The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-08-27
BLINDED A BURGLAR.
Druggist Windolf's Only Weapon
Was Strong Ammonia.
Two Thieves Broke Into His Store
and One Was Captured.
Dived Through His Plato Glass
Window in an Effort to Escape.
Bargain Day" Here Tomorrow.

Joseph Phillips, a neatly dressed eighs
teen-year-old burglar. stood before Jus.
tice Tighe in the Butler Street Police
Court, Brooklyn, this morning, a victims
or the potent influence of concentrated
ammonia. The pungent fumes were too
much FOR his nerve, and he pleaded guilty
TO the charge of breaking into the drug
store OF j. F. Windolf, 564 State street.
About O'Clock this morning Mr.. VIM
dolf, who sleeps in n room In the rear
of his store, heard a noise which aroused
his suspicious. He crawled out of bed
to a point behind the counter. He could
not be seen but he could see all that
was going on in the front part of the }
store.
He saw man working at the fam
light. The intruder managed to open
the fan Wide enough to craw Through.
He dropped to the floor.
Meantime Mr. Windolf was silently
looking for some weapon of defense. He
first thought of SELLING a heavy pestle,
but. changing his mind. he took down
the big bottle of concentrated am
monia and poured out six ounces into
big glass.
From mis- lookout he could see an
Other man making preparation to crawl
over the fanlight. The man easily
BHlntu an entrance.
BY this time the first visitor was be-
hind the counter: going through the
cash drawer. His companion Joined
him. and then windolf thought It was
about time to repel boarders. He began
to make slight noise. Phillips heard
and called out:
IF you make any more noise. will
Windolf continued his noise. just to
draw the burglars on. and the ruse sue
Phillips advanced to the prescription
counter and opened n desk. He put his
head In position where Windolf stand
Ing behind the counter, could get line
Without a word, he let all OF II ny at
the burglar. 1t caught him between the
eyes, covering his face.
floor. clapping his hands to his face.
He was almost unconscious.
| whats the matter, Joe"' asked his
second burglar then started to climb up
the door to the fanlight
Mr.. Windolf turned back and poured
out another six ounces of ammonia in
the little graduating glass for burglar
No. q
Phillips partially recovered himself
where he fell for the second time. Then
Mr.; Windolf started out from the pre-
scription counter.
gering to the front of the store tried
to unlock the door. The key was not
there In an instant he backed off. and
running with all his might took header
through the plate glass door. He landed
out on the sidewalk.
His companion in crime made rush
from behind the counter.
Windolf was at his heels. and covered
the back OF the fellows head with the
extra dose OF ammonia he had prepared
man Owed through the hole made by
Officer John McGinnis was passing Just
10 hi Leu.
pearance on the sidewalk. and he placed
curb with Phillips, Mediums was
through the broken pane OF glass. He
lips he could not catch the second man.
avenue station that he lived In Clinton.
New York, and had only been down
here e,Ls0 short time He said he had :
New York. He did not know who his
, companion was. He said he met him for
the first time on the bridge YESTERDAY;
Phillips is responsible for a similar bur
glary of the drug store OF ]. Carl Trites,
at so Fulton street. early Sunday morse
!, When Phillips appeared before JUS
During the night he had suffered great
agony. but II Is believed that he wiz
not lose his sight. \.
T The ammonia was so strong that Il
Z burned his skin.
, Druggist Windolf was seen at his
store by an Evening WORLD reporter
this morning.
Phillips thinks now that as the pen IL
0 mightier than the sword, so is a bottle
OF concentrated ammonia mightier than
2 a club"
e Mr.. windolf believes that his press
0 ence OF mind saved his life. for both
E burglars were desperate.
e The concentrated ammonia, Mr.. VIM
dolf said, which he used on the bur
glars, is about eight times as strong as
the ordinary household ammonia A
!. person who inhales It Is completely over
glar had dropped to the fioor struggling
: for breath Mr.. Windolf had thrown 9
coat over the mans head. he would
have died OF suffocation in few sec
=. | onds.
Mr.. windolf says that he proposes
= hereafter, instead OF carrying pistol.
a to arm himself with an atomizer ar.
- rangement filled with ammonia, and
spray 1t in the face Of an assailant OF
= | highWayman,