The morning times., 1895-12-29
GRIMES OF CHRISTMAS
How a Burly Negro Murdered a
Polish Peddler.
TRAGEDY OF THE BELLS
"Reminiscences of the Historic Marble
SaloOn-The Killing of Ro1ey
ture OF the Notorious Burglar, Lem
POllard-Policeman' Hard Com bat.

The unuusaIly large number of crimes
of all sorts committed Wednesday as the
result of the free swing and opportunity
given every vicious desire of the vicious
element OF the community calls attention
to Christmas Day crimes of the years gone
by.
On Christmas Day twenty-three years
ago Leopold Rogeski, an Old Polish ped
dler, was murdered and robbed in South
Washington by Il burly negro named Tom
Wright. Wright lived in a shanty on
vacant lot at the corner OF Teuth and f
streets south west, with woman named
Margaret Woods, and a negro roustabout
named Brumicy boarded at the house.
Shortly before the holidays the peddler
sold some OF his wares to the woman, ard
agreed to return Christmas Day for the
money.
True to his appointment, he turned up
at the silanty on the afternoon OF Christ
mas day. The woman was out, however,
and the only occupant of the house was
Tom Wright. He engaged the peddler in
conversation, and finally prevailed upon
him to open his pack.
KILLED THE PEDDLER.
Rogeski laid his unwieldy b;ndle on the
floor and stopped over TO open il. As he
did so Wright stole up behind him and
with one blow OF Il hatclIet split his skull
open. Then, after rifling his pockets, he
took the pack and buried it under the floor
OF the house. This accomplished, he took
the strap from the pack, and, bundiing the
body up, stuffed il into closet 10 await
nightfall. Then lie very carefully washed
the bloodst aims from the floor tand removed
as well as he could all signs OF the murder.
When darkness came ne picked up the
body by the strap and carried 1t TO the
center of the square, where some empty
carts We're stored. Under one OF these,
close by a footpath he lald the remains
OF the poor pedder and returned home.
Shortly afterwards a colored girl, who
had been sent on some Christmas erTand,
was returning home through the square,
and her attention was attracted by the re-
cllning figure OF man, UhoIn she sup
posed TO he drunk. Investigation showed
that il was the Polish pcddier, with his
head split open. She quickly gave the
alarm, and the police began to work Oh
the case. They followed every possible
clue, but could not solve the mystery Of his
death In every move they took Tom
Wright was their most energetic helper.
And then Mr.. BrunIley, the rousiaboat
boarticr, appears on tie scene. While Wright
was soutdisposiBgo oi I he body ehsd returned
to the house for supper, and found IL empty.
He noticed also u al Ike iloor had been
recently scrubbed, and in pokng around
discovered signs of blood This aroused his
suspicion, and after the murder was few
days cid he communicated the facts TO the
police.
Detective McDevitt, who was working
on the case. finally decided % arrest Wright,
and ire did so. With him he took the woman
Bruniley. The case was worked up, and the
convicted and hung.
MEN ABOUT TOWN.
In norcrecent years the old Marble Saloon,
ut the corner OF Ninth and the Avenue, was
the scene of Christmas killing. Sam
Emery and Roxey Coombs. weil-known
men about town, were the principals in the
fight, and Roxey was killed.
He vas in the saloon, and Emery, very
drunk, rolled in. A little discussion en-
sued, and Emery flourished a reyolver,
which went off. Cooinbs was instantly
killed. Emery was arrested but the cor
oner's jury decided that 1t was a case OF
accidental shooting and the matter dropped.
Detective r. L. Weedon had Christmas
fight when he was doing patrol duty In the
First precinct some years ago thatis always
fresh in his memory. A notorious thief by
the name OF Lem Pollard was wanted for
burglary, and his description had been sent
around to the stations with orders to arrest
him. On Christmas day Weldon saw him
and couple of pals standing on d street be-
tween Thirteenth and Thirteenth.and-a- "a half
streets. He walked up and putting his hand
on Pollard's shoulder, told him he was
under arrest.
He was immediately set upon by all three
powerful men, and in a few seconds they had
him on the ground, his coat torn off, and
were mauling him up in great shape. He
held on to his man. however, and would
have been killed, but for the
timely arrival of Mounted Policeman Breen.
When the two saw reinforcenents arriv-
ing they ran, but Weldon held his man, and
finally landed him in the station house.
LIT INTO FLYNN.
Policeman Flynn, the big policeman who
is no W doing detail duty at the police court,
had a Christmas experience with three burly
negroes that he likes to remember. There
was a fightin Jackson saley, in the Second
precinct, and he waded in. All ran but the
three, and they lit into Flynn.
The powerful policeman caught one OF
them in each hand, and taking one between
his teeth, caught the other, and in that
marched them from the alley into
the stat'on-house, not even stopping at the
patrol box. After that performance he
forever commanded the admiration OF
the somber-hued residents of Jackson's
alley.
Policeman Coghill, who before his death
did duty in the First precinct, had Christ
mas fight with AmaZons that almost re-
suited in his early death. A notorious
woman named Elenore Coleman, with a
crew OF other disreptuable females, got
very drunk and disorderly on d street
near Thirteenth street, and he tried to
arrest her.
He was setupon by the lnfurlated woman.
knocked down, trampled on. and his clothes
torn off him. He was with difficulty
rescued by some other officers who went to
hisaid. The woman escaped. buttwo hours
she was arrested In Louise
alleyin South Washington, andin her stocking
was found the policeman's badge which she |
had torn from him, and Intended to keep as a