from the front OF Mr.. Cronan's
| house around into Eighth street. The
crowd saw the fleeing burglar with the
I policeman in hot pursuit dashing across
| the park. Captain Kelly and Detective
Clark were at the Park Houss when they
heard the shots. They ran down Pavonia
avenue to the park.
| just as they reached the Pavonia
| avenue entrance TO the park the burglar
/ ran by them. They heard the cries of
s'stop thieff and Captain Kelly yelled TO
the burglar:
stop, or l will shoob vou!H
''Shoot aud be damned, was tile de-
| fiant reply of the burglar. You couldn't
| hit the side of house,
Captain Kelly drew his revolver and
fired. The burglar kept on running,
| never showing any signs Of having bten
| nit. Kelly aud Clark then Joined in the
/ chase. Patrolman McGurK was fore
most, however, aud warrapidly gaining
on the desperate burglar. A yelling 6
crowd followed III the rear. Strange TO
| saw there were some who hoped that the