The evening times., 1895-12-11
Crippen's Nsrvy But Fatal Effort
TO Capture Osborn Bacey.
QUINLAN's MISSING FINGER
Reminder of His Brave Arrest of n
Murderous Lunatic-PistOl Fight of
Detective Boyd With ''the Ghost
Robber'--Policeman Burns Paid No
Heed to u Loaded Pistol.

be found u few records of lives of gallant
| and fearless policemen that have been sacri-
| feed TO the discharge uf duty. Fortunately,
however, the latter cases are Not numerous.
There is hardly an officer un the force
| who has not at some time In his career
found himself In positions that required
all the nerve a man anmuster 10 face. This
was especially true a number of years ago.
| when in the tough alleys there was NJ
light and an officer cnuldsrun his neck into
| danger before he knew IL. There have been
| in comparatively recent years exhibitions
of courage and heroism on the part OF
policemen that would on field of battle
have won 4 promotion for the man per-
| forming them. The policeman, however,
gets few promotions and few rewards.
Perhaps Que OF the Derviest men who
ever swung a baton In Washington was
Policeman Crippen of the Second precinct,
| who was killed in harness. The event that
made Crippen's memory dear to all police
men was the one that terminated his career.
Osborn Bacey and n companion, both me-
grocs, engaged in fight in one OF the
| tough alleys of the Second precinct. Pistols
| were drawn, a couple Of shots were fired
aud Bacey's companion lay dead in a pool
OF his OWL blood.
| CRPPEN PURSUED HIM.
Just a. the fatal shot was fired CrIppeu
appeared on the scene and Bacey started
TO run. Crippcp pursued him and chased
him into a saloon kept then at the corner
of Twelfth aud Q streets. Through the bar
room ran the ileeiDg negro and upstairs
into room over the bar, where he stood at
| bay. As the officer started to follow him
up Bah Brown, the proprietor OF tue place,
said:
'Don't go up stairs, Crppen. That man
is armed aud viii kill you"
Crippen paid no heed TO Brown, however,
! but rau upstairs and into the room where
| Bacey had taken refuge, closing the door
| behind him. Five shots rang through the
house in quick succession and then all was
| sil2ut.
After waiting few moments, some OF the
| people in the bar went upstairs. They
| threw open the door and let the powder
smoke clear away. On the floor u 1 one side
! of the room lay Crippen, breathing his last,
and on the other lay Bacey. Both died on
the way to the hospital.
The third finger on Detective Maurice
Quinlan's left hand is missing, and the
sight of IL recalls TO the older officers an
exhibition of nerve on the part of Quinlan
| several years ago. Horace Robey, an in
sane man, who was afterward sent to the
| asylum, had armed himself with pistol and
was making things very lively In Quinlan's
| precinct. He finally entrenched himself in
| n house and refused to allow any one to get
near him.
| Quinlan arrived on the scene and boldly
entered the house. The lunatic stood at
| the head of the stairs, and with Ills gleani
| ing weapon pointed at the officer, threat
encd TO shoot him IL he advanced n step.
| Quinlan's only answer was to make rush
| up the stairs, and as he did SO the fellow
hnf risNsv 4
the finger, but before the weapon could Toe
| discharged again, Quinlan had disarnicd
and handcuffed the lunatic.
DID NOT RESULT DISASTROUSLY
A number of years ago, Jim Warwick,
an officer of the First precinct, had an
experience similar to Quinlan's, although
it did not result SO disastrously for him.
Lieutenant Swindels was then 4 sergeant,
and he was informed that crazy man had
taken possession OF a house on X street,
driving all the inmates out, ard standing
guard with drawn sword in his hand.
The sergeant sent Warwick to get Lin.
number of people had assembled on TIE
outside OF the house, and the lunatic could
be seen through the windows flourishing his
sword. In spite OF the warnings OF TIE
crowd Warwick entered the house and
went for his man. TIE lunaiic swung his
heavy sword, and as Warwick approached
him struck at him, bringing the weapon
down with both hands. Warwick sprung
backwards to clude the blow, and the end
of the weapon struck his badge, cutting n
corner Off 1t. Before he could raise the
sword again Warwick had closed in and
made him prisoner.
George W. Boyd, now in the detective Of
flee, had some thrilling experiences when on
patrol duty in the Second precinct several
years ago. One circumstance in particu-
lar, where he showed considerable nerve,
was in his pistol duel with a negro named
Jackson. who, by his peculiar methods of
stealing, had earned himself the title OF
Ghost Robber.''
SENT A BULLET INTO HIM.
Boyd and his partner, sheehan, had been
after Jackson and his pal, and two nights
before Boyd's fight the miscreant had sent a
bullet into Sheehan, but he was not fatally
hurt. Then the negro laid for Boyd, and
found him.
The negro stepped out OF a shadow with
a revolver in Ills hand, and pistol shot
was the first intmation Boyd had of his
presence. He quickly drew his own gun
out and started for the negro, who ran down
the street, firing as he went. The last
shot the negro fired he turned round and
faced his pursuer and took deliberate aim,
but missed. Boyd's last shot went through
the negroes clothing, and when the pistols
were emptied he took him to the station
house.
Mr.. Robert Burns. one of the old.tin,ers
on the furce, has had a number of thrilling
experiences in his time, and his reputation
for courage is well known I'm many parts
Of the city. He, too, was called on to get
n lunatic in deserted house, and did su.
The man, stripped to the skin, had driven
every one from the house, and with n re-
volver in his hand refgned supreme. The
family were standing In front of the house
and begged the officer nut TO enter, but he
walked boldly intn the house, with only
his stick in his hand. The man had gone
into a bedroom and gone between the bed
and the wall. In his right hand, half raised,
was a revolver.
ADVANCED TOWARD HIM.
Come out from behind there" said
Burns in his most severe tones, at the same
time advancing toward the lunatic.
There was no answer, and the only move
ment was slight elevation of tue hand
that held the pistol. Before it could be
discharged, however, Burus sprang across
the bed, disarmed the man and after a Sc.
we're struggle made him prisoner.
Taylor Branson, who is now doing mount.
ed duty in Anacostia, was for some time in
the Fourth precinct ON the "Bloodfield"
beat aud IL was while there that his fight
with the Ducketts took place.
Ellen Duckett. big negress, had been
disorderly, aud when lie attempted to ar.
rest her she resisted. Her brother Jim, with
one or two others, went to her assistance,
and the fight became furious, the policeman
never letting go of his prisoner. Jim was
shot through the head. aud when the re.
serve was sent around to Branson's as
sistance fully fifty negroes were around the
officer. He finally landed his prisoner in
the station house and the colored people