The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-12-19
ASSAULT ON YORK SQUARE
UOMIN 1CCOSTED BY NEGRO RUF-
 FIIN NEAR BROIDTIY.

FIIN NEIR BRO1DWIY.
 Fire Commissioner Walker Held Up on
 Grand Avenue-An the Miscreants Escape
 Attempted Burglary on st. John Street
 Many Suspects sArrested-Citizens Carry
 ing Firearms.
 Despite the efforts of the police, the epidemic of crime is constantly on the increase. and at the present time the feeling of alarm has become so general that women are afraid to venture out of their homes after nightfall. The po lice are unusually alert and the force has been considerably augmented dur ing the present week, but notwithstana- ing all these precautions the police are continually receiving reports of pedes- trians being waylaid and held up and petty burglaries and attempted burgla- ries are being reported from nearly every section of the city.
 The latest attempt of this kind was reported last night and occurred on York square, near the corner of Broad way. A woman, whose name the police at present decline to divulge, while walking along York square where the new Mendcl X Freedman building is being erected. about o'clock last eyen- ing, was caught by a burly negro who attempted to throw her to the ground, but was unsuccessful in his at tempts. The woman succeeded in breaking away and ran screaming into a yard in the vicinity, while her assail- ant ran off down the street into the fog and escaped. The woman, although badly frightened, was uninjuGed and was able to furnish the police With a description of her assailant, but up to an carly hour this morning he had not been apprehended.
 Burglars also succeeded in effecting an entrance into the E,pworth M. F. church some time during Monday or Tuesday night oy breaking open win dow, but did not succeed in obtaining any booty. It is supposed that the bur glars passed the night in the church and slept near one of the radiators, as burnt matches were found scattered all over the church and a number of them near the radiator.
 The citizens are becoming very much alarmed at the existing condition and many of them are carrying firearms as means of protecting themselves in the event of their being accosted on the box permits from the mayor or supsrintend- ent of police to carry reVolVers and other concealed weapons. while more are carrying them without any permis- sion. Unless the dangerous characters which at present infest the city make themselves scarce within the next few days, it is confidently expected that some of them will be shot on sight if they happen to aQn across a pedestrian who is armed. IL is safe to say that at no time during recent years have the residents of the city been so generally armed as they are at present.
 The patrolmen yesterday received in structions to arrest all persons whose actions were in the slightest degree sus- picious or who were caught begging or apparently without any visible means of support. As a result of this order the members of the department were kept unusually busy last night and as re- suit of their efforts over thirty arrests were made and the men locked up, charged with drunkenness, Vagrancy or begging, as the case might be, A close watch was also kept on the cheap lodging houses of the city and all sus- picious looking characters were compel led to give 8 satisfactory account of themselves or were Immediately placed under arrest.
 Fire Commissioner Michael F. Walk CT was held up at the corner of Grand avenue and Jefferson street about five o'clock last evening by a burIy ruttian. who demanded money of him. The commissioner refused to acCede to lis demands and the ruffian took hold of him. Walker thereupon turned on his assailant and struck him in the face, inficting a slight scratch, whereupon the rUfIian took to his heels and made his escape. but not until the fire com missioner had given him several part ing blows.
 About eight o'clock last night burg lars attempted to force an entrance in- to the house of the late William Crow ley at 99 St.John street, but were fright ened off before they succeeded in effect