Evening star., 1893-11-02
A DESPERATE CRANK.
He Made q Savage Assault on . Police
Captain.

Captain.
Police Captain O'Connor of New York
was visited early yesterday morning by
Gustav Volz, scenic artist at Proctor's 23d
Street Theater, where he lives with his wife
and family. The caller was nervous and
excited, and the cause Of 1t ali was DOS
tai card which he placed with trembling
fingers before the captain. There. cap
tain." said he. lust take . glance at that.
Personally 1 don't care a rap about it,
and he tried to look unconcerned-''but my
wife is in a terrible state Of fright"
The card read:
Il am starving. I want to know II you
will pay me the money you have owed me
SO long or not? If you wish to pay, send II.
l don't want to be fooled any longer. Re-
member. it is 'cranks day and also that l
have been in Chicago. give you until
saturday or Join my
Here the communication ended abruptly
In roughly drawn deaths head. The
initials q. b. and the address. No. 26s ave-
nue. b, were at the bottom Of the card.
The writer was George Book. a middle
aged German. formerly q wealthy business
man at Portland. Ore. where nine years
ago Valz was in his employ.
On coming to New York Volx lost sight
OF his old employer for years. and was sur
prised early last summer to receive call
from him at Proctor's Theater. The once
prosperous Book was wild-eyed and seedy.
He talked incoherentiy OF a mythical DEBT
which he proposed to collect from Vols at
any cost.
Now don't want to harm you," said he.
put that money must be paid at once,
Volz. or there will be serious trouble"
Realizing that he had a crank to deal
with, but making the common mistake of
thinking him harmless, the painter got rid
or him, with request to call again. II
was a fatal request. for since then Book 5
hao hoor, 6vf vfrlrn In he
neighborhood of the theater.
Since the tragedy which cost Chicago her
| mayor Books persistent demands for pay
ment have taken on threatening tone.
When his sinister postal card message was
delivered at the theater yesterday morning
the painters wife was naturally the first to
read It, She promptly became hysterical.
and physician was summoned, and in the
midst Of the hubbub Volz hurried to the
West 30th street station.
Capt. OConnor objects to ''cranks." Like
every other good policeman, he is as sus-
picious Of crank" as Of a criminal Sum-
moning Detectives Lang and Sullivan, he
placed the threatening postal card in their
| hands, saying:
II want this man Book captured before
sundown. don't propose to let crank
them Is as dangerous as a thug
The detectives found a stable at the ad.
dress given In the postal card. and learned
from persons in the neighborhood Of a wild
the premises. While making inquiries In q
saloon adjoining the stable Book himself
walked in for a pint of beer.
Representing themselves as Volz's friends
sent by him to make the desired payment
| the detectives lured the desperate ccrank''
out Of the saloon.
Unsuspiciously the insane German &C.
| companied the detectives directly into the
station, where Capt. O'Connor dressed in
| full uniform, sat behind the desk
Book at the sight came to a halt in the
center of the station house. Hh cheeks
| grew scarlet, the veins rose like whip.
| cords on his neck and temples.
so I've been tricked, have II" he yelled
| 'Then-you with your gold lace and brass
buttons-Pll kill your
Before a hand could be raised in inter.
| ference the frenzied man sprang straight al
the captain. In an instant he had hurled
himself half over the high desk, clutchine
as he did 50 a keen-pointed spike hle-a,
deadly weapon as the most desperate
could wish for.
Capt. O'Connor braced himself to meet
the blow that seemed inevitable. But just
as the would-be murderer made q clutch q,
the ofncers throat Detectives Sullivan and
| Lang sprang upon him.
1t was all done in an instant, 30 lightning
| like in rapidity were the "crank's" move.
ments. Clutched by the two detectives
Books frenzy burst all bounds. He Tough,
like a madman. whirling his determined
| assailants-both powerful men-about IKE
children. The doorman's shout ranl
| through the station, the reserves rushed
down stairs, and in less time than II takes
to tell 1t the frenzied 'crank" was a pris
| oner
Nothing Is known Of the man beyond thu
details given by Mr.. Volz Capt. OConnol
| was the recipient Of many congratulations
last night upon his lucky escape.