Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-11-17
ANOTHER CRANK.
He Deliberately Fired Five shots Into =
Crowded RestaurAnt-No One Was Hurt.
Said He Wanted to Teach the Rich =
Lesson.

Lesson.
NEW YORK, Nov. II.-Five bullets were
fired by a crank into the restaurant at Del
monicos, Fifth avenue and Twenty-sixth
street, The large plate glass windows on
the Fifth avenue side were demolished
Although there were many persons in the
restaurant, not one WAS hurt. The man
who did the firing was caught and taken
to the Thirtieth Street police station where
he gave his name as George \. Roeth.
The only explain alton Roeth gave for his
act was that the rich people did not treat
the poor fairly, and he wanted to scare
them.
Roeth made his appearance on the side
walk on Fifth avenue, near Twenty-siNth
street, just before dinnertime. From the
pavement he could see the diners feasting
at the tables in the restaurant,
His presence attracted no attention I'M
til he pulled revolver of a large caliber
from his pocket and began firing into the
restaurant through the windows.
Fired Through the Windows.
He fired three shots as rapidly Is he
could cock the weapon and pull the trig-
ger. The first bullet passed through the
fourth window north of the entrance, shiv-
erinR the glass and scattering the frag-
ments and splinters over tables near by.
| The second went through the second Win
dow north of the entrance. The third bull
let struck the irOnwork of the storm doors
outside the entrance and glanced harmless
| ly off
The restaurant WAS we'll filled Most of
| the tables We're occupied The first shot
startled the diners, and there was a rush
| TO get out of harms way.
| They ran hither and thither in fear and
| excitement, without waiting for their hats
or wraps. The gentlemen hurried the la
/ dies out into the street. The walters and
attendants We're panic stricken and hid be
hind chairs and under tables. The crank,
| with the revolver still in hand, stalked
through the storm doors and into the YES
tibule of the restaurant.
| All fled out of his way and for "A little
| while he held possession of the place. For
moment he stood in the doorway, with n
wild look in his glittering black eyes, glar-
ing at the people who were making their
| escape from the place
Then he raised the revolver and fired in
the air, and the bullet lodged in the ceiling
of the vestibule. The fifth shot he fired
| into the restaurant, which was almost de
serted by this time.
The firing attracted large crowd Ia the
scene, but for a time no one interfered
with the man. There was u line Of car
riages along the curb in front of Delmon
ico's, but none Of the drivers seemed auN
ious to take the risk of tackling the maniac
I Engineer Felix Jewel of the fire depart
ment came along and held Roeth until .
park policeman arrested him
Wanted to Scare the Rich.
On the way to the station house Roctl
said he had done right, but was glad thai
he had not hurt any one. He only iuteude,
to brighten the people whom he SAW in tn,
dining room feasting like kings, while Their,
were thousands of poor workinSmeu goina
about hungry. without a cent in their peck
cts. Those people i'll the restaurant, h,
said, never earned a cent in their lives, aut
be thought it II good idea To them.
Sergeant Lane. bcfurr whom he was ar
raigned at the police station, asked Roctl
what be meant by his conduct. lie an
swtred
Il don't like the Nay the rich people ar
treating the working class aud that's VIII,
| got the revolver and bullets. with tn
idea of frightening the rich people int
changing their ideas and TO make then
give work to the poor people though
Id give them good scare