The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-23
Two Policemen and Two
Burglars Exchange
Many Shots While
Running a Hot
Race.
THE THIEVES GET AWAY
Excited HousehoIders Turnout in
.Scant Array to See the Fight
Captain Nugent Thinks.

A dozen pistol shots in rapid success
sion, cries of "Stop thieves!' a scuffle OF
feet, three sharp blasts of a policeman 3
whistle, and the awakening of all the
slumbering residents in the vicinity. All
this happened in the quiet section OF
Greenville at three o'clock this morning.
1t was nothing more than the return of
burglars to town, and their discovery by
two policeman.
Almost simultaneously with the
cracking of the revolvers windows were
raised all around and the awakened
slumberers peering out into the dark
ness uttered in one breath the word,
burglars" The cracking of pistols at
the dead of night has often been heard
before in Greenville but the sharp re-
ports this morning plainly indicated that
something unusual had happened, and
almost as soon as the windows were
opened they were shut down again, the
residents appearing in the streets scant-
lily attired shortly afterward. Then they
learned that two burglars had been sur
prised by coppers; that the knights of the
dark lantern had fired on the blue coats,
the latter returning the fire, and that
the burglars had escaped.
THE THIEVES DISCOVERED.
Policeman Dunnigan, of the Fifth
precinct. and Policeman Frank McGurlk,
who has been doing special duty in the
precinct for the past two weeks, were
standing in front of George Merry's resi-
dence on Avenue E, near Winfield ave-
nue.. when they noticed two men sizing
up the large residence of Mr. Williams,
diagonally opposite,
Two to one they're burglars said
McGurk to Dunnigan, in low whisper;
lets put after Them Suiting the ac-
ton to the word, McCSurk started across
the street. Dunnigan following close be-
hind. AS the policemen approached the
Two men the latter started on run. one
OF them drawing revolver and dis
charging efgg it with the intention of hitting
McGurk. Such brazen effontery was even
TOO much for McGurk. who cried, Don't
time drawing his revolver and blazing
burglars in the meantime returning shot
for shot. Down Avenue E the duelling
qpartette ran firing shot with almost
every step until all the revolvers were
empty. Either the aim of the blue coats
was bad or else the burglars wore
bullet proof garments, for none of the
shots seemed to take effect.
A RUNNING FIRE.
The burglars proved. too,.. that they
were feet of foot and easily out dis
tanced their pursuers. Avenue 70 is on on
ing built on the bank of the deep cut
through which the Central Railroad
runs.
None of the cross streets south of Lin
den avenue are cut through, and up to
Hooker avenue there is an unbroken line
of houses. The. burglars Were on the
gan followed behind on the sidewalk, Nc
Gurk running in the middle of the road
Thus the burglars were kept on the side
walk, they evidently deeming it q risk
to run across the street in front of Nc
Gurk. At Hooker avenue. where the line
of houses is broken by a vacant lot, the
burglars left the sidewalk and turned in
to the lot q nd d ran a,,e down TO the d Centra1
with tall weeds and bushes. and upon
the BURGLARS entering the bushes NJ the th,,
policemen gave, up the ehase. Iney ,
were empty, and they We're not going, to
run I'D against the burglars unarmed.
A TARDY RESPONSE.
Dunnigan blew his call whistle. and
twenty minutes later Policemen Dunr
and Never arrived on the scene. Can,
dies and bicycle lanterns were secured
from the residents, and the lot was was
the burglars could be found. It is be
lieved that the burglars ran up the rail-
road track to Bayonne.
This morning in. going over the
ground Reundsman EngeIs discovered
seven sb1IlletAholes in the tree at Hooker
avenue in front of the lot. and three in
the ash barrel standing alongside the
Tree. The holes' in the tree were over
eieht feet from the ground.
Captain Nugent. of the Fifth precinct,
said this morning, that he believed that
the burglars reside in Greenville. and
that they are thoroughly familiar with
every street; hence their success at es-
Gaping from the policemen. Captain
Nugent and Detective Egan are ON the