The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-11
POLICE IN A TIGHT PLACE.
rrilMINs' AND DEIGNAN's ENCOUN-
TER IN 4 DARK ROOM.

rrrs- Have a Bad Quarter of an Hour
With Negro Observation-Disclosures
loses His Pistol and Crimmins GETS
"a Poyder-Burned Ear in Conse-
uuence-A Fight Which Happily
terminated without Serious Re
suIts.
policeman Crimmins and Deignan had
q very unpleasant experience night be-
last, and one which came near cost
f them their lives.
lieeman Crimmins was walking in
--. eleventh division on the west-side
e lily before midnight when a boy ran
u and said that man was killing a
woman in a room at Sims and Purse
u.s. This was not in Policeman Grim
u division, but he said that he would
e. 10 the next box where he would meet
Pa eman Deignan, who was in that di-
yi- n. and accompany him TO the place,
vi he did.
gnan being mounted rode down the
street. while Crimmi1s walked along the
walk. The boy accompanied them.
When they arrived at the house Deignan
mounted and went around TO the Op-
t.-.te side from Crimmins. The latter
Gid not know this and looking behind him
III. saw somebody mounting Deig-
mans horse. He thought it was
the officer remounting, but pres
entity discovered that it was the boy. who
informed him that Officer Deignan had
gone around to the rear of the house.
The streets are not well lighted in that
portion of the town and the corner is a
particularly dark place. This accounts
Tor the separation of the policeman.
Crimmins started around behind the
house i'm the direction indicated by the
boy when he heard Deignan calling for
helm He burst i'm the door and found
himself in a dark room. He could make
out two men struggling on the floor, but
which was the officer and which the Of
fender he could not make out.
When Deignan entered the room the ne
gro met him at the door. The officer had
his pistol in his hand, which the negro
Immediately seized. The two men strug-
glel for possession of the weapon, and in
the struggle the officer was backed into
a corner, where he tripped and fell. He
struggled to his feet just as Crimmins en-
tered. Seeing that assistance had arrived
he exclaimed Hit him, john"
The voice indicated to Policeman Grim
minis which was which. and he promptly
responded with a blow on the head with
his club which feled his man TO the floor.
Crimmins dropped on top of him, seizing
his man by the throat with the left hand
holding his club IN the right. He did not
know at the time that the negro had Sc
cured officer Deignan' pistol in the strug-
gle. He realized it q second later. how
ever, when a pistol shot was fired almost
in his left ear. With a blow of his club he
knocked the pistol out Of the mans hand
before he could fire another shot. The ne
gro fought desperately and it was some
time before the officers could reduce him
to submission.
At the barracks the man gave his name
as Henry Fear. Lucy Sheppard, the wo-
man in whose house the difficulty occurred,
stated to the officers that Fear had fired
at her twice before their arrival. A search
was made for his pistol, but il could not
be found. Policeman Deignan's pistol was
rendered useless by the blow IL received
from Policeman Crimmin's club. The lat
ters left ear is filled with powder grains
He says that he smelled powder for three
hours after the occurrence.