The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-27
HARD-HEADED PAT FITZGERALD
A Pittsburg Policeman Whose Skull
Cracks Nuts and Paving Stones
Easily.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.

From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
Pat Fitzgerald has the reputation of
being the hardest headed man on the
Pittsburg police force. When he was
boy about 10 years old, he fell out of
walnut tree one day head first The
distance tum bled was at least thirty feet
and Paddy struck on his crown in the
midst of a small pile of walnuts. He
broke twenty-three out of the twenty
eight nuts He jumped up, looked at the
cracked nuts and said:
THAT was a lucky fall. 1t saves a lot
of nut cracking" When he got his first
job he spent great deal of time, When
he was not watched, trying to learn to
play seven-up His employer finally
caught him at il, and, being in very bad
humor that afternoon, swiped Paddy over
the head with big scoop shovel. The
shovel was split clear in two right up the
middle. Paddy was discharged, and the
boss took the price of the shovel out of
his wages This was an act of injustice
which Fitzgerald has never forgiven.
After Fitzgerald became member OF
the police force the hardness of his head
came into good play on several occasions
One night he boldly entered house IN
the Ninth ward where three burglars
were secreted. He invaded their room
Oll Uu6 SttOIl0 lINBOE anu bIlOA w dA %" "a
three of them. 1t was too much OF JOB.
The weather being warm the window
was raised. The three burglars selled
Fitzgerald and threw him through the WIN
dow. He struck on his head on pay
ing stone three inches thick, and split IL
through. 1t is true he wore cap al the
time, but his skull was not in the slight
est way injured. He secured help, went
back and arrested the three men.
Of this that EltZ-
gerald, then lieutenant. CHANGED 10 Do
in Allegheny one night when Joe DENNY,
a hack driver, shot Policeman WlIllan
Miller, in the West park Fitzgerald
heard the shot and pursued DENNY. Inc
latter turned and fired at Paddy. Inc
detective felt something strike the top Oh
his head, but kept on running and soon
had DENNY a prisoner. AtterWaru,
when he examined himself, he found tha6
the murderer's bullet had entered the
front of his lieutenant's cap, struck the
top of his head, cut out piece OF inc
scalp and bunch of hair and then re-
bounded, passing out through ms
cap once more, making two Clean
cut holes in his headgear. ne
still shows with some pride The scar Oh
the top of his head. About two years
ago Paddy tried to get into Penn avenue
speak easy on Sunday, but the heaYy
+ door was slammed in his face and locked:
He went at the door head first, BnockeqiI
off its hinges and raided the house. ms
capture of the East Liberty chlcAeh
thieves is remem bered by all the lneul-
bers of the police force. he hld III
chicken-house at night, and when coL-
ored man put his head in the door, aOou9
l a. m. Fitzgerald "butted" that coIoreu
gentleman SO that he did not recover con-
seriousness until after he was IN the ponce
station.
Fitzgerald's last exhibition Of hard
Medicines occurred only few hlglI
ago. Sergeant John II. Best, who Is on
duty at the central police station, DougIt ~
a new handy billy last week. de gov gov. ~
at a bargain for fifty cents, ana shoWeN
it proudly to his Friends 1t was nv
looking billy, covered with brown leaIhel,
and seemed heavy enough to oraln
horse. While Best was showing IL v.o
other evening, Fitzgerald dropped ln'o
the station house. u,, 3,
That's dangerous thing to carry.
he said, as he fondled it and swlshet ~ ~
through the air to get its heft. 'iS G,,.t
body might take it from you ana nuiO
you with it," ..,,oly
Fitzgerald removed his hat and struck
himself strong blow on the top OF w.
head. The loaded end of the billy DuIs st
as If it were an eggshell, and uhe ' W.
with which it was filed flew all oNei WV
room. ..i,.a
"You see it's no good" the deteeG5ooSG
said. He replaced the hat and hau uton.
the wreck of the billy back to the aS'oD
ished Best. ,ras
A stout young colored man. VINO we, woi
resting on a bench in one corner nan Int
rapidly toward the door AS ne w tn
out into the starry night he was neal ei sick
groan: "Lemme go home. dun Ieoi
in my stomach"